CCNA HSRP 2: Controlling the Active Router with Priority

Bundle lab

Set HSRP priority to deterministically choose the active default gateway on a shared LAN. Two IOS routers (R1, R2) and one access switch serve a small user LAN with a single virtual gateway IP. By default R2 becomes active due to its higher interface IP; raise R1’s HSRP priority so it becomes the designated active router for group 1 while hosts keep a single virtual gateway.

Learning objectives

• Explain how HSRP provides a single virtual default gateway for hosts on a LAN
• Configure a shared HSRP virtual IP on two routers (group 1)
• Use HSRP priority to deterministically select the active router
• Validate HSRP state from both routers and verify host default gateway reachability

Troubleshooting focus

• HSRP group or virtual IP mismatch prevents the pair from forming
• Forgetting that HSRP does not preempt by default leads to unexpected active/standby roles after changes
• Hosts using a physical gateway instead of the virtual gateway lose redundancy
• VLAN/access-port misplacement isolates devices from the shared LAN