PowerSwitch OS6: How to Stack and Unstack a Member in a N4000 Switch Stack

Summary: How to stack and unstack a member in Dell Networking N4000 switch.

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Instructions

Stack N4000 switches together:

  1. Update each switch to the latest firmware using the instruction in the zip file. The latest firmware can be downloaded from Dell Support Drivers & Download page.
  2. Configure ports to be used for stacking. It is recommended to use at least two ports on each switch to allow a ring topology connection.

 

Note: Rebooting the switch is required for the ports to transition into stacking mode.

 

Note: You can stack on the 10-Gigabit or 40-Gigabit ports, but not both.

 

Command Parameters
console> enable Enter Privileged EXEC mode.
console# configure  Enter configuration mode.
console(config)# stack Enter Stack Configuration mode.
console(config-stack)# stack-port [Port name] [Port Number] stack Configure Port as stack port.
console(config-stack)# end Go Back to Configuration Mode.
console# copy running-configuration startup-configuration Save Configuration
console# reload Reboot

The below example demonstrates how to convert a 40-Gigabit port to a stack port.

The example uses ports fortygigabitethernet 1/1/1 and fortygigabitethernet 1/1/2.

console> enable
console# config
console(config)# stack
console(config-stack)# stack-port fortygigabitethernet 1/1/1 stack
console(config-stack)# stack-port fortygigabitethernet 1/1/2 stack
console(config-stack)# end
console# copy running-configuration startup-configuration
console# reload

The below example demonstrates how to convert a 10-Gigabit port to a stack port.

This example uses ports tengigabitethernet 1/0/23 and tengigabitethernet 1/0/24.

console> enable
console# config
console(config)# stack
console(config-stack)# stack-port tengigabitethernet 1/0/23 stack
console(config-stack)# stack-port tengigabitethernet 1/0/24 stack
console(config-stack)# end
console# copy running-configuration startup-configuration
console# reload
  1. After a successful reboot, verify the stack ports are configured properly. Use the command show switch stack-ports.

Sample output:

console# show switch stack-ports
          Configured Running    Link         Link         Admin
Interface Stack Mode Stack Mode Status       Speed (Gb/s) Status
--------- ---------- ---------- ------------ ------------ ------------
Te1/0/23   Stack      Stack      Link Up      10           Enabled
Te1/0/24   Stack      Stack      Link Up      10           Enabled
  1. Power off the switches. Connect the stacking ports in a ring topology.
  2. Power on the wanted primary switch first and wait until you can manage it. After it is powered on, power on the next switches one at a time, until every switch is powered on. They add themselves to the stack.

 

Note: The Primary and Operation Standby switches keep the startup configuration of the stack. You can only access the console port from the Primary switch.

 

Note: The N4000 series switches support up to 12 units in a stack.

 

To unstack a member from N4000 stack, do the following

  1. Power off the member and remove stacking cables from the member which has to be removed from the stack.
  2. In the primary switch, remove the member ID of the member which is powered off.
Command Parameters
console> enable Enter Privileged EXEC mode.
console# configure Enter configuration mode.
console(config)# stack Enter Stack Configuration mode.
console(config-stack)# no member <member id> Remove member

 

Note: This command removes the configuration that is associated with that member from the running configuration. The command does not work if the switch is an active member. This is not a command to renumber the unit. It only removes the switch as a member of the stack.

In this example, member 2 is being removed from the stack.

Sample output:

console(config)# stack
console(config-stack)# no member 2
  1. If you want to convert the stacking ports to Ethernet, use the below commands:

 

Note: You must reboot the switch for ports to transition into Ethernet mode.

 

Command Parameters
console> enable Enter Privileged EXEC mode.
console# configure  Enter configuration mode.
console(config)# stack Enter Stack Configuration mode.
console(config-stack)# stack-port [Port name] [Port Number] ethernet Configure Port as ethernet port.
console(config-stack)# end Go Back to Configuration Mode.
console# copy running-configuration startup-configuration Save Configuration
console# reload Reboot


The below example demonstrates how to convert a 10-Gigabit port to an ethernet port. 

console> enable
console# config
console(config)# stack
console(config-stack)# stack-port tengigabitethernet 1/0/1 ethernet
console(config-stack)# stack-port tengigabitethernet 1/0/1 ethernet
console(config-stack)# end
console# copy running-configuration startup-configuration
console# reload
  1. After a successful reboot, verify that the ports have changed to Ethernet mode. Use the command "show switch stack-ports.

Sample output:

console# show switch stack-ports
          Configured Running    Link         Link         Admin
Interface Stack Mode Stack Mode Status       Speed (Gb/s) Status
--------- ---------- ---------- ------------ ------------ ------------
Te1/0/1    Ethernet   Ethernet   Link Up      10           Enabled
Te1/0/2    Ethernet   Ethernet   Link Up      10           Enabled

Affected Products

PowerSwitch N4000 Series
Article Properties
Article Number: 000121374
Article Type: How To
Last Modified: 07 Aug 2026
Version:  11
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