connecting switches with vlans?

Question

I have two questions:
1) Does anyone use VLAN1 or do they create new VLAN ids and just not assign ports to VLAN1?

2) When connecting the cable which will serve as the trunk port to another switch to relay vlan information, does it matter which port is selected? For example, if I connect switch A port 1 which is VLAN2, can it be connected to switch B port 16 which is VLAN 5. Or does it need to stay on the same VLAN on both switches. When trunking do both ends have to have the port defined as TRUNKS or just one needs to be defined?

Answer 1

I also suggest if they are both Cisco switches to use Cisco's Virtual Trunking Protocol - this will allow them to share VLAN configuration consistency across the the entire network.



1 switch server - others act as clients. Say you create a VLAN on Switch1 (the server) it will also show up on Switch2.



I believe the trunk link needs to be in the same VLAN as well. Seeing as how VLANs separate broadcast domains - just leave the ports in the default VLAN (Vlan1)



You will also need a router or some sort of device to provide router summarization, and actually route information between VLANs. That just depends on how you plan on using them.

Answer 2

1. hardly anybody uses VLAN1. I create VLANS based on why my ip subnet is going to be. for example, if my address range was going to be 192.168.25.1 ~ 192.168.25.254, then I would call my VLAN, VLAN25.



2. Both ports have to be configured as a trunk. I would do a switchport trunk encapsulation dot1q

switchport mode trunk



don't assign them into a vlan. just leave them as trunks so they can pass traffic for all vlans. you could do native vlans if you just absolutely want to assign them to vlans.

Answer 3

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