Which statement about static routes is true?

• A. They are manually configured and do not depend on dynamic routing protocols.
• B. They automatically adjust to topology changes.
• C. They always provide the fastest path.
• D. They cannot be used on modern routers.

Answer: (A)

Static routes are paths that you define by hand, with a specific destination network and the next-hop router or exit interface. Because they are configured manually, they don’t rely on any routing protocol exchanging information to learn the path or to adapt when the network changes. This makes static routes predictable and low in overhead, but also means they don’t automatically reroute if a link goes down—you’d need to modify or add routes yourself to reflect any topology change.

So this statement is true because it captures the essence of static routes: manual configuration and no dependence on dynamic routing protocols. They don’t automatically adjust to topology changes, and they don’t inherently guarantee the fastest path or imply modern routers can’t use them. In fact, static routes are commonly used on many modern devices for stable, straightforward paths such as to an ISP gateway or within small networks.