Juniper JN0-281 Exam - Topic 2 Question 16 Discussion

Actual exam question for Juniper's JN0-281 exam

Question #: 16
Topic #: 2

[All JN0-281 Questions]

Exhibit:

Referring to the exhibit, which next hop will be preferred in the routing table?

ANext hop IP address 172.25.20.254 will be preferred.

BNeither next hop will be preferred.

CNext hop IP address 172.25.20.200 will be preferred.

DBoth next hops will be preferred.

Show Suggested Answer

Suggested Answer: C

In the exhibit, we see a static route configuration with two possible next hops for the default route (0.0.0.0/0):

next-hop 172.25.20.254 with the default preference of 7.

qualified-next-hop 172.25.20.200 with a preference of 6.

Step-by-Step Breakdown:

Preference Value:

In Junos OS, the preference value is used to determine which route should be preferred in the routing table. The lower the preference value, the higher the priority for the route.

Comparison:

In this case:

The next hop 172.25.20.254 has a preference of 7.

The qualified-next-hop 172.25.20.200 has a preference of 6.

Preferred Next Hop:

Since 172.25.20.200 has a lower preference (6) compared to 172.25.20.254 (7), it will be the preferred next hop in the routing table, assuming both next hops are reachable.

Juniper Reference:

Qualified Next Hop: In Junos, static routes with multiple next-hop options are selected based on the preference value, with the lower value being preferred.

by Raul at Jan 05, 2026, 05:16 AM

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Shawna

I think it's A. 172.25.20.254 looks more reliable.

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My

5 days ago

Definitely leaning towards option A for this one!

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Eliz

10 days ago

Wait, how can both be preferred? That seems odd.

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Johnathon

15 days ago

Both next hops can’t be preferred, right?

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Cammy

20 days ago

I disagree, I think 172.25.20.200 has a better metric.

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Amos

26 days ago

I'm pretty sure 172.25.20.254 is the preferred next hop.

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Janessa

1 month ago

C) is the correct answer. I mean, it's not rocket science, folks. Just gotta read the question carefully and use your networking knowledge.

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Leslie

1 month ago

Haha, "next hop" sounds like something out of a sci-fi movie. I wonder if the exam writers have been watching too much Star Trek.

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Alana

2 months ago

D) Both next hops will be preferred? Really? That's like saying I can have my cake and eat it too. Nice try, but I'm going with C.

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Colby

2 months ago

The question is pretty straightforward, but I'm still not sure why they're asking about next hops. Isn't that a bit too technical for a certification exam?

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Jolene

2 months ago

C) Next hop IP address 172.25.20.200 will be preferred.

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Nana

2 months ago

I’m not sure if both next hops can be preferred. I remember something about load balancing, but I can't remember the details.

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Maryln

3 months ago

I’m leaning towards option C, but I’m a bit confused about how equal-cost paths are handled. Did we cover that in our last session?

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Harris

3 months ago

This question seems similar to one we did in practice about routing protocols. I feel like the lower IP might be preferred, but I can't recall the specifics.

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Magdalene

3 months ago

I think I remember something about administrative distance affecting which next hop is preferred, but I'm not entirely sure how it applies here.

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Kiera

3 months ago

This is a tricky one. I'll need to review my knowledge of routing protocols and next hop selection to answer this correctly.

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Ruby

3 months ago

I'm feeling pretty confident about this one. The exhibit gives me the information I need to identify the preferred next hop.

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Adria

3 months ago

Okay, I think I've got this. The key is to look at the metrics like administrative distance and route preference to figure out which next hop will be used.

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Rosalyn

4 months ago

I'm a bit confused by the exhibit. I'm not sure how to interpret the information to determine the preferred next hop.

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Lera

4 months ago

Hmm, this looks like a routing table question. I'll need to carefully analyze the exhibit to determine which next hop is preferred.

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