Identifying an unpatched open port

[ece344609_2]

This is probably not even possible but here goes. Is there anyway to identify a port on a switch into which nothing is plugged in (i.e. not even a patch cable)? I know a port will show not connected if no device is plugged in but is there anyway to tell if there is not even a patch cable plugged into the port.

[glen.grant]

Simple answer , no ....

[ece344609_2]

Thanks, thats what I thought.

[tomek0001]

To see if you don't have a patch cable connected to a port is not possible, but depending what you would like to do you can check that interface's statistics to see if there was any traffic going over it If there was nothing going over the last few months you can be sure that nothing is connected to it.

Simple command to check it

'show interface counters' and look for InOctets of 0 to deduct that nothing is connected to the switch that was sending any traffic since the last time the switch was rebooted or counter's cleared.

switch#sh int counters

Port InOctets InUcastPkts InMcastPkts InBcastPkts

Fa0/1 305238037 2826235 0 700

Fa0/2 24882077 259940 5 16612

Fa0/3 3413252095 6798268 0 8848

---> Fa0/4 0 0 0 0

Fa0/5 225041518 2476246 0 200

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