10

Interface

See Section 5.4.2 on page 115 for related information on these screens.

10.1 Interface Overview

In general, an interface has the following characteristics.

•An interface is a logical entity through which (layer-3) packets pass.

•An interface is bound to a physical port or another interface.

•Many interfaces can share the same physical port.

•An interface is bound to at most one zone.

•Many interface can belong to the same zone.

•Layer-3 virtualization (IP alias, for example) is a kind of interface.

Some characteristics do not apply to some types of interfaces.

10.1.1 Types of Interfaces

You can create several types of interfaces in the ZyWALL.

•Port groups create a hardware connection between physical ports at the layer-2 (data link, MAC address) level.

•Ethernet interfaces are the foundation for defining other interfaces and network policies. RIP and OSPF are also configured in these interfaces.

•VLAN interfaces receive and send tagged frames. The ZyWALL automatically adds or removes the tags as needed. Each VLAN can only be associated with one Ethernet interface.

•Bridge interfaces create a software connection between Ethernet or VLAN interfaces at the layer-2 (data link, MAC address) level. Unlike port groups, bridge interfaces can take advantage of some security features in the ZyWALL. You can also assign an IP address and subnet mask to the bridge.

•PPPoE/PPTP interfaces support Point-to-Point Protocols (PPP). ISP accounts are required for PPPoE/PPTP interfaces.

•Virtual interfaces provide additional routing information in the ZyWALL. There are three types: virtual Ethernet interfaces, virtual VLAN interfaces, and virtual bridge interfaces.

•The auxiliary interface, along with an external modem, provides an interface the ZyWALL can use to dial out. This interface can be used as a backup WAN interface, for example. The auxiliary interface controls the AUXport.

 

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ZyWALL USG 1000 User’s Guide