SG300 switch settings Trunk or Access

[Marcin Kondziela]

I am a beginner SG300 user and I have a question regarding the configuration of the connection of two switches. If I connect 2 switches with each other and use only 1 Vlan, should the ports in the switches be set as Trunk or as Access ? Thank you very much for your help and sorry if the question is in the wrong section.

[balaji.bandi]

Between Switch to Switch connection always suggest having a Trunk port, and in the Trunk, you can restrict what VLAN need to pass between switches.

example :

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/docs/smb/switches/cisco-small-business-200-series-smart-switches/smb97-link-aggregate-group-lag-configuration-on-200-300-series-man.html

[Marcin Kondziela]

so I can leave all ports set in trunk mode in a switch if I only use 1 Vlan? I can make the connection between switches in any port, it doesn't matter?

[balaji.bandi]

i suggest to have only use trunk between switches, rest all should be access port sugested config.

yes you can use any ports, but use uplink ports between switches.

[Marcin Kondziela]

I would like to use all ports in the switch to connect devices so that I do not have to wonder which ports to connect between switches. If I leave all ports as trunk, can I work this way? Which ports are uplink?

[balaji.bandi]

uplink ports look at the below datasheet :  ( right side of the switch - Fibre and copper ports - which used to connect other switches)

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/switches/sg300-28-28-port-gigabit-managed-switch/model.html

in most deployment suggestion made is, if the PC or end device connection, that should be as access port (if there is no Trunk requirement)

• access port – a port that can be assigned to a single VLAN. The frames that arrive on an access port are assumed to be part of the access VLAN. This port type is configured on switch ports that are connected to devices with a normal network card, for example a host on a network.
• trunk port – a port that is connected to another switch. This port type can carry traffic of multiple VLANs, thus allowing you to extend VLANs across your entire network. Frames are tagged by assigning a VLAN ID to each frame as they traverse between switches.

[Marcin Kondziela]

so in this example you sent the uplink ports are 27 and 28? If I need more ports to connect between switches, i.e. Trunk, it is enough to set ports 1-24 as Access and 25-28 as Trunk, assuming that I need 4 trunk ports to connect 4 other switches

[balaji.bandi]

1-24 access-port good if the end device connecting to those ports.

25-28 ports you can connect to other swithes ( but check you can only use 2 ports, either SFP or Copper)

if you need  4 ports then you need to use 23-24 (as Trunk)

hope this help you.

[Marcin Kondziela]

Thank you very much for your help but I have a few more questions and I hope it's not a problem. Is what I am sending in the attachment correct? Access ports should be untagged and Trunk ports tagged? what about the LAG setting? Should it be trunk and untagged?

[balaji.bandi]

having some difficulties to see the image (mobile), but i believe looks good.

[Marcin Kondziela]

shouldn't trunk ports also be untagged if i only use 1 vlan?

[balaji.bandi]

If you have only 1 VLAN it does not matter technically.

• Tagged — The interface is a member of the chosen VLAN and packets sent from this interface destined to the chosen VLAN will have the packet tagged with the VLAN ID. The Tagged radio button is not enabled for interfaces in Access mode if the chosen VLAN is the Default VLAN. If there are no untagged VLANs on an interface, the interface automatically joins the internally used VLAN 4095.
• Untagged — The interface is a member of the chosen VLAN and packets sent from this interface destined to the chosen VLAN will not be tagged with the VLAN ID. If the interface is in Access or Trunk mode, the Default VLAN is automatically excluded when the interface joins the VLAN as Untagged.

[Marcin Kondziela]

Thanks you again very much for your help and will follow your tips

[balaji.bandi]

Glad it was usefull, if all good, can we mark this as resolved, other community members can refer this, if they are in same situation as yours.