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IntermediatePublished 2026-06-25

CCNA Static Routing: Equal-Cost Load Sharing

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Build a small HQ–WAN–Branch triangle with two independent WAN paths. Configure equal-cost static routes on both edge routers so traffic to the opposite site’s LAN installs with two next-hops and is load-shared by CEF. Verify end-to-end reachability from real hosts, observe per-flow load sharing on the routers, and compare behavior to a floating static of higher administrative distance.

Track
Est. time
55 minutes
Difficulty
Intermediate
Topics

Learning objectives

  • Configure two static routes to the same remote network using different next-hops with equal administrative distance (ECMP).
  • Verify that both static routes are installed in the routing table and seen by CEF on each edge router.
  • Demonstrate CEF per-flow load sharing across equal-cost static next-hops.
  • Ensure bidirectional reachability between site LANs with proper static return routes.
  • Contrast equal-cost static routes with a floating static route of higher administrative distance.

Troubleshooting focus

  • A static route is missing from the routing table: the next-hop must be reachable and in the correct /30. A next-hop to self never resolves.
  • The transit neighbor will not ARP or ping: check the mask on that interface. A /30 typed as /24 puts the two ends off-subnet.
  • ping 10.20.20.10 from CLIENT-HQ fails though RTR-HQ looks right: the return path is missing. RTR-Branch needs statics for 10.10.10.0/24, RTR-WAN for both LANs.
  • show ip route 10.20.20.0 on RTR-HQ lists one next-hop, not two: confirm the matching transit interface is up/up and cabled correctly.

Topology

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Free guides, a command cheat sheet, and graded practice for this lab's topic.

Learn Static & Default RoutingHow Does Routing Work? The Routing Table Explained

Grade your work

How this lab is graded
  • Build it your way. Where a lab lets you choose a value — a VLAN name, an interface description — grading checks that you configured it, not which name you picked. Names that another line has to reference, like an ACL applied with access-class, are stated in the guide and do have to match.
  • Addresses, modes and protocol keywords are exact. An IP address, a subnet mask, switchport mode trunk, an encapsulation — these carry the meaning of the lab, so they are graded as written in the guide.
  • Grading reads your saved configuration. Export the lab from CML after you have configured it, and make sure anything you set is in the running-config — a change that only exists in a terminal session never reaches the grader.
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