Inter VLAN Routing
Table of Contents
• What is Inter VLAN Routing?
• Router on Stick Topology
o Router on Stick Operation
o Router on Stick Configuration Steps
What is Inter VLAN Routing?
VLANs are used to separate different subnetworks in a big network. If you divide a network
with VLANs, each of these new VLANs become a different network. Devices reside in
different networks, can not communicate with the other devices reside in different networks
withour routing. This is also true for VLANs. Different VLANs can not communicate without
routing. The routing between VLANs is used to provide this communication. This is called
“Inter VLAN Routing”.
Inter VLAN Routing is the Routing that is done between different VLANs. There are two
ways to do Inter VLAN Routing:
▪ Router on Stick Topology
▪ Switch Virtual Interfaces
Let’s see each of this methods, detailly.
You can also learn Cisco Packet Tracer Inter VLAN Routing
Router on Stick Topology
Router on Stick Topology, in other words, External Router Topology is the first way for
Inter VLAN Routing. For Router on Stick Topology, a Layer 3 device, a router or a multi
layer switch is required. Basically, this Layer 3 device reside on the top and with one of its
interface it is connected to the switch that has VLANs on it. This physical interface of the
router is divided into sub interface. This sub interfaces are created for each VLAN. Here, each
router Sub Interface will be the gateway of the related VLAN.
On the switch part, the port connected to the router’s physical interface is Trunk port. Each
VLAN information is transfered on this Trunk port to the router pyhsical interface. At the
router side, the assigned sub interface get its related VLAN data. In the Router, transport
process is done and the communication with other VLAN is provided.
Without Trunk link, this is achieved with seperate links for each VLAN. But this is not a
feasible solution.
Inter VLAN Routing with Router on Stick topology can be done for the VLANs on Layer 2
or Layer 3 switches. But here, there is a single Layer 3 device, a router or a multilayer switch
is required at the top. For its configuration steps, it is an easy way but for security perspective,
single router at the top means also, single point of failure.
Router on Stick Operation
Think about the below topology. In this topology PC 1 in VLAN 2 needs to communicate
with PC2 in VLAN 4.
Here, the operation steps will be like below:
1. Traffic came to the switch form PC 1 (VLAN 2). 2. Traffic crosses the trunk and reaches to
the Sub interface Fa 0/0.100 associated with VLAN 2. 3. Router routes the traffic to the other
Sub Interface Fa 0/0.200 associated with VLAN 4. 4. Traffic crosses the trunk. 5. Traffic
arrives to the PC2 (VLAN 4).
Router on Stick Configuration Steps
Now, let’s talk about the configuration steps of Router on Stick Topology.
1. VLAN creation
2. Trunk port configuration
3. Router Sub interface configuration
4. Verification
In the first step, required VLANs are created on the switch and required host ports are
assigned to this VLANs.
In the second step, Trunk port is configured and the allowed VLANs are mentioned.
At the third step, the configuration on the router is done. On th physical interface of the router
that connects to the switch, sub interfaces are created. For each sub interface, encapsulation
method (dot1q) and the specific ip address is configured.
Lastly, verification of Router on Stick Topology is done.