This LFCS practice question tests your understanding of operation of running systems. 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 server with multiple network interfaces has intermittent connectivity issues. The administrator suspects routing table misconfiguration. Which command would show the current routing table?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "which command"
Why it matters: Tests specific CLI syntax. Recall the exact command and its required context — near-synonyms and partial matches are common distractors.
All of the above
All three commands display the routing table.
ip route show
Why wrong: Valid but not the only command.
netstat -r
Why wrong: Valid but not the only command.
route -n
Why wrong: Valid but not the only command.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
All of the above
Option A is correct because all three commands—`ip route show`, `netstat -r`, and `route -n`—display the kernel's IPv4 routing table on a Linux system. `ip route show` is the modern iproute2 tool, `netstat -r` reads from /proc/net/route, and `route -n` shows the table in numeric format. Since each command provides the same core routing information, any of them would allow the administrator to diagnose the routing table misconfiguration.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
All of the above
Why this is correct
All three commands display the routing table.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "which command" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
ip route show
Why it's wrong here
Valid but not the only command.
netstat -r
Why it's wrong here
Valid but not the only command.
route -n
Why it's wrong here
Valid but not the only command.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often think only one command is correct (e.g., `ip route show` because it's modern), but the LFCS exam expects you to recognize that multiple legacy and modern tools can achieve the same task, making 'All of the above' the correct answer when all listed options are valid.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
Valid but not the only command.
Detailed technical explanation
The Linux kernel maintains the routing table in the `fib_table` structure, which can be queried via netlink sockets (iproute2) or by reading /proc/net/route (legacy tools). The `route -n` command uses the older SIOCGIFCONF ioctl interface, while `ip route show` uses the modern RTNETLINK protocol, which supports advanced features like multiple routing tables and policy routing. In a real-world scenario, `ip route show` is preferred for scripting because it outputs machine-parseable JSON with the `-j` flag, whereas `netstat -r` and `route -n` are deprecated in many distributions.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A practitioner preparing for the LFCS exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
What to study next
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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FAQ
Operation of Running Systems — This question tests Operation of Running Systems — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: All of the above — Option A is correct because all three commands—`ip route show`, `netstat -r`, and `route -n`—display the kernel's IPv4 routing table on a Linux system. `ip route show` is the modern iproute2 tool, `netstat -r` reads from /proc/net/route, and `route -n` shows the table in numeric format. Since each command provides the same core routing information, any of them would allow the administrator to diagnose the routing table misconfiguration.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Yes — watch for: "which command". Tests specific CLI syntax. Recall the exact command and its required context — near-synonyms and partial matches are common distractors.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 25, 2026
This LFCS practice question is part of Courseiva's free Linux Foundation certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the LFCS exam.
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