ICND2 - Rapid Spanning Tree Packet Tracer

Tappers

Hi,
Passed ICND1 last week and have started on ICND2 straight away.

Have gone through spaning tree protocol and rapid spanning tree but have not been able to configure it on packet tracer.

Is anyone able to let me know if it is a packet tracer bug or is there an additional command that is required for it to work.

I have setup 3 switches, trunk ports between them and 2 hosts. Spanning tree works fine when I shutdown a port but when I configure to rapid-pvst 2 switches generally go fine but when I do the third it is knackered. Either all goes dark green and I get pretty much nothing in terms of pings between hosts or all the ports go light green and on one switch (usually last upgraded to rapid-pvst) the ports alternate randomly between blocking and forwarding, and I get no pings.

Hope that is enough info, and that it is a basic thing I am missing as it is driving me nuts!

Thanks

MrXpert

I recall having a similar problem to yours with RSTP. It would crash on me if I tried do too much with it. I always found it didn't like etherchannel either. I don't know of any fix. Sorry I cannot help but maybe knowing you are not the only one with problems with PT may put your mind at ease it is unlikely it is anyone you did wrong with config. The ICND2 didn't test that heavily on rstp but listen if you want to do more with it i'd suggest real switches like 2950s. Although if you're like me and can't afford or have space then proctor labs is the muts nuts.

Ltat42a

When you downloaded your version of Packet Tracer from the CNA, did you get the Tutorials & Training Materials Add-on? The training materials included some PT Activities, one of these is RSTP. It gives you a step by step for rstp configuration. The topology has 2-3560 & 2-2960 Switches.

hth

Tappers

Thanks for the reply

No didn't get them.

Is there a step by anywhere else I can get hold of?

wweboy

I had a similar issue where the interfaces would go up and down ad then all blink at the same time it was pretty wild. From what I've read on the issue it was suppose to do it but I don't believe it. I've also read its a bug so I don't know what to believe..

Ltat42a

This guy here does most of his CCNA course in Packet Tracer, check out his Channel -

RSTP Part 1
RSTP and Rapid-PVST+ in Packet Tracer - Part 1 - YouTube


RSTP Part 2
RSTP and Rapid-PVST+ in Packet Tracer - Part 2 - YouTube

Tappers

Thanks MrXpert, I missed your post initially when I looked on my phone.

Yes glad I am not the only one and does help, but I really wanted to be able to practice and test at home and work and when away on business. I have a home lab of 4 routers and 3 switches and I set it up and it worked perfectly. But because the pings spin past at speed I just hoped there was a config error on my PT setup.

Ltat42a, thanks for the links, I think they have actually solved the problem I was having

The only slightly strange thing is that all the lights are now green even on the port that is blocking that previously was orange when it was blocking, but shows as blocking in command show spanning-tree... but as it appears to be working I am very very happy... Thanks for all the replies, clearly a great active forum, will have to visit frequently to see if there is anyone I can assist.

Basically what I did was to enable rapid spanning tree and then shut down all the ports of that switch, then do the same with the next one and then next one and then enable ports from the root bridge first...

Thanks again...