2950 12-port

Hello all... I had a question about the Cisco 2950 12-port switch.

Up until now, I have been using PacketTracer and some Catalyst 2900XL switches. My biggest problem is that both PacketTracer and the 2900XLs don't support some commands that I am reading about in my CCENT/CCNA material (I guess the 2900s are tool old?). I am looking at getting some more (newer) equipment however I cannot afford a 2960s. I found a 12 port 2950 for about $50 (not sure if that is a deal or not). The listing states:
- comes with Standard Image (SI) software
- Standard Image (SI) software installed

I don't really know what that means. My concern is whether or not this device will support a lot of the newer commands such as:
- show interfaces status
- and allowing me to set up SSH (my 2900s don't allow SSH set up and neither does Packet Tracer).

Can someone help me? I am really new to Cisco hardware.

I appreciate it.

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Comments

Slowhand

Getting a Catalyst 2950 for $50 isn't a bad deal at all. To give you a better idea of what hardware and IOS software does what, check out the Cisco Feature Navigator. In the case of the 2950s, it looks like the IOS SI software comes with and without the Crypto package, which is comprised solely of SSH support. (Take a look at the last drop-down menu on this page, or hit the "compare images link" and select the same features but with the Crypto image.)

luke_bibby

You don't need a 2960 for the CCNA, a 2950 (SI or EI) would be fine. If your configuring SSH on your 2950 switches then look for an IOS which has the k2 crypto package in it by looking in the name of the IOS build. If you get an SI switch, you won't be able to run RSTP and a few other things on it - if this seems like it would be a problem to you, look at getting an EI 2950 such as a 2950c, 2950g, or a 2950g, I wouldn't think these would be much more on eBay.

jbrad95706

Here is some SI vs EI info.

Catalyst 2950 Series Software Feature Comparison--SI and EI [Cisco Catalyst 2950 Series Switches] - Cisco Systems

beef1218

$50 for guaranteed working 2950 SI (even for 12 ports) is a very good deal!
I know cisco says 2950 SI doesn't support RSTP, but it actually does if you update the IOS. I am running RSTP on 2 2950 SI right now.

2950 is the best switch with decent price for CCNA, unless you can find 3550 really cheap, which is a L3 switch.

typesh

Hey thank you for all the replies. Helped me out a great deal. I am going to pick it up!

typesh

Picked up the switch today. Works great.

I plugged it into my home Linksys Wireless Router and set it up for telnet access.

Now I can access it through the wireless network (beats having to connect to the console). I thought that was pretty cool. I wasn't sure it the 2950 would work with the Linksys home router/switch that I already had in place.

Slowhand

typesh wrote: »

I wasn't sure it the 2950 would work with the Linksys home router/switch that I already had in place.

All networking equipment today running TCP/IP, that connects with an ethernet/a wireless connection will work together, (check the OSI or DoD models if you don't believe me

). There are advanced features on that switch that aren't supported by your Linksys router, like Spanning-Tree and VLANs, but understanding that is what learning the CCNA material is all about. Good luck with your studies, let us know how it goes.

typesh

Slowhand wrote: »

All networking equipment today running TCP/IP, that connects with an ethernet/a wireless connection will work together, (check the OSI or DoD models if you don't believe me ). There are advanced features on that switch that aren't supported by your Linksys router, like Spanning-Tree and VLANs, but understanding that is what learning the CCNA material is all about. Good luck with your studies, let us know how it goes.

Thanks!

Just wondering if someone could help me with a command...

I would like to list all trunk ports on a switch.

When I use show interface trunk, only the hardcoded trunk ports appear...

Is there a way to list trunk ports that have been dynamically negotiated?

beef1218

typesh wrote: »

Thanks!

Just wondering if someone could help me with a command...

I would like to list all trunk ports on a switch.

When I use show interface trunk, only the hardcoded trunk ports appear...

Is there a way to list trunk ports that have been dynamically negotiated?

I think the "show interface trunk" command lists all trunk ports that are working, including both hardcoded trunk ports and dynamically desirable trunk ports as long as the trunk has been formed and is working.

typesh

beef1218 wrote: »

I think the "show interface trunk" command lists all trunk ports that are working, including both hardcoded trunk ports and dynamically desirable trunk ports as long as the trunk has been formed and is working.

That is what I have been using...

The 2950 has Fa0/1 connected to the Linksys...

When I hardcode Fa0/1 with switchport mode trunk, then the result of show interface trunk lists Fa0/1

However, when it Fa0/1 is set to dynamic desirable, and is connected to the linksys, show interface trunk returns nothing..

mikej412

typesh wrote: »

When I hardcode Fa0/1 with switchport mode trunk, then the result of show interface trunk lists Fa0/1

Do a show interface fa0/1 trunk command -- what does the status show?

typesh wrote: »

However, when it Fa0/1 is set to dynamic desirable, and is connected to the linksys, show interface trunk returns nothing..

Have you configured the Linksys port to trunk? Can you set the Linksys port to trunk? Is it even an option on the Linksys?

What does show interface fa0/1 trunk show? What's the status?

tech-airman

typesh wrote: »

Thanks!

Just wondering if someone could help me with a command...

I would like to list all trunk ports on a switch.

When I use show interface trunk, only the hardcoded trunk ports appear...

Is there a way to list trunk ports that have been dynamically negotiated?

typesh,

You're going to need to connect a second switch to the first switch that is capable of trunking to be able to see anything about trunks that were dynamically negotiated. It's kinda like expecting to hear a clap using only one hand then wondering why it's still quiet.

typesh

mikej412 wrote: »

What does show interface fa0/1 trunk show? What's the status?

Hey...

The 2950 has its Fa0/1 port connecting to the Linksys.

Here is my output of show interfaces Fa0/1 trunk

2950SW#show interfaces Fa0/1 trunk

Port Mode Encapsulation Status Native vlan
Fa0/1 desirable 802.1q not-trunking 1

Port Vlans allowed on trunk
Fa0/1 1

Port Vlans allowed and active in management domain
Fa0/1 1

Port Vlans in spanning tree forwarding state and not pruned
Fa0/1 1
2950SW#

Status reveals that it is not trunking...

tech-airman wrote: »

typesh,

You're going to need to connect a second switch to the first switch that is capable of trunking to be able to see anything about trunks that were dynamically negotiated. It's kinda like expecting to hear a clap using only one hand then wondering why it's still quiet.

Ohh I just assumed that the Linksys was capable of trunking since it's a switch.

I am going to connect the 2950 to an 2900 and check out the result.

Does anyone know if there is a command to list all access ports?

Assuming the trunk has been formed, then show interface trunk will list all the ports that have been configured/negotiated as a trunk...but what if we want to know specifically which ports are access ports? Would reading the show run be the only way?

Or maybe doing show vlan brief? I guess that would be the correct way, since trunks will not be listed. Is that correct?

typesh

mikej412 wrote: »

Do a show interface fa0/1 trunk command -- what does the status show?

Okay here is what I have done...

I took the 2950 and connected its Fa0/3 to a 2900XL using a Crossover Cable.

Here is the result of my commands on the 2950:

2950SW#show interface Fa0/3 trunk

Port Mode Encapsulation Status Native vlan
Fa0/3 desirable 802.1q not-trunking 1

Port Vlans allowed on trunk
Fa0/3 1

Port Vlans allowed and active in management domain
Fa0/3 1

Port Vlans in spanning tree forwarding state and not pruned
Fa0/3 1
2950SW#show interface trunk

2950SW#

So the interface is not trunking for some reason. The 2950's Fa0/3 is not set as an access port. The 2900 has no config on it (wiped the startup-config and reloaded).

Why won't the trunk form?

I also ran this command (just discovered it--not sure what it does, but it lists Operational Mode as static access):

2950SW#show interfaces Fa0/3 switchport
Name: Fa0/3
Switchport: Enabled
Administrative Mode: dynamic desirable
Operational Mode: static access
Administrative Trunking Encapsulation: dot1q
Operational Trunking Encapsulation: native
Negotiation of Trunking: On
Access Mode VLAN: 1 (default)
Trunking Native Mode VLAN: 1 (default)
Voice VLAN: none
Administrative private-vlan host-association: none
Administrative private-vlan mapping: none
Administrative private-vlan trunk native VLAN: none
Administrative private-vlan trunk encapsulation: dot1q
Administrative private-vlan trunk normal VLANs: none
Administrative private-vlan trunk private VLANs: none
Operational private-vlan: none
Trunking VLANs Enabled: ALL
Pruning VLANs Enabled: 2-1001
Capture Mode Disabled
Capture VLANs Allowed: ALL
Protected: false
Appliance trust: none
2950SW#

Edit: (20 mins later)

I think I figured it out...

I went to the 2900XL and did this:

2900XL#show interfaces fastEthernet 0/1 switchport
Name: Fa0/1
Switchport: Enabled
Administrative mode: static access
Operational Mode: static access
Administrative Trunking Encapsulation: isl
Operational Trunking Encapsulation: isl
Negotiation of Trunking: Disabled
Access Mode VLAN: 1 (default)
Trunking Native Mode VLAN: 1 (default)
Trunking VLANs Enabled: NONE
Pruning VLANs Enabled: NONE

Priority for untagged frames: 0
Override vlan tag priority: FALSE
Voice VLAN: none
Appliance trust: none
2900XL#

I am looking specifically at the following lines:
Administrative mode: static access
Operational Mode: static access

I think this is why the 2950 would not negotiate the trunk... because the 2900XL ports are somehow set to Static Access...

I don't understand why this is. I though by default switchports try to dynamically negotiate a trunk with other switches. I completely wiped the startup-config on the 2900XL... The only thing I have done to the 2900 is set the hostname, enable secret, and VLAN1 IP with default-gateway.

(15 mins later)

I went to the 2900 and set the Fa0/1 with switchport mode trunk thinking this would solve the problem... It didn't.

So now I have the 2900 connected to the 2950... I have hardcoded the 2900s Fa0/1 with switchport mode trunk and I can no longer telnet to it. Before making it a trunk I could telnet to it. The 2950 has been configured with switchport mode trunk as well

mikej412

I thought you had it....

Hint!! Hint!! Hint!!

Your 2950 config:

typesh wrote: »

Administrative Trunking Encapsulation: dot1q
Operational Trunking Encapsulation: native
Negotiation of Trunking: On

Your 2900XL config:

typesh wrote: »

Administrative Trunking Encapsulation: isl
Operational Trunking Encapsulation: isl
Negotiation of Trunking: Disabled

I'd hint very strongly that you double check if your 2900 supports DTP....

And then I'd hint you should make sure the trunk protocols match (remembering the 2950 only supports 802.1Q).

Life is a bowl of cherries when you have 2 2950s... that's why I suggest adding a 2924-XL-EN as a 3rd switch in a CCNA lab.

typesh

mikej412 wrote: »

I thought you had it....

Hint!! Hint!! Hint!!

Your 2950 config:

Your 2900XL config:

I'd hint very strongly that you double check if your 2900 supports DTP....

And then I'd hint you should make sure the trunk protocols match (remembering the 2950 only supports 802.1Q).

Life is a bowl of cherries when you have 2 2950s... that's why I suggest adding a 2924-XL-EN as a 3rd switch in a CCNA lab.

Little while between posts... had to find a deal on a 2nd 2950..

It worked!

Connected the (2) 2950s, and the output of show interface trunk displayed the trunking ports.

You're right ... (2) 2950s does make life a bowl of cherries

Switch#show interfaces trunk

Port Mode Encapsulation Status Native vlan
Fa0/8 desirable 802.1q trunking 1
Fa0/12 desirable 802.1q trunking 1

Port Vlans allowed on trunk
Fa0/8 1-4094
Fa0/12 1-4094

Port Vlans allowed and active in management domain
Fa0/8 1
Fa0/12 1

Port Vlans in spanning tree forwarding state and not pruned
Fa0/8 1
Fa0/12 none
Switch#