CCNA Plan

IP Connectivity: practice questions

6 original questions · 0 editor-approved · every choice explained.

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Blueprint-mapped questions with full rationales for every choice.

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IP ConnectivityDifficulty 3/5

A router has routes O 10.1.0.0/16 via A (AD 110) and S 10.1.4.0/22 via B (AD 1). Where does it send a packet to 10.1.5.7?

  1. AIt load-balances between A and B
  2. BVia A, because OSPF routes are preferred for larger networks
  3. CVia B, because the /22 is the longest prefix match
  4. DVia B, because static routes have lower administrative distance
Show answer and rationale

Correct: C. Longest prefix match is evaluated first. 10.1.5.7 is inside 10.1.4.0/22 (10.1.4.0–10.1.7.255) and inside 10.1.0.0/16; the /22 is more specific, so B wins. AD only breaks ties between identical prefixes from different sources.

  • B — Route source is not the first criterion.
  • D — AD would matter only if both routes were for the same prefix.
  • A — Load balancing needs equal prefixes and equal metrics from the same protocol.
IP ConnectivityDifficulty 3/5

Which command configures a floating static default route on a Cisco router that is used only if the OSPF-learned default route disappears?

  1. Aip default-gateway 203.0.113.1
  2. Bip route 0.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 203.0.113.1
  3. Cip route 0.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 203.0.113.1 5
  4. Dip route 0.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 203.0.113.1 120
Show answer and rationale

Correct: D. A floating static route needs an administrative distance higher than the primary route's AD. OSPF is 110, so 120 makes the static route inactive until the OSPF route is withdrawn. AD 1 (default) or 5 would beat OSPF.

  • B — Default AD 1 would always win over OSPF.
  • C — AD 5 is still lower than OSPF's 110.
  • A — ip default-gateway applies when IP routing is disabled (switches), not a routed default.
IP ConnectivityDifficulty 2/5

On a multi-access Ethernet segment running OSPFv2, which router becomes the DR by default?

  1. AThe router with the highest interface priority, then the highest router ID
  2. BThe router with the most interfaces
  3. CThe router that joined the segment last
  4. DThe router with the lowest router ID
Show answer and rationale

Correct: A. DR election uses interface priority (default 1; 0 = never) and then the highest router ID as the tie-breaker. The election is not pre-emptive: an existing DR keeps its role.

  • D — Highest, not lowest, RID wins ties.
  • B — Interface count is irrelevant.
  • C — Late joiners do not pre-empt an existing DR.
IP ConnectivityDifficulty 3/5

Two routers on the same link show OSPF neighbor state stuck in EXSTART. Which problem is the most likely cause?

  1. AMismatched hello timers
  2. BMTU mismatch between the interfaces
  3. CDifferent area IDs
  4. DOne interface is passive
Show answer and rationale

Correct: B. EXSTART/EXCHANGE negotiate database description packets; an MTU mismatch prevents the exchange from completing, so neighbors stall in EXSTART. Hello/area mismatches prevent reaching 2-WAY at all, and a passive interface sends no hellos.

  • A — Hello/dead mismatches stop adjacency before INIT/2-WAY.
  • C — Area mismatch prevents hello acceptance entirely.
  • D — A passive interface never forms a neighbor relationship.
IP ConnectivityDifficulty 2/5

In the output 'S* 0.0.0.0/0 [1/0] via 198.51.100.1', what do the values 1 and 0 in brackets represent?

  1. APriority 1, weight 0
  2. BMetric 1, administrative distance 0
  3. CAdministrative distance 1, metric 0
  4. DHop count 1, cost 0
Show answer and rationale

Correct: C. Cisco shows [administrative distance/metric]. A static route has AD 1; its metric is 0. The asterisk marks it as a candidate default route.

  • B — The order is AD first, then metric.
  • D — Hop count is RIP's metric; this is a static route.
  • A — Priority/weight are not routing-table fields here.
IP ConnectivityDifficulty 2/5

What is the purpose of HSRP?

  1. AEncrypt traffic between two routers
  2. BAssign IP addresses to hosts
  3. CLoad-balance traffic across equal-cost OSPF paths
  4. DProvide a virtual default gateway that survives the failure of one router
Show answer and rationale

Correct: D. First-hop redundancy protocols (HSRP, VRRP, GLBP) present a virtual IP and MAC as the hosts' default gateway; if the active router fails, the standby takes over without changing host configuration.

  • C — ECMP is a routing behavior, not HSRP.
  • A — Encryption is IPsec.
  • B — Address assignment is DHCP.

Primary references

  1. CCNA Exam v1.1 (200-301) Exam Topics — Cisco Systems · primary · retrieved 2026-09-21, verified 2026-09-21