CCENT 3 S01 E12 – LANS: Initial Setup of a Cisco Switch

  CCENT, Networking, Switches

Understanding the Physical Indicators

  • System – System Status.  As it powers on, it will blink green.  Will turn solid green upon completion.
  • RPS – Redundant Power Supply.  If installed, this will glow green.
  • STAT – Default Mode.  Show status of port.  On (flicker) with signal.
  • Util – Utilization.  All lights work together to show full traffic utilization.
  • Duplex – Ports will like for all ports working in Full Duplex.  Unlight ports will be half-duplex
  • Speed – On for 100 Mbps, off for 10 Mbps
  • Mode Button (Available on Stackable Switches) – This will switch between the Stat, Util, Duplex and Speed modes.

Observing the Boot Process

  • No power button.  Need to unplug/plug in to boot.
  • Copies IOS from flash to RAM and decompresses it.
  • Shows current version of IOS
  • Tests each component, cpu, ram, etc.
  • Memory: 65526k/8192K Bytes of Memory (Volitile / Non-Volitile)
  • Memory is partitioned into 2 sections: for total memory, you add the two values together.
  • After boot, system will continue to spew out messages. (Press Enter or Tab to see last question.

Performing the Initial Configuration

Basics

  • Would you like to enter initial configuration mode (Setup Wizard): NO!! Ctrl+C to exit!
  • Once you know how to do it from command line, you’ll prefer it.
  • Enable Secret – Password to enter Privilege Mode.
  • Enable Password –
  • Basic Management – Just enough information to configure it remotely.
  • Any option in [ Brackets ] is the default.  Press Enter to accept.
  • Virtual Terminal Password – Password for Telnet, even to access User Mode

Manual configuration

Initial Login is User Mode. Switch to Privilege Mode

Host>enable
Host#_

Switch to Global Configuration mode to make configuration changes

Host#configure terminal
Host(config)#_

Set the Hostname

Host#hostname Sw1
Sw1(config)#_

How to name a switch: Recommend Logical/physical location of switch.

Assign an IP Address – Requires basic understanding of vlans (Virtual LANs)

vlan

  • VLANs break your switch into multiple broadcast domains.
  • VLANs are not part of this series, is for CCNA.
  • Broadcasts to VLAN1 will only go to ports on VLAN1, Broadcasts on VLAN2 only go to VLAN2, etc.

To Assign an IP, we need to enter a VLAN Interface.

  • By Default, all ports are assigned to VLAN1
  • Difference between VLAN1 and Interface VLAN1 (Virtual Interface)
  • Interface VLAN1 is accessible by every switchport on VLAN1.
  • Can Telnet and Ping the Virtual Port, even though it doesn’t actually exist.
  • Once an IP is assigned to Interface VLAN!, you can log into the system.

 

Sw1(config)#interface vlan1
Sw1(config-if)#ip address 172.30.2.180 255.255.255.0
Sw1(config-if)#end
Sw1#show interface vlan 1
vlan1 is administratively down, line protocol is down
  Hardware is Ether...
  internet address is 172.30.2.180/24
  ...

Enable the Interface using “no shutdown”
Because the interface is down, we need to enable it.

Sw1#conf t
Sw1(config)#int vlan 1
Sw1(config-if)#no shutdown

result…

%LINK-5-CHANGED: Interface Vlan1, changed state to up

At this time, the switch can be accessed via Telnet!

Assign a default gateway. This would be the IP address of the Router connected to the switch.

Sw1(config)#ip default-gateway 172.30.2.1

** Note: The Default Gateway is assigned GLOBALLY!! Regardless of the port, you only have 1 default gateway!

Saving your Configuration!

All configuration changes made are only stored in VOLITILE RAM! If the power is lost, all changes will also be lost!

Sw1#show running-config
Building configuration...

current configuration : 1020 bytes
!
version 12.1
no service timestamps log datetime msec
no service timestamps debug datetime msec
no service password-encryption
!
hostname Sw1
!
...
interface Vlan1
 ip address 172.30.2.180 255.255.255.0
!
ip default-gateway 172.30.2.1
!
...
end

Sw1#_

To save the running configuration to the startup configuration:

Sw1#copy running-config startup-config
Destination filename [startup-config]? Enter
Building configuration...
[OK]
Sw1#

CAUTION!!
Make sure you only press Enter when prompted for the Destination filename! Entering Y or similar will change the filename to “Y”!!!

Verify the change –

Sw1#show running-config
Using 1020 bytes
!
version 12.1
no service timestamps log datetime msec
...
end
Sw1#_

Knowing Your Switch – Getting an Overview

Sw1#show version
Cisco Internetwork Operating System Software
IOS (tm) C2950 Software (C2950-I6Q4L2-M), Version 12.1(22)EA4, RELEASE SOFTWARE(fc1)
Copyright (c) 1986-2005 by cisco Systems, Inc.
...

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