Reference Guide

416 | Interfaces
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Configure Layer 2 (Data Link) Mode
Use the switchport command in INTERFACE mode to enable Layer 2 data transmissions through an
individual interface. The user can not configure switching or Layer 2 protocols such as spanning tree
protocol on an interface unless the interface has been set to Layer 2 mode.
The following example displays the basic configuration found in a Layer 2 interface.
FTOS(conf-if)#show config
!
interface Port-channel 1
no ip address
switchport
no shutdown
FTOS(conf-if)#
To configure an interface in Layer 2 mode, use these commands in the INTERFACE mode:
For information on enabling and configuring Spanning Tree Protocol, refer to Chapter 10, Layer 2, on page
47. To view the interfaces in Layer 2 mode, use the command
show interfaces switchport in the EXEC
mode.
Configure Layer 3 (Network) Mode
When you assign an IP address to a physical interface, you place it in Layer 3 mode. Use the ip address
command and
no shutdown command in INTERFACE mode to enable Layer 3 mode on an individual
interface. In all interface types except VLANs, the
shutdown command prevents all traffic from passing
through the interface. In VLANs, the
shutdown command prevents Layer 3 traffic from passing through
the interface. Layer 2 traffic is unaffected by the
shutdown command. One of the interfaces in the system
must be in Layer 3 mode before you configure or enter a Layer 3 protocol mode (for example, OSPF).
The following example shows how the
show config command displays an example of a Layer 3 interface.
FTOS(conf-if)#show config
!
interface GigabitEthernet 1/5
ip address 10.10.10.1 /24
no shutdown
FTOS(conf-if)#
If an interface is in the incorrect layer mode for a given command, an error message is displayed to the
user. For example, in the following example, the command
ip address triggered an error message because
the interface is in Layer 2 mode and the
ip address command is a Layer 3 command only.
FTOS(conf-if)#show config
!
interface GigabitEthernet 1/2
no ip address
switchport
no shutdown
Command Syntax Command Mode Purpose
no shutdown
INTERFACE Enable the interface.
switchport
INTERFACE Place the interface in Layer 2 (switching) mode.