Stage 2 of 10 · 8 lessons · ~4 weeks
Switching and VLANs
Configure switches from the Cisco command line: MAC learning, VLANs, trunks, routing between VLANs, spanning tree, EtherChannel and the discovery protocols that map what is connected.
Start: How a switch learns and forwardsLessons· one lesson for each topic, in this order
Do this
- Configure three named VLANs and assign access ports, including a voice VLAN.
- Trunk two switches with a restricted allowed list and an unused native VLAN.
- Route between the VLANs with SVIs on a Layer 3 switch, and once with router on a stick.
- Set the spanning tree root on purpose and check port roles on every switch.
- Add PortFast and BPDU Guard to access ports and trigger BPDU Guard once.
- Bundle two links with LACP and confirm the bundle in show etherchannel summary.
Start with· follow one of these
- VideoFreeJeremy's IT Lab: CCNA 200-301 Complete Course
Jeremy's IT Lab · Beginner
The VLAN, spanning tree and EtherChannel days, each with a Packet Tracer lab to do straight after
- PlatformFreeCisco Networking Academy
Cisco · Beginner
The switching and VLAN modules of the CCNA courses, if your university or institute runs them
Practise
Before moving on: A saved Packet Tracer or emulator lab with three switches, three VLANs across trunks, a chosen spanning tree root, protected access ports, one LACP EtherChannel and working routing between the VLANs.
Type every command yourself; copying and pasting configs teaches you nothing. Break the lab on purpose: mismatch a native VLAN, remove a VLAN from a trunk, plug a switch into a BPDU Guard port. Fixing faults you made is how the commands stick.