8/6/25, 2:47 PM Inter-VLAN Routing | Objectives

Cisco Press

Inter-VLAN Routing
Date: Jul 29, 2020 By Cisco Networking Academy. Sample Chapter is provided
courtesy of Cisco Press.

In this sample chapter from Switching, Routing, and Wireless Essentials Companion
Guide (CCNAv7) for Cisco Networking Academy students, you will learn how to
troubleshoot common inter-VLAN configuration issues.

Objectives
Upon completion of this chapter, you will be able to answer the following questions:

What are the options for configuring inter-VLAN routing?

How do you configure router-on-a-stick inter-VLAN routing?

How do you configure inter-VLAN routing using Layer 3 switching?

How do you troubleshoot common inter-VLAN configuration issues?

Key Terms
This chapter uses the following key terms. You can find the definitions in the Glossary.

inter-VLAN routing Page 98

legacy inter-VLAN routing Page 98

router-on-a-stick Page 98

subinterfaces Page 100

switched virtual interface (SVI) Page 112

routed port Page 112

Introduction (4.0)
Now you know how to segment and organize your network into VLANs. Hosts can
communicate with other hosts in the same VLAN, and you no longer have hosts
sending out broadcast messages to every other device in your network, eating up
needed bandwidth. But what if a host in one VLAN needs to communicate with a host
in a different VLAN? If you are a network administrator, you know that people will want
to communicate with other people outside of your network. This is where inter-VLAN
routing can help you. Inter-VLAN routing uses a Layer 3 device, such as a router or a
Layer 3 switch. Let’s take your VLAN expertise and combine it with your network layer
skills and put them to the test!

Inter-VLAN Routing Operation (4.1)

In this section, you learn about two options for configuring for inter-VLAN routing.

What Is Inter-VLAN Routing? (4.1.1)

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VLANs are used to segment switched Layer 2 networks for a variety of reasons.
Regardless of the reason, hosts in one VLAN cannot communicate with hosts in
another VLAN unless there is a router or a Layer 3 switch to provide routing services.

Inter-VLAN routing is the process of forwarding network traffic from one VLAN to
another VLAN.

There are three inter-VLAN routing options:

Legacy Inter-VLAN routing: This is a legacy solution. It does not scale well.

Router-on-a-Stick: This is an acceptable solution for a small- to medium-sized

network.

Layer 3 switch using switched virtual interfaces (SVIs): This is the most scalable
solution for medium to large organizations.

Legacy Inter-VLAN Routing (4.1.2)

The first inter-VLAN routing solution relied on using a router with multiple Ethernet
interfaces. Each router interface was connected to a switch port in different VLANs.
The router interfaces served as the default gateways to the local hosts on the VLAN
subnet.

For example, refer to the topology in Figure 4-1 where R1 has two interfaces
connected to switch S1.

NOTE

The IPv4 addresses of PC1, PC2, and R1 all have a /24 subnet mask.

Figure 4-1 Legacy Inter-VLAN Routing Example

As shown in Table 4-1, the example MAC address table of S1 is populated as follows:

Fa0/1 port is assigned to VLAN 10 and is connected to the R1 G0/0/0 interface.

Fa0/11 port is assigned to VLAN 10 and is connected to PC1.

Fa0/12 port is assigned to VLAN 20 and is connected to the R1 G0/0/1

interface.

Fa0/11 port is assigned to VLAN 20 and is connected to PC2.

Table 4-1 MAC Address Table for S1

Port MAC Address VLAN

F0/1 R1 G0/0/0 MAC 10

F0/11 PC1 MAC 10
F0/12 R1 G0/0/1 MAC 20
F0/24 PC2 MAC 20
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When PC1 sends a packet to PC2 on another network, it forwards it to its default
gateway [Link]. R1 receives the packet on its G0/0/0 interface and examines
the destination address of the packet. R1 then routes the packet out its G0/0/1
interface to the F0/12 port in VLAN 20 on S1. Finally, S1 forwards the frame to PC2.

Legacy inter-VLAN routing using physical interfaces works, but it has a significant
limitation. It is not reasonably scalable because routers have a limited number of
physical interfaces. Requiring one physical router interface per VLAN quickly exhausts
the physical interface capacity of a router.

In our example, R1 required two separate Ethernet interfaces to route between VLAN
10 and VLAN 20. What if there were six (or more) VLANs to interconnect? A separate
interface would be required for each VLAN. Obviously, this solution is not scalable.

NOTE

This method of inter-VLAN routing is no longer implemented in switched networks and

is included for explanation purposes only.

Router-on-a-Stick Inter-VLAN Routing (4.1.3)

The “router-on-a-stick” inter-VLAN routing method overcomes the limitation of the
legacy inter-VLAN routing method. It requires only one physical Ethernet interface to
route traffic between multiple VLANs on a network.

A Cisco IOS router Ethernet interface is configured as an 802.1Q trunk and connected
to a trunk port on a Layer 2 switch. Specifically, the router interface is configured using
subinterfaces to identify routable VLANs.

The configured subinterfaces are software-based virtual interfaces. Each is associated

with a single physical Ethernet interface. Subinterfaces are configured in software on a
router. Each subinterface is independently configured with an IP address and VLAN
assignment. Subinterfaces are configured for different subnets that correspond to their
VLAN assignment. This facilitates logical routing.

When VLAN-tagged traffic enters the router interface, it is forwarded to the VLAN
subinterface. After a routing decision is made based on the destination IP network
address, the router determines the exit interface for the traffic. If the exit interface is
configured as an 802.1Q subinterface, the data frames are VLAN-tagged with the new
VLAN and sent back out the physical interface.

Figure 4-2 shows an example of router-on-a-stick inter-VLAN routing. PC1 on VLAN

10 is communicating with PC3 on VLAN 30 through router R1 using a single, physical
router interface.

Figure 4-2 Unicast from VLAN 10 Is Route to VLAN 30

Figure 4-2 illustrates the following steps:

Step 1. PC1 sends its unicast traffic to switch S2.

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Step [Link] S2 tags the unicast traffic as originating on VLAN 10 and
forwards the unicast traffic out its trunk link to switch S1.

Step 3. Switch S1 forwards the tagged traffic out the other trunk interface on
port F0/3 to the interface on router R1.

Router R1 accepts the tagged unicast traffic on VLAN 10 and routes it to

Step 4.
VLAN 30 using its configured subinterfaces.

In Figure 4-3, R1 routes the traffic to the correct VLAN.

Figure 4-3 Router Tags Unicast Frame with VLAN 30

Figure 4-3 illustrates the following steps:

Step 5. The unicast traffic is tagged with VLAN 30 as it is sent out the router
interface to switch S1.

Step 6. Switch S1 forwards the tagged unicast traffic out the other trunk link to
switch S2.

Step [Link] S2 removes the VLAN tag of the unicast frame and forwards the
frame out to PC3 on port F0/23.

NOTE

The router-on-a-stick method of inter-VLAN routing does not scale beyond 50 VLANs.

Inter-VLAN Routing on a Layer 3 Switch (4.1.4)

The modern method of performing inter-VLAN routing is to use Layer 3 switches and
switched virtual interfaces (SVI). An SVI is a virtual interface that is configured on a
Layer 3 switch, as shown in Figure 4-4.

Figure 4-4 Layer 3 Switch Inter-VLAN Routing Example

NOTE

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A Layer 3 switch is also called a multilayer switch because it operates at Layer 2 and
Layer 3. However, in this course we use the term Layer 3 switch.

Inter-VLAN SVIs are created the same way that the management VLAN interface is
configured. The SVI is created for a VLAN that exists on the switch. Although virtual,
the SVI performs the same functions for the VLAN as a router interface would.
Specifically, it provides Layer 3 processing for packets that are sent to or from all
switch ports associated with that VLAN.

The following are advantages of using Layer 3 switches for inter-VLAN routing:

They are much faster than router-on-a-stick because everything is hardware

switched and routed.

There is no need for external links from the switch to the router for routing.

They are not limited to one link because Layer 2 EtherChannels can be used as
trunk links between the switches to increase bandwidth.

Latency is much lower because data does not need to leave the switch to be
routed to a different network.

They are more commonly deployed in a campus LAN than routers.

The only disadvantage is that Layer 3 switches are more expensive than Layer 2
switches, but they can be less expensive than a separate Layer 2 switch and router.

CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING—INTER-VLAN ROUTING OPERATION (4.1.5)

Refer to the online course to complete this activity.

Router-on-a-Stick Inter-VLAN Routing (4.2)

In this section, you configure router-on-a-stick inter-VLAN routing.

Router-on-a-Stick Scenario (4.2.1)

In the previous section, three ways to create inter-VLAN routing were listed, and
legacy inter-VLAN routing was detailed. This section details how to configure router-
on-a-stick inter-VLAN routing. You can see in the figure that the router is not in the
center of the topology but instead appears to be on a stick near the border, hence the
name.

In Figure 4-5, the R1 GigabitEthernet 0/0/1 interface is connected to the S1

FastEthernet 0/5 port. The S1 FastEthernet 0/1 port is connected to the S2
FastEthernet 0/1 port. These are trunk links that are required to forward traffic within
and between VLANs.

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Figure 4-5 Router-on-a-Stick Topology

To route between VLANs, the R1 GigabitEthernet 0/0/1 interface is logically divided

into three subinterfaces, as shown in Table 4-2. The table also shows the three VLANs
that will be configured on the switches.

Table 4-2 Router R1 Subinterfaces

Subinterface VLAN IP Address

G0/0/1.10 10 [Link]/24
G0/0/1.20 20 [Link]/24
G0/0/1.30 99 [Link]/24

Assume that R1, S1, and S2 have initial basic configurations. Currently, PC1 and PC2
cannot ping each other because they are on separate networks. Only S1 and S2 can
ping each other, but they but are unreachable by PC1 or PC2 because they are also on
different networks.

To enable devices to ping each other, the switches must be configured with VLANs
and trunking, and the router must be configured for inter-VLAN routing.

S1 VLAN and Trunking Configuration (4.2.2)

Complete the following steps to configure S1 with VLANs and trunking:

Step 1. Create and name the VLANs. First, the VLANs are created and named,
as shown in Example 4-1. VLANs are created only after you exit out of VLAN
subconfiguration mode.

Example 4-1 Create and Name VLANs

S1(config)# vlan 10
S1(config-vlan)# name LAN10
S1(config-vlan)# exit
S1(config)# vlan 20

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S1(config-vlan)# name LAN20
S1(config-vlan)# exit
S1(config)# vlan 99
S1(config-vlan)# name Management
S1(config-vlan)# exit
S1(config)#

Step 2. Create the management interface. Next, the management interface is

created on VLAN 99 along with the default gateway of R1, as shown in Example
4-2.

Example 4-2 Create the Management Interface

S1(config)# interface vlan 99

S1(config-if)# ip add [Link] [Link]
S1(config-if)# no shut
S1(config-if)# exit
S1(config)# ip default-gateway [Link]
S1(config)#

Step 3. Configure access ports. Next, port Fa0/6 connecting to PC1 is

configured as an access port in VLAN 10, as shown in Example 4-3. Assume
PC1 has been configured with the correct IP address and default gateway.

Example 4-3 Configure Access Ports

S1(config)# interface fa0/6

S1(config-if)# switchport mode access
S1(config-if)# switchport access vlan 10
S1(config-if)# no shut
S1(config-if)# exit
S1(config)#

Step [Link] trunking ports. Finally, ports Fa0/1 connecting to S2 and Fa05
connecting to R1 are configured as trunk ports, as shown in Example 4-4.

Example 4-4 Configure Trunking Ports

S1(config)# interface fa0/1

S1(config-if)# switchport mode trunk
S1(config-if)# no shut
S1(config-if)# exit
S1(config)# interface fa0/5
S1(config-if)# switchport mode trunk
S1(config-if)# no shut
S1(config-if)# end
*Mar 1 00:23:43.093: %LINEPROTO-5-UPDOWN: Line protocol on Interface
FastEthernet0/1, changed state to up
*Mar 1 00:23:44.511: %LINEPROTO-5-UPDOWN: Line protocol on Interface
FastEthernet0/5, changed state to up

S2 VLAN and Trunking Configuration (4.2.3)

The configuration for S2 is similar to S1, as shown in Example 4-5.

Example 4-5 S2 Configuration

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S2(config)# vlan 10
S2(config-vlan)# name LAN10
S2(config-vlan)# exit
S2(config)# vlan 20
S2(config-vlan)# name LAN20
S2(config-vlan)# exit
S2(config)# vlan 99
S2(config-vlan)# name Management
S2(config-vlan)# exit
S2(config)#
S2(config)# interface vlan 99
S2(config-if)# ip add [Link] [Link]
S2(config-if)# no shut
S2(config-if)# exit
S2(config)# ip default-gateway [Link]
S2(config)# interface fa0/18
S2(config-if)# switchport mode access
S2(config-if)# switchport access vlan 20
S2(config-if)# no shut
S2(config-if)# exit
S2(config)# interface fa0/1
S2(config-if)# switchport mode trunk
S2(config-if)# no shut
S2(config-if)# exit
S2(config-if)# end
*Mar 1 00:23:52.137: %LINEPROTO-5-UPDOWN: Line protocol on Interface
FastEthernet0/1, changed state to up

R1 Subinterface Configuration (4.2.4)

The router-on-a-stick method requires you to create a subinterface for each VLAN to
be routed.

A subinterface is created using the interface interface_id.subinterface_id global

configuration mode command. The subinterface syntax is the physical interface
followed by a period and a subinterface number. Although not required, it is customary
to match the subinterface number with the VLAN number.

Each subinterface is then configured with the following two commands:

encapsulation dot1q vlan_id [native]: This command configures the subinterface

to respond to 802.1Q encapsulated traffic from the specified vlan-id. The native
keyword option is only appended to set the native VLAN to something other than
VLAN 1.

ip address ip-address subnet-mask: This command configures the IPv4 address

of the subinterface. This address typically serves as the default gateway for the
identified VLAN.

Repeat the process for each VLAN to be routed. Each router subinterface must be
assigned an IP address on a unique subnet for routing to occur.

When all subinterfaces have been created, enable the physical interface using the no
shutdown interface configuration command. If the physical interface is disabled, all
subinterfaces are disabled.

In the configuration in Example 4-6, the R1 G0/0/1 subinterfaces are configured for
VLANs 10, 20, and 99.

Example 4-6 R1 Subinterface Configuration

R1(config)# interface G0/0/1.10

R1(config-subif)# description Default Gateway for VLAN 10
R1(config-subif)# encapsulation dot1Q 10
R1(config-subif)# ip add [Link] [Link]

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R1(config-subif)# exit
R1(config)#
R1(config)# interface G0/0/1.20
R1(config-subif)# description Default Gateway for VLAN 20
R1(config-subif)# encapsulation dot1Q 20
R1(config-subif)# ip add [Link] [Link]
R1(config-subif)# exit
R1(config)#
R1(config)# interface G0/0/1.99
R1(config-subif)# description Default Gateway for VLAN 99
R1(config-subif)# encapsulation dot1Q 99
R1(config-subif)# ip add [Link] [Link]
R1(config-subif)# exit
R1(config)#
R1(config)# interface G0/0/1
R1(config-if)# description Trunk link to S1
R1(config-if)# no shut
R1(config-if)# end
R1#
*Sep 15 19:08:47.015: %LINK-3-UPDOWN: Interface GigabitEthernet0/0/1, changed
state to down
*Sep 15 19:08:50.071: %LINK-3-UPDOWN: Interface GigabitEthernet0/0/1, changed
state to up
*Sep 15 19:08:51.071: %LINEPROTO-5-UPDOWN: Line protocol on Interface
GigabitEthernet0/0/1, changed state to up
R1#

Verify Connectivity Between PC1 and PC2 (4.2.5)

The router-on-a-stick configuration is complete after the switch trunk and the router
subinterfaces have been configured. The configuration can be verified from the hosts,
router, and switch.

From a host, verify connectivity to a host in another VLAN using the ping command. It
is a good idea to first verify the current host IP configuration using the ipconfig
Windows host command, as shown in Example 4-7.

Example 4-7 Verify Windows Host Configuration

C:\Users\PC1> ipconfig
Windows IP Configuration
Ethernet adapter Ethernet0:
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Link-local IPv6 Address : fe80::5c43:ee7c:2959:da68%6
IPv4 Address : [Link]
Subnet Mask : [Link]
Default Gateway : [Link]
C:\Users\PC1>

The output confirms the IPv4 address and default gateway of PC1. Next, use ping to
verify connectivity with PC2 and S1, as shown in Figure 4-5. The ping output
successfully confirms that inter-VLAN routing is operating, as shown in Example 4-8.

Example 4-8 Verify Inter-VLAN Routing by Pinging from PC1

C:\Users\PC1> ping [Link]

Pinging [Link] with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from [Link]: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=127
Reply from [Link]: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=127
Reply from [Link]: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=127
Reply from [Link]: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=127
Ping statistics for [Link]:

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Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss).
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 0ms, Maximum = 0ms, Average = 0ms
C:\Users\PC1>
C:\Users\PC1> ping [Link]
Pinging [Link] with 32 bytes of data:
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Reply from [Link]: bytes=32 time=2ms TTL=254
Reply from [Link]: bytes=32 time=1ms TTL=254 |
Ping statistics for [Link]:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 2, Lost = 2 (50% loss).
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 1ms, Maximum = 2ms, Average = 1ms
C:\Users\PC1>

Router-on-a-Stick Inter-VLAN Routing Verification (4.2.6)

In addition to using ping between devices, the following show commands can be used
to verify and troubleshoot the router-on-a-stick configuration.

show ip route

show ip interface brief

show interfaces

show interfaces trunk

As shown in Example 4-9, verify that the subinterfaces are appearing in the routing
table of R1 by using the show ip route command. Notice that there are three
connected routes (C) and their respective exit interfaces for each routable VLAN. The
output confirms that the correct subnets, VLANs, and subinterfaces are active.

Example 4-9 Verify Subinterfaces Are in Routing Table

R1# show ip route | begin Gateway

Gateway of last resort is not set
[Link]/24 is variably subnetted, 2 subnets, 2 masks
C [Link]/24 is directly connected, GigabitEthernet0/0/1.10
L [Link]/32 is directly connected, GigabitEthernet0/0/1.10
[Link]/24 is variably subnetted, 2 subnets, 2 masks
C [Link]/24 is directly connected, GigabitEthernet0/0/1.20
L [Link]/32 is directly connected, GigabitEthernet0/0/1.20
[Link]/24 is variably subnetted, 2 subnets, 2 masks
C [Link]/24 is directly connected, GigabitEthernet0/0/1.99
L [Link]/32 is directly connected, GigabitEthernet0/0/1.99
R1#

Another useful router command is show ip interface brief, as shown in Example 4-10.
The output confirms that the subinterfaces have the correct IPv4 address configured,
and that they are operational.

Example 4-10 Verify Subinterface IP Addresses and Status

R1# show ip interface brief | include up

GigabitEthernet0/0/1 unassigned YES unset up up
Gi0/0/1.10 [Link] YES manual up up
Gi0/0/1.20 [Link] YES manual up up
Gi0/0/1.99 [Link] YES manual up up
R1#

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Subinterfaces can be verified using the show interfaces subinterface-id command, as
shown in Example 4-11.

Example 4-11 Verify Details of the Subinterface

R1# show interfaces g0/0/1.10

GigabitEthernet0/0/1.10 is up, line protocol is up
Hardware is ISR4221-2x1GE, address is 10b3.d605.0301 (bia 10b3.d605.0301)
Description: Default Gateway for VLAN 10
Internet address is [Link]/24
MTU 1500 bytes, BW 100000 Kbit/sec, DLY 100 usec,
reliability 255/255, txload 1/255, rxload 1/255
Encapsulation 802.1Q Virtual LAN, Vlan ID 10.
ARP type: ARPA, ARP Timeout 04:00:00
Keepalive not supported
Last clearing of "show interface" counters never
R1#

The misconfiguration could also be on the trunking port of the switch. Therefore, it is
also useful to verify the active trunk links on a Layer 2 switch by using the show
interfaces trunk command, as shown in Example 4-12. The output confirms that the
link to R1 is trunking for the required VLANs.

NOTE

Although VLAN 1 was not explicitly configured, it was automatically included because
control traffic on trunk links will always be forwarded on VLAN 1.

Example 4-12 Verify Trunk Link Status

S1# show interfaces trunk

Port Mode Encapsulation Status Native vlan
Fa0/1 on 802.1q trunking 1
Fa0/5 on 802.1q trunking 1
Port Vlans allowed on trunk
Fa0/1 1-4094
Fa0/5 1-4094
Port Vlans allowed and active in management domain
Fa0/1 1,10,20,99
Fa0/5 1,10,20,99
Port Vlans in spanning tree forwarding state and not pruned
Fa0/1 1,10,20,99
Fa0/5 1,10,20,99
S1#

PACKET TRACER—CONFIGURE ROUTER-ON-A-STICK INTER-VLAN ROUTING (4.2.7)

In this Packet Tracer activity, you check for connectivity prior to implementing inter-
VLAN routing. Then you configure VLANs and inter-VLAN routing. Finally, you enable
trunking and verify connectivity between VLANs.

LAB—CONFIGURE ROUTER-ON-A-STICK INTER-VLAN ROUTING (4.2.8)

In this lab, you complete the following objectives:

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Part 1: Build the Network and Configure Basic Device Settings

Part 2: Configure Switches with VLANs and Trunking

Part 3: Configure Trunk-Based Inter-VLAN Routing

Inter-VLAN Routing using Layer 3 Switches

(4.3)
In this section, you configure inter-VLAN routing using Layer 3 switches.

Layer 3 Switch Inter-VLAN Routing (4.3.1)

Modern enterprise networks rarely use router-on-a-stick because it does not scale
easily to meet requirements. In these very large networks, network administrators use
Layer 3 switches to configure inter-VLAN routing.

Inter-VLAN routing using the router-on-a-stick method is simple to implement for a

small- to medium-sized organization. However, a large enterprise requires a faster,
much more scalable method to provide inter-VLAN routing.

Enterprise campus LANs use Layer 3 switches to provide inter-VLAN routing. Layer 3
switches use hardware-based switching to achieve higher-packet processing rates
than routers. Layer 3 switches are also commonly implemented in enterprise
distribution layer wiring closets.

Capabilities of a Layer 3 switch include the ability to do the following:

Route from one VLAN to another using multiple switched virtual interfaces
(SVIs).

Convert a Layer 2 switchport to a Layer 3 interface (that is, a routed port). A

routed port is similar to a physical interface on a Cisco IOS router.

To provide inter-VLAN routing, Layer 3 switches use SVIs. SVIs are configured using
the same interface vlan vlan-id command used to create the management SVI on a
Layer 2 switch. A Layer 3 SVI must be created for each of the routable VLANs.

Layer 3 Switch Scenario (4.3.2)

In Figure 4-6, the Layer 3 switch, D1, is connected to two hosts on different VLANs.
PC1 is in VLAN 10, and PC2 is in VLAN 20, as shown. The Layer 3 switch will provide
inter-VLAN routing services to the two hosts.

Figure 4-6 Layer 3 Switch Inter-VLAN Routing Topology

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Table 4-3 shows the IP addresses for each VLAN.

Table 4-3 D1 VLAN IP Addresses

VLAN Interface IP Address

10 [Link]/24
20 [Link]/24

Layer 3 Switch Configuration (4.3.3)

Complete the following steps to configure S1 with VLANs and trunking:

Step 1. Create the VLANs. First, create the two VLANs as shown in Example 4-
13.

Example 4-13 Create the VLANs

D1(config)# vlan 10
D1(config-vlan)# name LAN10
D1(config-vlan)# vlan 20
D1(config-vlan)# name LAN20
D1(config-vlan)# exit
D1(config)#

Step 2. Create the SVI VLAN interfaces. Configure the SVI for VLANs 10 and 20,
as shown in Example 4-14. The IP addresses that are configured will serve as
the default gateways to the hosts in the respective VLANs. Notice the
informational messages showing the line protocol on both SVIs changed to up.

Example 4-14 Create the SVI VLAN Interfaces

D1(config)# interface vlan 10

D1(config-if)# description Default Gateway SVI for [Link]/24
D1(config-if)# ip add [Link] [Link]
D1(config-if)# no shut
D1(config-if)# exit
D1(config)#
D1(config)# int vlan 20
D1(config-if)# description Default Gateway SVI for [Link]/24
D1(config-if)# ip add [Link] [Link]
D1(config-if)# no shut
D1(config-if)# exit
D1(config)#
*Sep 17 13:52:16.053: %LINEPROTO-5-UPDOWN: Line protocol on Interface Vlan10
changed state to up
*Sep 17 13:52:16.160: %LINEPROTO-5-UPDOWN: Line protocol on Interface Vlan20
changed state to up

Step 3. Configure access ports. Next, configure the access ports connecting to
the hosts and assign them to their respective VLANs, as shown in Example 4-
15.

Example 4-15 Configure Access Ports

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D1(config)# interface GigabitEthernet1/0/6
D1(config-if)# description Access port to PC1
D1(config-if)# switchport mode access
D1(config-if)# switchport access vlan 10
D1(config-if)# exit
D1(config)#
D1(config)# interface GigabitEthernet1/0/18
D1(config-if)# description Access port to PC2
D1(config-if)# switchport mode access
D1(config-if)# switchport access vlan 20
D1(config-if)# exit

Step 4. Enable IP [Link], enable IPv4 routing with the ip routing global
configuration command to allow traffic to be exchanged between VLANs 10 and
20, as shown in Example 4-16. This command must be configured to enable
inter-VAN routing on a Layer 3 switch for IPv4.

Example 4-16 Enable IP Routing

D1(config)# ip routing
D1(config)#

Layer 3 Switch Inter-VLAN Routing Verification (4.3.4)

Inter-VLAN routing using a Layer 3 switch is simpler to configure than the router-on-a-
stick method. After the configuration is complete, the configuration can be verified by
testing connectivity between the hosts.

From a host, verify connectivity to a host in another VLAN using the ping command. It
is a good idea to first verify the current host IP configuration using the ipconfig
Windows host command. The output in Example 4-17 confirms the IPv4 address and
default gateway of PC1.

Example 4-17 Verify Windows Host Configuration

C:\Users\PC1> ipconfig
Windows IP Configuration
Ethernet adapter Ethernet0:
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Link-local IPv6 Address : fe80::5c43:ee7c:2959:da68%6
IPv4 Address : [Link]
Subnet Mask : [Link]
Default Gateway : [Link]
C:\Users\PC1>

Next, verify connectivity with PC2 using the ping Windows host command, as shown in
Example 4-18. The ping output successfully confirms that inter-VLAN routing is
operating.

Example 4-18 Verify Inter-VLAN Routing by Pinging from PC1

C:\Users\PC1> ping [Link]

Pinging [Link] with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from [Link]: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=127
Reply from [Link]: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=127
Reply from [Link]: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=127
Reply from [Link]: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=127
Ping statistics for [Link]:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
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Minimum = 0ms, Maximum = 0ms, Average = 0ms
C:\Users\PC1>

Routing on a Layer 3 Switch (4.3.5)

If VLANs are to be reachable by other Layer 3 devices, they must be advertised using
static or dynamic routing. To enable routing on a Layer 3 switch, a routed port must be
configured.

A routed port is created on a Layer 3 switch by disabling the switchport feature on a

Layer 2 port that is connected to another Layer 3 device. Specifically, configuring the
no switchport interface configuration command on a Layer 2 port converts it into a
Layer 3 interface. Then the interface can be configured with an IPv4 configuration to
connect to a router or another Layer 3 switch.

Routing Scenario on a Layer 3 Switch (4.3.6)

In Figure 4-7, the previously configured D1 Layer 3 switch is now connected to R1. R1
and D1 are both in an Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) routing protocol domain.
Assume inter-VLAN has been successfully implemented on D1. The G0/0/1 interface
of R1 has also been configured and enabled. Additionally, R1 is using OSPF to
advertise its two networks, [Link]/24 and [Link]/24.

Figure 4-7 Routing Scenario on a Layer 3 Switch Topology

NOTE

OSPF routing configuration is covered in another course. In this module, OSPF

configuration commands will be given to you in all activities and assessments. It is not
required that you understand the configuration in order to enable OSPF routing on the
Layer 3 switch.

Routing Configuration on a Layer 3 Switch (4.3.7)

Complete the following steps to configure D1 to route with R1:

Step 1. Configure the routed port. Configure G1/0/1 to be a routed port, assign
it an IPv4 address, and enable it, as shown in Example 4-19.

Example 4-19 Configure the Routed Port

D1(config)# interface GigabitEthernet1/0/1

D1(config-if)# description routed Port Link to R1
D1(config-if)# no switchport
D1(config-if)# ip address [Link] [Link]
D1(config-if)# no shut

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D1(config-if)# exit
D1(config)#

Step [Link] routing, as shown in Example 4-20. Ensure IPv4 routing is

enabled with the ip routing global configuration command.

Example 4-20 Enable Routing

D1(config)# ip routing
D1(config)#

Step 3. Configure routing. Configure the OSPF routing protocol to advertise the
VLAN 10 and VLAN 20 networks, along with the network that is connected to
R1, as shown in Example 4-21. Notice the message informing you that an
adjacency has been established with R1.

Example 4-21 Configure Routing

D1(config)# router ospf 10

D1(config-router)# network [Link] [Link] area 0
D1(config-router)# network [Link] [Link] area 0
D1(config-router)# network [Link] [Link] area 0
D1(config-router)# ^Z
D1#
*Sep 17 13:52:51.163: %OSPF-5-ADJCHG: Process 10, Nbr [Link] on
GigabitEthernet1/0/1 from LOADING to FULL, Loading Done
D1#

Step 4. Verify routing. Verify the routing table on D1, as shown in Example 4-22.
Notice that D1 now has a route to the [Link]/24 network.

Example 4-22 Verify Routing

D1# show ip route | begin Gateway

Gateway of last resort is not set
[Link]/8 is variably subnetted, 3 subnets, 3 masks
C [Link]/30 is directly connected, GigabitEthernet1/0/1
L [Link]/32 is directly connected, GigabitEthernet1/0/1
O [Link]/24 [110/2] via [Link], 00:00:06, GigabitEthernet1/0/1
[Link]/24 is variably subnetted, 2 subnets, 2 masks
C [Link]/24 is directly connected, Vlan10
L [Link]/32 is directly connected, Vlan10
[Link]/24 is variably subnetted, 2 subnets, 2 masks
C [Link]/24 is directly connected, Vlan20
L [Link]/32 is directly connected, Vlan20
D1#

Step [Link] connectivity. At this time, PC1 and PC2 are able to ping the server
connected to R1, as shown in Example 4-23.

Example 4-23 Verify Connectivity

C:\Users\PC1> ping [Link]

Pinging [Link] with 32 bytes of data:
Request timed out.
Reply from [Link]: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=127
Reply from [Link]: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=127
Reply from [Link]: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=127
Ping statistics for [Link]:
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Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 3, Lost = 1 (25% loss).
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 1ms, Maximum = 2ms, Average = 1ms
C:\Users\PC1>
!==================================================
C:\Users\PC2> ping [Link]
Pinging [Link] with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from [Link]: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=127
Reply from [Link]: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=127
Reply from [Link]: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=127
Reply from [Link]: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=127
Ping statistics for [Link]:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss).
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 1ms, Maximum = 2ms, Average = 1ms
C:\Users\PC2>

PACKET TRACER—CONFIGURE LAYER 3 SWITCHING AND INTER-VLAN ROUTING

(4.3.8)

In this Packet Tracer activity, you configure Layer 3 switching and Inter-VLAN routing
on a Cisco 3560 switch.

Troubleshoot Inter-VLAN Routing (4.4)

In this section, you learn how to troubleshoot issues in an inter-VLAN routing
environment.

Common Inter-VLAN Issues (4.4.1)

By now, you know that when you configure and verify, you must also be able to
troubleshoot. This section discusses some common network problems associated with
inter-VLAN routing.

There are a number of reasons why an inter-VAN configuration may not work. All are
related to connectivity issues. First, check the physical layer to resolve any issues
where a cable might be connected to the wrong port. If the connections are correct,
use the list in Table 4-4 for other common reasons why inter-VLAN connectivity may
fail.

Table 4-4 Common Inter-VLAN Issues

Issue Type How to Fix How to Verify

Create (or re-create) the VLAN if show vlan [brief]

it does not exist.
show interfaces
Missing VLANs
Ensure host port is assigned to switchport
the correct VLAN.
ping
Ensure trunks are configured show interfaces
correctly. trunk
Switch Trunk Port
Issues Ensure port is a trunk port and
show running-
enabled.
config
Switch Access Port Assign correct VLAN to access show interfaces
Issues port. switchport

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Ensure port is an access port and show running-
enabled. config interface

Host is incorrectly configured in ipconfig

the wrong subnet.

Router subinterface IPv4 address

Router is incorrectly configured. show ip interface
Configuration brief
Router subinterface is assigned
Issues
to the VLAN ID. show interfaces

Troubleshoot Inter-VLAN Routing Scenario (4.4.2)

Next, examples of some of these inter-VLAN routing problems are covered in more
detail.

The topology in Figure 4-8 will be used for all of these issues.

Figure 4-8 Inter-VLAN Routing Troubleshooting Topology

The VLAN and IPv4 addressing information for R1 is shown in Table 4-5.

Table 4-5 Router R1 Subinterfaces

Subinterface VLAN IP Address

G0/0/0.10 10 [Link]/24
G0/0/0.20 20 [Link]/24
G0/0/0.30 99 [Link]/24

Missing VLANs (4.4.3)

An inter-VLAN connectivity issue could be caused by a missing VLAN. The VLAN could
be missing if it was not created, it was accidently deleted, or it is not allowed on the
trunk link.

For example, PC1 is currently connected to VLAN 10, as shown in the show vlan brief
command output in Example 4-24.

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Example 4-24 Verify VLAN for PC1

S1# show vlan brief

VLAN Name Status Ports
---- ------------------------------- --------- -------------------------------
1 default active Fa0/2, Fa0/3, Fa0/4, Fa0/7
Fa0/8, Fa0/9, Fa0/10, Fa0/11
Fa0/12, Fa0/13, Fa0/14, Fa0/15
Fa0/16, Fa0/17, Fa0/18, Fa0/19
Fa0/20, Fa0/21, Fa0/22, Fa0/23
Fa0/24, Gi0/1, Gi0/2
10 LAN10 active Fa0/6
20 LAN20 active
99 Management active
1002 fddi-default act/unsup
1003 token-ring-default act/unsup
1004 fddinet-default act/unsup
1005 trnet-default act/unsup
S1#

Now assume that VLAN 10 is accidently deleted, as shown in Example 4-25.

Example 4-25 VLAN 10 Is Deleted

S1(config)# no vlan 10
S1(config)# do show vlan brief
VLAN Name Status Ports
---- -------------------------------- --------- -------------------------------
1 default active Fa0/2, Fa0/3, Fa0/4, Fa0/7
Fa0/8, Fa0/9, Fa0/10, Fa0/11
Fa0/12, Fa0/13, Fa0/14, Fa0/15
Fa0/16, Fa0/17, Fa0/18, Fa0/19
Fa0/20, Fa0/21, Fa0/22, Fa0/23
Fa0/24, Gi0/1, Gi0/2
20 LAN20 active
99 Management active
1002 fddi-default act/unsup
1003 token-ring-default act/unsup
1004 fddinet-default act/unsup
1005 trnet-default act/unsup
S1(config)#

Notice that VLAN 10 is now missing from the output in Example 4-25. Also notice that
port Fa0/6 has not been reassigned to the default VLAN. The reason is because when
you delete a VLAN, any ports assigned to that VLAN become inactive. They remain
associated with the VLAN (and thus inactive) until you assign them to a new VLAN or
re-create the missing VLAN.

Use the show interface interface-id switchport command to verify the VLAN
membership, as shown in Example 4-26.

Example 4-26 Verify an Interface’s VLAN Membership

S1(config)# do show interface fa0/6 switchport

Name: Fa0/6
Switchport: Enabled
Administrative Mode: static access
Operational Mode: static access
Administrative Trunking Encapsulation: dot1q
Operational Trunking Encapsulation: native
Negotiation of Trunking: Off
Access Mode VLAN: 10 (Inactive)
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Trunking Native Mode VLAN: 1 (default)
Administrative Native VLAN tagging: enabled
Voice VLAN: none
(Output omitted)

Re-creating the missing VLAN would automatically reassign the hosts to it, as shown in
Example 4-27.

Example 4-27 Attempt to Re-create and Verify VLAN 10

S1(config)# vlan 10
S1(config-vlan)# do show vlan brief
VLAN Name Status Ports
---- -------------------------------- --------- -------------------------------
1 default active Fa0/2, Fa0/3, Fa0/4, Fa0/7
Fa0/8, Fa0/9, Fa0/10, Fa0/11
Fa0/12, Fa0/13, Fa0/14, Fa0/15
Fa0/16, Fa0/17, Fa0/18, Fa0/19
Fa0/20, Fa0/21, Fa0/22, Fa0/23
Fa0/24, Gi0/1, Gi0/2
20 LAN20 active
99 Management active
1002 fddi-default act/unsup
1003 token-ring-default act/unsup
1004 fddinet-default act/unsup
1005 trnet-default act/unsup
S1(config-vlan)#

Notice that the VLAN has not been created as expected. The reason is because you
must exit from VLAN sub-configuration mode to create the VLAN, as shown in
Example 4-28.

Example 4-28 Exit VLAN Configuration Mode and Then Re-create

and Verify VLAN

S1(config-vlan)# exit
S1(config)# vlan 10
S1(config)# do show vlan brief
VLAN Name Status Ports
---- -------------------------------- --------- -------------------------------
1 default active Fa0/2, Fa0/3, Fa0/4, Fa0/7
Fa0/8, Fa0/9, Fa0/10, Fa0/11
Fa0/12, Fa0/13, Fa0/14, Fa0/15
Fa0/16, Fa0/17, Fa0/18, Fa0/19
Fa0/20, Fa0/21, Fa0/22, Fa0/23
Fa0/24, Gi0/1, Gi0/2
10 VLAN0010 active Fa0/6
20 LAN20 active
99 Management active
1002 fddi-default act/unsup
1003 token-ring-default act/unsup
1004 fddinet-default act/unsup
1005 trnet-default act/unsup
S1(config)#

Now notice that the VLAN is included in the list and that the host connected to Fa0/6 is
on VLAN 10.

Switch Trunk Port Issues (4.4.4)

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Another issue for inter-VLAN routing includes misconfigured switch ports. In a legacy
inter-VLAN solution, this could be caused when the connecting router port is not
assigned to the correct VLAN.

However, with a router-on-a-stick solution, the most common cause is a

misconfigured trunk port.

For example, assume PC1 was able to connect to hosts in other VLANs until recently.
A quick look at maintenance logs revealed that the S1 Layer 2 switch was recently
accessed for routine maintenance. Therefore, you suspect the problem may be related
to that switch.

On S1, verify that the port connecting to R1 (i.e., F0/5) is correctly configured as a
trunk link using the show interfaces trunk command, as shown in Example 4-29.

Example 4-29 Verify Trunking

S1# show interfaces trunk

Port Mode Encapsulation Status Native vlan
Fa0/1 on 802.1q trunking 1
Port Vlans allowed on trunk
Fa0/1 1-4094
Port Vlans allowed and active in management domain
Fa0/1 1,10,20,99
Port Vlans in spanning tree forwarding state and not pruned
Fa0/1 1,10,20,99
S1#

The Fa0/5 port connecting to R1 is mysteriously missing from the output. Verify the
interface configuration using the show running-config interface fa0/5 command, as
shown in Example 4-30.

Example 4-30 Verify Interface Configuration

S1# show running-config interface fa0/5

Building configuration...
Current configuration : 96 bytes
!
interface FastEthernet0/5
description Trunk link to R1
switchport mode trunk
shutdown
end
S1#

As you can see, the port was accidently shut down. To correct the problem, reenable
the port and verify the trunking status, as shown in Example 4-31.

Example 4-31 Reenable and Verify the Port

S1(config)# interface fa0/5

S1(config-if)# no shut
S1(config-if)#
*Mar 1 04:46:44.153: %LINK-3-UPDOWN: Interface FastEthernet0/5, changed state to
up
S1(config-if)#
*Mar 1 04:46:47.962: %LINEPROTO-5-UPDOWN: Line protocol on Interface
FastEthernet0/5, changed state to up
S1(config-if)# do show interface trunk
Port Mode Encapsulation Status Native vlan
Fa0/1 on 802.1q trunking 1

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Fa0/5 on 802.1q trunking 1
Port Vlans allowed on trunk
Fa0/1 1-4094
Fa0/5 1-4094
Port Vlans allowed and active in management domain
Fa0/1 1,10,20,99
Fa0/5 1,10,20,99
Port Vlans in spanning tree forwarding state and not pruned
Fa0/1 1,10,20,99
Fa0/1 1,10,20,99
S1(config-if)#

To reduce the risk of a failed inter-switch link disrupting inter-VLAN routing, redundant
links and alternate paths should be part of the network design.

Switch Access Port Issues (4.4.5)

When a problem is suspected with a switch access port configuration, use verification
commands to examine the configuration and identify the problem.

Assume PC1 has the correct IPv4 address and default gateway but is not able to ping
its own default gateway. PC1 is supposed to be connected to a VLAN 10 port.

Verify the port configuration on S1 using the show interfaces interface-id switchport
command, as shown in Example 4-32.

Example 4-32 Verify the Port Configuration

S1# show interface fa0/6 switchport

Name: Fa0/6
Switchport: Enabled
Administrative Mode: static access
Operational Mode: static access
Administrative Trunking Encapsulation: dot1q
Operational Trunking Encapsulation: native
Negotiation of Trunking: Off
Access Mode VLAN: 1 (default)
Trunking Native Mode VLAN: 1 (default)
Administrative Native VLAN tagging: enabled
Voice VLAN: none

The Fa0/6 port has been configured as an access port, as indicated by “static access”.
However, it appears that it has not been configured to be in VLAN 10. Verify the
configuration of the interface, as shown in Example 4-33.

Example 4-33 Verify the Port Configuration in the Running-Config

S1# show running-config interface fa0/6

Building configuration...
Current configuration : 87 bytes
!
interface FastEthernet0/6
description PC-A access port
switchport mode access
end
S1#

Assign port Fa0/6 to VLAN 10 and verify the port assignment, as shown in Example 4-
34.

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Example 4-34 Assign the VLAN to the Port and Verify the

Configuration

S1# configure terminal

S1(config)# interface fa0/6
S1(config-if)# switchport access vlan 10
S1(config-if)#
S1(config-if)# do show interface fa0/6 switchport
Name: Fa0/6
Switchport: Enabled
Administrative Mode: static access
Operational Mode: static access
Administrative Trunking Encapsulation: dot1q
Operational Trunking Encapsulation: native
Negotiation of Trunking: Off
Access Mode VLAN: 10 (VLAN0010)
Trunking Native Mode VLAN: 1 (default)
Administrative Native VLAN tagging: enabled
Voice VLAN: none
(Output omitted)

PC1 is now able to communicate with hosts on other VLANs.

Router Configuration Issues (4.4.6)

Router-on-a-stick configuration problems are usually related to subinterface
misconfigurations. For instance, an incorrect IP address was configured or the wrong
VLAN ID was assigned to the subinterface.

For example, R1 should be providing inter-VLAN routing for users in VLANs 10, 20,
and 99. However, users in VLAN 10 cannot reach any other VLAN.

You verified the switch trunk link and all appears to be in order. Verify the subinterface
status using the show ip interface brief command, as shown in Example 4-35.

Example 4-35 Verify the Status of the Subinterfaces

R1# show ip interface brief

Interface IP-Address OK? Method Status Protocol
GigabitEthernet0/0/0 unassigned YES unset administratively down down
GigabitEthernet0/0/1 unassigned YES unset up up
Gi0/0/1.10 [Link] YES manual up up
Gi0/0/1.20 [Link] YES manual up up
Gi0/0/1.99 [Link] YES manual up up
Serial0/1/0 unassigned YES unset administratively down down
Serial0/1/1 unassigned YES unset administratively down down
R1#

The subinterfaces have been assigned the correct IPv4 addresses, and they are
operational.

Verify which VLANs each of the subinterfaces is on. To do so, the show interfaces
command is useful, but it generates a great deal of additional unrequired output. The
command output can be reduced using IOS command filters as shown in Example 4-
36.

Example 4-36 Verify the VLANs Configured on Each Subinterface

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R1# show interfaces | include Gig|802.1Q
GigabitEthernet0/0/0 is administratively down, line protocol is down
GigabitEthernet0/0/1 is up, line protocol is up
Encapsulation 802.1Q Virtual LAN, Vlan ID 1., loopback not set
GigabitEthernet0/0/1.10 is up, line protocol is up
Encapsulation 802.1Q Virtual LAN, Vlan ID 100.
GigabitEthernet0/0/1.20 is up, line protocol is up
Encapsulation 802.1Q Virtual LAN, Vlan ID 20.
GigabitEthernet0/0/1.99 is up, line protocol is up
Encapsulation 802.1Q Virtual LAN, Vlan ID 99.
R1#

The pipe symbol ( | ) along with some select keywords is a useful method to help filter
command output. In this example, the keyword include was used to identify that only
lines containing the letters “Gig” or “802.1Q” will be displayed. Because of the way the
show interface output is naturally listed, using these filters produces a condensed list
of interfaces and their assigned VLANs.

Notice that the G0/0/1.10 interface has been incorrectly assigned to VLAN 100 instead
of VLAN 10. This is confirmed by looking at the configuration of the R1 GigabitEthernet
0/0/1.10 subinterface, as shown in Example 4-37.

Example 4-37 Verify the Configuration of the Subinterface in the

Running-Config

R1# show running-config interface g0/0/1.10

Building configuration...
Current configuration : 146 bytes
!
interface GigabitEthernet0/0/1.10
description Default Gateway for VLAN 10
encapsulation dot1Q 100
ip address [Link] [Link]
end
R1#

To correct this problem, configure subinterface G0/0/1.10 to be on the correct VLAN

using the encapsulation dot1q 10 subinterface configuration mode command, as
shown in Example 4-38.

Example 4-38 Correct and Verify the Subinterface Configuration

R1# conf t
Enter configuration commands, one per line. End with CNTL/Z.
R1(config)# interface gigabitEthernet 0/0/1.10
R1(config-subif)# encapsulation dot1Q 10
R1(config-subif)# end
R1#
R1# show interfaces | include Gig|802.1Q
GigabitEthernet0/0/0 is administratively down, line protocol is down
GigabitEthernet0/0/1 is up, line protocol is up
Encapsulation 802.1Q Virtual LAN, Vlan ID 1., loopback not set
GigabitEthernet0/0/1.10 is up, line protocol is up
Encapsulation 802.1Q Virtual LAN, Vlan ID 10.
GigabitEthernet0/0/1.20 is up, line protocol is up
Encapsulation 802.1Q Virtual LAN, Vlan ID 20.
GigabitEthernet0/0/1.99 is up, line protocol is up
R1#

When the subinterface has been assigned to the correct VLAN, it is accessible by
devices on that VLAN, and the router can perform inter-VLAN routing.

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With verification, router configuration problems are quickly addressed, allowing inter-
VLAN routing to function properly.

CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING—TROUBLESHOOT INTER-VLAN ROUTING (4.4.7)

Refer to the online course to complete this activity.

PACKET TRACER—TROUBLESHOOT INTER-VLAN ROUTING (4.4.8)

In this Packet Tracer activity, you complete the following objectives:

Part 1: Locate Network Problems

Part 2: Implement the Solution

Part 3: Verify Network Connectivity

LAB—TROUBLESHOOT INTER-VLAN ROUTING (4.4.9)

In this lab, you complete the following objectives:

Part 1: Build the Network and Load Device Configurations

Part 2: Troubleshoot the Inter-VLAN Routing Configuration

Part 3: Verify VLAN Configuration, Port Assignment, and Trunking

Part 4: Test Layer 3 Connectivity

Summary (4.5)
The following is a summary of each section in the chapter:

Inter-VLAN Routing Operation

Hosts in one VLAN cannot communicate with hosts in another VLAN unless there is a
router or a Layer 3 switch to provide routing services. Inter-VLAN routing is the
process of forwarding network traffic from one VLAN to another VLAN. Three options
include legacy, router-on-a-stick, and a Layer 3 switch using SVIs. Legacy used a
router with multiple Ethernet interfaces. Each router interface was connected to a
switch port in different VLANs. Requiring one physical router interface per VLAN
quickly exhausts the physical interface capacity of a router. The router-on-a-stick
inter-VLAN routing method requires only one physical Ethernet interface to route traffic
between multiple VLANs on a network. A Cisco IOS router Ethernet interface is
configured as an 802.1Q trunk and connected to a trunk port on a Layer 2 switch. The
router interface is configured using subinterfaces to identify routable VLANs. The
configured subinterfaces are software-based virtual interfaces associated with a single
physical Ethernet interface. The modern method is Inter-VLAN routing on a Layer 3
switch using SVIs. The SVI is created for a VLAN that exists on the switch. The SVI
performs the same functions for the VLAN as a router interface. It provides Layer 3
processing for packets being sent to or from all switch ports associated with that
VLAN.

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Router-on-a-Stick Inter-VLAN Routing

To configure a switch with VLANs and trunking, complete the following steps: create
and name the VLANs, create the management interface, configure access ports, and
configure trunking ports. The router-on-a-stick method requires a subinterface to be
created for each VLAN to be routed. A subinterface is created using the interface
interface_id.subinterface_id global configuration mode command. Each router
subinterface must be assigned an IP address on a unique subnet for routing to occur.
When all subinterfaces have been created, the physical interface must be enabled
using the no shutdown interface configuration command. From a host, verify
connectivity to a host in another VLAN using the ping command. Use ping to verify
connectivity with the host and the switch. To verify and troubleshoot, use the show ip
route, show ip interface brief, show interfaces, and show interfaces trunk commands.

Inter-VLAN Routing Using Layer 3 Switches

Enterprise campus LANs use Layer 3 switches to provide inter-VLAN routing. Layer 3
switches use hardware-based switching to achieve higher-packet processing rates
than routers. Capabilities of a Layer 3 switch include routing from one VLAN to another
using multiple switched virtual interfaces (SVIs) and converting a Layer 2 switch port to
a Layer 3 interface (that is, a routed port). To provide inter-VLAN routing, Layer 3
switches use SVIs. SVIs are configured using the same interface vlan vlan-id command
used to create the management SVI on a Layer 2 switch. A Layer 3 SVI must be
created for each of the routable VLANs. To configure a switch with VLANS and
trunking, complete the following steps: create the VLANS, create the SVI VLAN
interfaces, configure access ports, and enable IP routing. From a host, verify
connectivity to a host in another VLAN using the ping command. Next, verify
connectivity with the host using the ping Windows host command. VLANs must be
advertised using static or dynamic routing. To enable routing on a Layer 3 switch, a
routed port must be configured. A routed port is created on a Layer 3 switch by
disabling the switch port feature on a Layer 2 port that is connected to another Layer 3
device. The interface can be configured with an IPv4 configuration to connect to a
router or another Layer 3 switch. To configure a Layer 3 switch to route with a router,
follow these steps: configure the routed port, enable routing, configure routing, verify
routing, and verify connectivity.

Troubleshoot Inter-VLAN Routing

There are a number of reasons why an inter-VAN configuration may not work. All are
related to connectivity issues such as missing VLANs, switch trunk port issues, switch
access port issues, and router configuration issues. A VLAN could be missing if it was
not created, it was accidently deleted, or it is not allowed on the trunk link. Another
issue for inter-VLAN routing includes misconfigured switch ports. In a legacy inter-
VLAN solution, a misconfigured switch port could be caused when the connecting
router port is not assigned to the correct VLAN. With a router-on-a-stick solution, the
most common cause is a misconfigured trunk port. When a problem is suspected with
a switch access port configuration, use ping and show interfaces interface-id
switchport commands to identify the problem. Router configuration problems with
router-on-a-stick configurations are usually related to subinterface misconfigurations.
Verify the subinterface status using the show ip interface brief command.

PACKET TRACER—INTER-VLAN ROUTING CHALLENGE (4.5.1)

In this activity, you demonstrate and reinforce your ability to implement inter-VLAN
routing, including configuring IP addresses, VLANs, trunking, and subinterfaces.

LAB—IMPLEMENT INTER-VLAN ROUTING (4.5.2)

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In this lab, you complete the following objectives:

Part 1: Build the Network and Configure Basic Device Settings

Part 2: Create VLANs and Assign Switch Ports

Part 3: Configure an 802.1Q Trunk between the Switches

Part 4: Configure Inter-VLAN Routing on the S1 Switch

Part 5: Verify Inter-VLAN Routing is Working

Practice
The following activities provide practice with the topics introduced in this chapter. The
Labs are available in the companion Switching, Routing, and Wireless Essentials Labs
and Study Guide (CCNAv7) (ISBN 9780136634386). The Packet Tracer Activity
instructions are also in the Labs & Study Guide. The PKA files are found in the online
course.

LABS

Lab 4.2.8: Configure Router-on-a-Stick Inter-VLAN Routing

Lab 4.4.9: Troubleshoot Inter-VLAN Routing

Lab 4.5.2: Implement Inter-VLAN Routing

PACKET TRACER ACTIVITIES

Packet Tracer 4.2.7: Configure Router-on-a-Stick Inter-VLAN Routing

Packet Tracer 4.3.8: Configure Layer 3 Switching and Inter-VLAN Routing

Packet Tracer 4.4.8: Troubleshoot Inter-VLAN Routing

Packet Tracer 4.5.1: Inter-VLAN Routing Challenge

Check Your Understanding Questions

Complete all the review questions listed here to test your understanding of the sections
and concepts in this chapter. The appendix “Answers to the ‘Check Your
Understanding’ Questions” lists the answers.

1. A router has two FastEthernet interfaces and needs to connect to four VLANs in the
local network. How can this be accomplished using the fewest number of physical
interfaces without unnecessarily decreasing network performance?

A. Add a second router to handle the inter-VLAN traffic.

B. Implement a router-on-a-stick configuration.

C. Interconnect the VLANs via the two additional FastEthernet interfaces.

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D. Use a hub to connect the four VLANS with a FastEthernet interface on the
router.

2. What distinguishes traditional legacy inter-VLAN routing from router-on-a-stick?

A. Traditional routing is able to use only a single switch interface, whereas a router-
on-a-stick can use multiple switch interfaces.

B. Traditional routing requires a routing protocol, whereas a router-on-a-stick only

needs to route directly connected networks.

C. Traditional routing uses one port per logical network, whereas a router-on-a-
stick uses subinterfaces to connect multiple logical networks to a single router
port.

D. Traditional routing uses multiple paths to the router and therefore requires STP,
whereas router-on-a-stick does not provide multiple connections and therefore
eliminates the need for STP.

[Link] G0/1.10 on R1 must be configured as the default gateway for the

VLAN 10 [Link]/24 network. Which command should be configured on the
subinterface to enable inter-VLAN routing for VLAN 10?

A. encapsulation dot1q 10

B. encapsulation vlan 10

C. switchport mode access

D. switchport mode trunk

[Link] is important to consider while configuring the subinterfaces of a router when

implementing inter-VLAN routing?

A. The IP address of each subinterface must be the default gateway address for
each VLAN subnet.

B. The no shutdown command must be given on each subinterface.

C. The physical interface must have an IP address configured.

D. The subinterface numbers must match the VLAN ID number.

5. What are the steps that must be completed in order to enable inter-VLAN routing
using router-on-a-stick?

A. Configure the physical interfaces on the router and enable a routing protocol.

B. Create the VLANs on the router and define the port membership assignments
on the switch.

C. Create the VLANs on the switch to include port membership assignment and
enable a routing protocol on the router.

D. Create the VLANs on the switch to include port membership assignment and
configure subinterfaces on the router matching the VLANs.

[Link] two statements are true regarding the use of subinterfaces for inter-VLAN
routing? (Choose two.)

A. Fewer router Ethernet ports required than in traditional inter-VLAN routing

B. Less complex physical connection than in traditional inter-VLAN routing

C. More switch ports required than in traditional inter-VLAN routing

D. Simpler Layer 3 troubleshooting than with traditional inter-VLAN routing

E. Subinterfaces have no contention for bandwidth

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[Link] router-on-a-stick command and prompt on R1 correctly encapsulates
802.1Q traffic for VLAN 20?

A. R1(config-if)# encapsulation 802.1q 20

B. R1(config-if)# encapsulation dot1q 20

C. R1(config-subif)# encapsulation 802.1q 20

D. R1(config-subif)# encapsulation dot1q 20

[Link] are two disadvantages of using the router-on-a-stick inter-VLAN routing

method in a large network? (Choose two.)

A. A dedicated router is required.

B. It does not scale well.

C. It requires multiple physical interfaces on a router.

D. It requires subinterfaces to be configured on the same subnets.

E. Multiple SVIs are needed.

9. What is a characteristic of a routed port on a Layer 3 switch? (Choose two.)

A. It requires the switchport mode access interface config command.

B. It requires the no switchport interface config command.

C. It requires the switchport access vlan vlan-id interface config command.

D. It supports trunking.

10. What are two advantages of using a Layer 3 switch with SVIs for inter-VLAN
routing? (Choose two.)

A. A router is not required.

B. It switches packets faster than using the router-on-a-stick method.

C. SVIs can be bundled into EtherChannels.

D. SVIs can be divided using subinterfaces.

E. SVIs eliminate the need for a default gateway in the hosts.

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