Problem understanding configuration of ip address!

[dan_track]

Hi

I'm having a problem understanding how to assign an ip address to a switch ethernet interface (6509). I could do the config in two ways i.e:

Method 1:

conf t

interface Vlan 10

ip address 10.50.1.20 255.255.255.0

exit

interface gigabitethernet 1/46

switchport

switchport mode access

switchport access vlan 10

exit

Method 2:

conf t

interface gigabitethernet 1/46

ip address 10.50.1.20 255.255.255.0

exit

Whcih way is the correct way? Also If I go with method 2 how do I know which vlan the port is in?

Thanks

Dan

[Jon Marshall]

Dan

With method 2 the port is not in a vlan - it is a routed port. By the way you should add "no switchport" under gi1/46 in method 2.

Both are valid and correct ways. You would typically use method 1 when you had a vlan with clients/servers/printers in it.

You would typically use method 2 where you may want to connect the 6500 to another L3 switch and or router and you wanted the link to be a L3 routed link.

Jon

[Richard Burts]

Dan

I do not believe that we can say that 1 is the "correct" way, at least not without knowing more about your environment and what your requirements are.

Either of these might be "correct" depending on the situation. Method 2 in which you assign the address directly to the switchport is appropriate when the port is a direct connection to another layer 3 routed device and will create a point to point routed subnet. In this configuration the switchport is not a member of any VLAN, it is just part of a routed subnet.

Method one where you put the switchport into a vlan and assign the IP address to the VLAN is most appropriate when there may be several members of the subnet and you want the address associated with a vlan and not effectively a point to point routed connection.

HTH

Rick

[dan_track]

HI,

Thanks all for the replies.

I don't have a particular problem it was more of a query that came into my mind. If I imagine a separate router plugged into a switch the connection in the switch will always reside in a particular vlan, why doesn't this case hold up in a multilayered switch?

Thanks

Dan

[Jon Marshall]

Dan

I have configured setups where a router was connected into a L3 switch where both ends were configured as routed ports. The L3 switch exchanged routes for all it's vlans over the L3 link to the router.

If it is a L2 switch only then you have to put the router port into a vlan because you have no choice as L2 switches do not support routed ports.

However on a L3 switch you have the choice and as i said it depends on what you want to do. So for example if you were designing an access-layer that connected to the distro layer via L3 i would rather use routed ports on both ends than vlans and a L2 link. Major advantage is with L3 link you are not running STP across it.

Jon

[Richard Burts]

Dan

I think that you need to think again about your statement: "a separate router plugged into a switch the connection in the switch will always reside in a particular vlan". If you are referring to a layer 2 switch then you are absolutely correct. But in dealing with layer 3 switches that is not necessarily true. As Jon and I have pointed out if you configure the switch interface with no switchport and configure an IP address then the connection from the router to the switch is a routed connection and is not a member of any VLAN.

HTH

Rick

[Richard Burts]

Dan

To respond to the part of your answer that you were not facing a particular issue but it was more of a general querry, I think that the right answer is that either approach can be correct. And that the choice of which one is more appropriate depends on the particular situation.

HTH

Rick