Question 1,480 of 2,152

Policy-Based Routing (PBR) →hardMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped

PBR Next-Hop Not Directly Connected: Troubleshooting Guide

This 300-410 practice question tests your understanding of policy-based routing (pbr). Examine the command output carefully: the correct answer depends on what the output actually shows, not on general recall alone. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.

A network uses PBR to route traffic from a specific subnet (192.168.1.0/24) through a WAN link (next-hop 10.10.10.2). After a routing change, traffic from this subnet is being sent to the WAN link but is being dropped. Router R1 shows: 'show route-map' shows the route-map is applied, 'debug ip policy' shows traffic being forwarded to 10.10.10.2, but 'show ip route 10.10.10.2' shows a route via a different interface (GigabitEthernet0/1). What is the root cause?

A
The next-hop 10.10.10.2 is not directly connected to the interface where PBR is applied. PBR requires the next-hop to be directly connected. Use a directly connected next-hop or configure a static route to make it directly connected.
PBR's 'set ip next-hop' command requires the next-hop to be on a directly connected subnet. If it is reachable via a route, PBR will drop the packet. This is a common misconfiguration when the next-hop is on a remote subnet.
B
The route-map is missing a 'set ip next-hop verify-availability' command, causing PBR to use the next-hop even when it is not reachable.
Why wrong: The debug output shows traffic being forwarded to 10.10.10.2, indicating the next-hop is reachable. The issue is that it is not directly connected, not that it is unreachable.
C
The routing table on R1 has a better route to the destination via a different next-hop, overriding PBR.
Why wrong: PBR overrides the routing table for matched traffic. The debug output shows PBR is forwarding traffic, so the routing table is not the issue.
D
The interface where PBR is applied is in a different VRF, causing the next-hop to be unreachable.
Why wrong: If the interface were in a different VRF, the PBR configuration would need to be VRF-aware. However, the debug output does not indicate a VRF mismatch, and the issue is that the next-hop is not directly connected.

Full breakdown with real-world context →

Quick Answer

The answer is that the next-hop 10.10.10.2 is not directly connected to the interface where Policy-Based Routing (PBR) is applied, causing the traffic to be dropped. PBR requires the next-hop address to be directly connected; if the router must perform a recursive route lookup to reach that next-hop—as shown here where the route to 10.10.10.2 points out GigabitEthernet0/1—PBR will not forward the packet and silently drops it. This scenario is a classic trap on the Cisco CCNP ENARSI 300-410 exam, testing your understanding that PBR bypasses the routing table for policy matching but still relies on the CEF adjacency table, which only exists for directly connected neighbors. A common memory tip is “PBR needs a direct neighbor—if it’s not on the same wire, the packet expires.” To fix this, either use a directly connected next-hop or configure a static route pointing to the correct interface to make the next-hop appear directly connected.

Answer choices

Why each option matters

Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.

Correct answer & explanation

✓

The next-hop 10.10.10.2 is not directly connected to the interface where PBR is applied. PBR requires the next-hop to be directly connected. Use a directly connected next-hop or configure a static route to make it directly connected.

PBR requires that the next-hop specified in the 'set ip next-hop' command be directly connected to the router. If the next-hop is reachable via a route through another interface (as in this case where 10.10.10.2 is reachable via GigabitEthernet0/1), the router will attempt to forward the packet but will drop it because the next-hop is not on the same subnet as the outgoing interface. The debug output showing 'forwarding to 10.10.10.2' indicates that the route-map matched and the next-hop was set, but the actual packet is dropped. To fix this, ensure the next-hop is directly connected or use a different next-hop.

Key principle: Count usable hosts — not total addresses — and remember that the network and broadcast addresses are not available to hosts in standard IPv4 subnets.

Answer analysis

Option-by-option breakdown

For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.

✓
The next-hop 10.10.10.2 is not directly connected to the interface where PBR is applied. PBR requires the next-hop to be directly connected. Use a directly connected next-hop or configure a static route to make it directly connected.
Why this is correct
PBR's 'set ip next-hop' command requires the next-hop to be on a directly connected subnet. If it is reachable via a route, PBR will drop the packet. This is a common misconfiguration when the next-hop is on a remote subnet.
Related concept
CIDR notation defines the prefix length.
✗
The route-map is missing a 'set ip next-hop verify-availability' command, causing PBR to use the next-hop even when it is not reachable.
Why it's wrong here
The debug output shows traffic being forwarded to 10.10.10.2, indicating the next-hop is reachable. The issue is that it is not directly connected, not that it is unreachable.
✗
The routing table on R1 has a better route to the destination via a different next-hop, overriding PBR.
Why it's wrong here
PBR overrides the routing table for matched traffic. The debug output shows PBR is forwarding traffic, so the routing table is not the issue.
✗
The interface where PBR is applied is in a different VRF, causing the next-hop to be unreachable.
Why it's wrong here
If the interface were in a different VRF, the PBR configuration would need to be VRF-aware. However, the debug output does not indicate a VRF mismatch, and the issue is that the next-hop is not directly connected.

Common exam traps

Common exam trap: usable hosts are not the same as total addresses

Subnetting questions often tempt you into counting all addresses. In normal IPv4 subnets, the network and broadcast addresses are not usable host addresses.

Trap categories for this question

Command / output trap
The debug output shows traffic being forwarded to 10.10.10.2, indicating the next-hop is reachable. The issue is that it is not directly connected, not that it is unreachable.

Detailed technical explanation

How to think about this question

Subnetting questions test whether you can identify the network, broadcast address, usable range, mask and correct subnet. Slow down enough to calculate the block size correctly.

KKey Concepts to Remember

CIDR notation defines the prefix length.
Block size helps identify subnet boundaries.
Network and broadcast addresses are not usable hosts in normal IPv4 subnets.
The required host count determines the smallest suitable subnet.

TExam Day Tips

Write the block size before choosing the subnet.
Check whether the question asks for hosts, subnets or a specific address range.
Do not confuse /24, /25, /26 and /27 host counts.

Key takeaway

Count usable hosts — not total addresses — and remember that the network and broadcast addresses are not available to hosts in standard IPv4 subnets.

Real-world example

How this comes up in practice

A network engineer segments a warehouse floor into three subnets: 20 scanners, 5 printers, and 2 management hosts. Picking the wrong mask wastes addresses or leaves too few usable hosts. Exam questions test whether you can apply CIDR notation, calculate block size, and identify the correct usable-host range for a given prefix.

Visual reference

What to study next

Got this wrong? Here's your next step.

Review block sizes, usable host formulas (2^n − 2), and how to find network and broadcast addresses for /24 through /30. Then practise related 300-410 subnetting questions on CIDR, address ranges, and subnet selection.

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FAQ

Questions learners often ask

What does this 300-410 question test?

Policy-Based Routing (PBR) — This question tests Policy-Based Routing (PBR) — CIDR notation defines the prefix length..

What is the correct answer to this question?

The correct answer is: The next-hop 10.10.10.2 is not directly connected to the interface where PBR is applied. PBR requires the next-hop to be directly connected. Use a directly connected next-hop or configure a static route to make it directly connected. — PBR requires that the next-hop specified in the 'set ip next-hop' command be directly connected to the router. If the next-hop is reachable via a route through another interface (as in this case where 10.10.10.2 is reachable via GigabitEthernet0/1), the router will attempt to forward the packet but will drop it because the next-hop is not on the same subnet as the outgoing interface. The debug output showing 'forwarding to 10.10.10.2' indicates that the route-map matched and the next-hop was set, but the actual packet is dropped. To fix this, ensure the next-hop is directly connected or use a different next-hop.

What should I do if I get this 300-410 question wrong?

What is the key concept behind this question?

CIDR notation defines the prefix length.

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