Connect 2 swich with Access Port

new2net

I was wondering what would happen if you connected 2 switches and manually set the each port between them to be an Access Port (no port security and both switches have all ports in VLAN1). Thinking it through, it seems that information will still be passed as each switch will learn about MAC addresses through broadcasts (even though we have manually set an Access Port to something that should be a Trunk). It seems to me that the only problem will occur if different VLANS were introduced on both switches. ... can anyone tell me if I have thought it through wrong (no lab to test on)?

miller811

Access:
• This is the access mode in Cisco IOS Software that specifies that the port never become a trunk, even if the neighbor tries. This mode puts the LAN port into permanent nontrunking mode and negotiates to convert the link into a nontrunking link.

new2net

miller811 wrote: »

Access:
• This is the access mode in Cisco IOS Software that specifies that the port never become a trunk, even if the neighbor tries. This mode puts the LAN port into permanent nontrunking mode and negotiates to convert the link into a nontrunking link.

...but frames will still be passed between the 2 switches even though both connecting ports have been set to Access Mode, right?

networker050184

You are correct. Access doesn't mean that its for a host, it just means that it will only pass traffic for that Vlan.

I would just use a trunk and prune all the other Vlans off personally though. That way if you ever do need more than one Vlan to ride across you can do it with no down time by changing the allowed list.