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Asked: 2012-06-30 07:53:09 +0800 CST

How to interconnect 2 switches (Cisco/Dell) with trunks

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In order to migrate to a new rack inside the datacenter I have to replicate the VLAN setup between a Cisco Switch and a Dell PowerConnect Swithch.

On the Dell Switch I have 2 VLANs :

vlan 10 : WAN vlan 20 : MGMT

On the Cisco Switch i have created the same VLANs and set up different port range

vlan10 : Ports 1-12 vlan20 : Ports 13-24

Like this example: 

interface gigabitethernet2                            
switchport mode access
switchport access vlan 10
exit

The Cisco and the Dell switch are patched like this : 

Dell (Port 13) ---> Cisco (Port 1)  - VLAN 10
Dell (Port 22) ---> Cisco (Port 13) - VLAN 20

Here are the port configs CISCO side : 

interface gigabitethernet1
switchport trunk native vlan 10
exit
interface gigabitethernet13
switchport trunk native vlan 20
exit

And on the DELL SIDE: 

interface gigabitethernet1/0/13
 switchport access vlan 10
!
interface gigabitethernet1/0/22
 switchport access vlan 20
!

Now, i can ping anything that is on vlan20; but cannot ping anything on the vlan10. I'm pulling my hairs out; what is wrong here ?

vlan cisco dell switch

2 Answers

  1. You don't need trunking at all - the two VLAN's are running on separate cables and you aren't using 802.1q on the Dell side.

    The same commands you're using on the Dell (switchport access vlan xxx) will work on the Cisco side as well, as the syntax is actually derived from (read: copied) Cisco.

    • 4

  2. Configure the Cisco side just like the dell side. Instead of switchport trunk native vlan 10 use switchport access vlan 10 and switchport mode access. If you wanted to trunk the VLANs you would use a single cable and run both VLANs across that cable. This configuration is just a couple of access ports.

    • 1