Type of Interface Possible Modes Requires Creation Default State
Port Channel Layer 2
Layer 3
Yes Shutdown (disabled)
VLAN Layer 2
Layer 3
Yes, except for the
default VLAN.
No shutdown (active for
Layer 2)
Shutdown (disabled for
Layer 3)
Configuring Layer 2 (Data Link) Mode
Do not configure switching or Layer 2 protocols such as spanning tree protocol (STP) on an interface
unless the interface has been set to Layer 2 mode.
To set Layer 2 data transmissions through an individual interface, use the following command.
• Enable Layer 2 data transmissions through an individual interface.
INTERFACE mode
switchport
Example of a Basic Layer 2 Interface Configuration
Dell(conf-if)#show config
!
interface Port-channel 1
no ip address
switchport
no shutdown
Dell(conf-if)#
Configuring Layer 2 (Interface) Mode
To configure an interface in Layer 2 mode, use the following commands.
• Enable the interface.
INTERFACE mode
no shutdown
• Place the interface in Layer 2 (switching) mode.
INTERFACE mode
switchport
For information about enabling and configuring the Spanning Tree Protocol, refer to Spanning Tree
Protocol (STP).
To view the interfaces in Layer 2 mode, use the show interfaces switchport command in EXEC
mode.
402 Interfaces