EtherChannel Question L2/L3

[JohnTylerPearce]

If I have a L2 etherchannel between two switches will they only forward frames? And if I have a L3 etherchannel between switches

do they only forward packets?

[Marwan ALshawi · Accepted solution]

Well frame is a layer 2 and packet is layer 3

But if you have a layer 3 interface that dose not mean the layer 2 won't be passed but the difference is the level or layer the interface is operating in

If it's layer 3 then it will participate in layer 3 operations such as routing while in layer 2 it will be operating in layer 2 like access port or trunk port but packets/frames still pass through but layer 2 interface dose not deal with packets like ip but deal with MACs for example

In other words it is more about what layer the interface is operating in

HTH

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[JohnTylerPearce]

So lets say I had two 3750 switches. I connect 2 cables between them and setup a L3 etherchannel. I'm assuming I would get 200mbps bandwidth (if they are 100mbps) total, and the routing protocol would see the portchannel as one link instead of two?

And if I have a L2 etherchannel between the switches, it basically just does nothing but pass L2 and does not participate in the routing process?

I do know, regardless of the method, the frame will encapsulate the L3 traffic inside it.

[Marwan ALshawi]

Yes you right

If you setup a L2 ether channel with two switch and they have layer 3 vlan interface you will see the interface participating in the routing the layer 3 vlan interface this control plane

From forwarding plane pointbof view the ether channel and it's associated interfacesvwill be used forbthe actuall traffic forwarding

HTH

[JohnTylerPearce]

Gotcha. Thanks for the clarifying that for me.