Existing VLANs routed via PC 6024

 

Once the PCT 6024's routing table is populated with more than 1 entry, the system will begin to route between the networks.  If you assign IP addresses to the VLANs configured on the PCT 6024, the system will route between the respective subnets.

 

DHCP relay must be enabled globally, then enabled on the VLANs where the DHCP server does not exist.  Thus, once a DHCP or BOOTP request is received on the VLANs with DHCP relay enabled, the PCT 6024 will forward the requests to the DHCP server.

 

If the PCT 3448 has a Stack ID selected, standard communication is disabled out of interfaces G3 and G4.  You must recycle power to the system and toggle the Stack ID selector until no ID is selected to enable the system for stand-alone operation.  Additionally, the VLAN configuration may be contributing to the issues you are experiencing accessing the HTTP interface.

 

Ideally, the PCT 6024 should be the Spanning Tree root bridge as well as the default gateway for your various networks.  Each interface that connects to the Layer 2 switches should be configured as a trunk mode port for scalability purposes -- configuring each Layer 2 interface that links back to the PCT 6024 as trunk mode ports as well.

 

Also, it would be beneficial to select a VLAN to be designated as your management VLAN and keep this uniform across your environment -- this will also allow you to confirm basic connectivity via ICMP packets when physically cabling the units together. 

 

Hope this helps.

Yes that really does help!

 

So the IP address assigned to each VLAN would be a gateway IP for that subnet? ie..

 

the 10.2.50.0 subnet is assigned VLAN ip 10.2.50.1

and 10.2.0.0 sunbet is assigned VLAN ip 10.2.0.1

 

I have most of the switches in the subnet 10.2.200.0 and part of the 200 VLAN.  Nothing else resides in that subnet.

 

VLANs are kinda new to me and I am still learning about what the difference is between say a trunk, access, and standard one being VLAN aware and the other being VLAN unaware. Any supporting documentation I can read to get this straight?  Thanks.

 

What are the big differences between the 3348 and the 3448?

 

Also, does the 6024 have some kind of designation as the stack master if I were to connect all the switches to it?

 

I have printed out the running configs and for the past month have been slowly understanding what the previous admin was doing with the configuration. Again I appreciate your help and apologize for having so many unanswered questions.  Thanks.

Correct.  The default gateway for each subnet should be configured on the PCT 6024.

 

There are whitepapers posted that outline various technologies at a high level.  You may access the articles via -- http://www.dell.com/networking > Tools and Resources > Whitepapers.

 

There are numerous features that the two series do not have in common.  These include (but are not limited to):

Ok, I have one more question about the physical connection of the spanning tree ports.  Right now I have the 6024 connected to the 3448 between the G17 port (which is a combo port on the 6024) and to the G3 stacking port on the 3448... is this correct?  I am not sure if this connection will work properly.  Also, would I be able to connect the other 3348's via their stacking port to the 6024?  Thanks for your help.

The stacking interfaces on the PCT 3300 series switches will behave as a normal interface unless the stacking module is installed.  The PCT 3400 series switches stacking interfaces will not be enabled for stacking unless a stack ID is selected during the POST process.

 

As such, these interfaces will communicate via 10/100/1000Mbps and accept any configuration as a standard interface would -- VLANs, LAGs, Spanning Tree, etc..

 

Ideally, you will have to provide the most bandwidth on the uplink to the rest of the topology.  Thus, it would be recommended to utilize the gigabit interfaces for communication back to the core (PCT 6024) whenever possible.

Ok, I have them communicating now.. I originally had two ports in a LAG group and now I just took those out and made both of them trunk ports in several of the VLANs we have set up here.  The only machine I have connected to the 3448 is on port 1 which is also a member of various VLANs... DHCP relay is enabled on the 6024 and there are no DHCP IP interfaces...are there supposed to be?  I also assigned IP addresses to the VLANs on the 6024 such as the switch, wireless, and wired VLAN. So what is happening is that I cannot get any DHCP requests from the client on the 3448... the only way I can communicate with the switch is if I manually assign the client IP in the same subnet.

 

What should I be doing to route between the subnets and relay DHCP information?  I know I have alot of questions and I don't want to take too much of ya'lls time.  I am located in Austin; would it be remotely possible to have someone come onsite and check out what I am trying to accomplish?

 

Or, could I send a running config of the two switches?

 

I have printed and read a whole folder of PC documents and I still cannot get things working... I have messed with spanning tree also and am not sure what that is doing to the config... It would be cool if I could get a LAG group also as a trunk for VLAN groups...

 

Thanks for your help.

Ok, I was able to get the two switched communicating and also adding the LAG group to several of the VLANs... what was also happening was that the switchport mode on the client machine was in general instead of access.  So this works now.   One of my last questions is if I want to accomplish a Hub and Spoke setup... is it advised to create a lag between the master 6024 and the other 3348's and 3448?  So what I am accomplishing is a 2Gbps link between the switches.  I have two PC 3348 that are stacked via what looks like a usb cable between the stack ports.  Would I be able to LAG connect one of the stack group and still get the same effect? Or would it be better to separate the two and individually connect them to the 6024?  I am also trying to figure out what settings I should have for the best Spanning Tree Operability... the 6024 (master) is set to priority 8192, while the other switches are 32768.  I am still not sure what the gotchas are in the STP and Spanning Tree settings, or even the recommended settings.  After I get all of this figured out, I am going to try to tackle the task of taking the routing away from the linux firewall/router and leave it up to the 6024. I appreciate the help.  Thanks

 

          -Jacob