This LFCS practice question tests your understanding of networking. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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.
Which TWO commands can be used to display the routing table on a Linux system?
route -n
This is the traditional command to show routing table.
ip route show
This is the modern command to show routing table.
ip addr show
Why wrong: This shows IP addresses, not routes.
arp -a
Why wrong: This shows ARP cache.
ss -tln
Why wrong: This shows listening TCP ports.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
route -n
The `route -n` command displays the kernel IP routing table with numeric addresses, showing destination, gateway, netmask, and interface. The `ip route show` command is the modern equivalent from the iproute2 suite, which also displays the routing table with more detailed information. Both are standard tools for viewing routing decisions on a Linux system.
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.
route -n
Why this is correct
This is the traditional command to show routing table.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
ip route show
Why this is correct
This is the modern command to show routing table.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
ip addr show
Why it's wrong here
This shows IP addresses, not routes.
arp -a
Why it's wrong here
This shows ARP cache.
ss -tln
Why it's wrong here
This shows listening TCP ports.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often confuse `ip addr show` (which displays interface addresses) with `ip route show` (which displays routes), or mistake `arp -a` for a routing command because both involve network layer information.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
This shows IP addresses, not routes.
Detailed technical explanation
The routing table is stored in the kernel's FIB (Forwarding Information Base) and is consulted for every outgoing packet to determine the next hop. The `ip route show` command reads from the FIB via netlink sockets, while `route -n` reads from /proc/net/route (for IPv4). In real-world scenarios, using `ip route` is preferred because it supports advanced features like policy routing, multiple routing tables, and VRF-aware routing.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
What to study next
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FAQ
Networking — This question tests Networking — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: route -n — The `route -n` command displays the kernel IP routing table with numeric addresses, showing destination, gateway, netmask, and interface. The `ip route show` command is the modern equivalent from the iproute2 suite, which also displays the routing table with more detailed information. Both are standard tools for viewing routing decisions on a Linux system.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 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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