Configure trunk on SG200-18 Switch

[tursiops33]

Hello,

I just purchased a SG200-18 switch and I'm trying to use the trunk option, but when I activate the last two ports 17 and 18 that go to my wireless router, it doesn't receive any IP from it and I can't access it anymore. To gain control over it I need to unplug one of the two ports connect it to any free port, and then it works again.

Subsidiary question: When you're configuring a trunk, do the two part need to have the connection configured as trunk for it to work, or just one part is good enough ?

For example If I configure on my switch 2 ports to be used as trunk, do I need to also configure my router 2 receiving ports as trunk too ?

Thank you for your help.

[Richard Burts]

I do not understand your description of what you are connecting and how you expect the SG200 to interact with the wireless. So I am not able to make suggestions about that part of your question. The one part that is somewhat clear is that it appears that you want to connect the SG200 two ports to router two ports. The answer is that if the switch port (or ports) are configured as trunks then the router interfaces also need to be configured to support trunking.

HTH

Rick

[devils_advocate]

What are you trying to achieve with a Trunk?

What sort of router are you plugging the switch into?

A Trunk port is designed to carry traffic for multiple Vlans between two devices, usually between two switches.

You can connect a Trunk port to a Router but that device must also support 802.1q tagging which Cisco routers usually do but home ones usually don't/

[tursiops33]

What I want to try to achieve is more bandwidth for my network between the two interconnected devices. I thought that by activating the port trunking it would aggregate the two ports and I would have twice the speed.

is port trunking and port bonding different? 

Thank you.

[devils_advocate · Accepted solution]

Ahh I figured as much.

The word 'Trunk' in Cisco world meant 802.1q Trunking, which is essentially Vlan tagging between two Layer 2 devices, usually switches. 

The word 'Trunk' in HP world means port bonding, or port channeling.

If you are looking for PortChanneling with Cisco, you need to look at either PAGP (if connecting two Cisco devices) or LACP (industry standard).

This guide will help

http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/switches/lan/catalyst3750x_3560x/software/release/12-2_55_se/configuration/guide/3750xscg/swethchl.html

You can use Port Channels between a Cisco Switch and a Cisco Router but both sides must support it. The SG200 switches support LACP, see below:

http://sbkb.cisco.com/CiscoSB/GetArticle.aspx?docid=caae365b755f46f5989177cb68216304_Link_Aggregation_on_Cisco_Series_Managed_Switches.xml&

What Router model do you have?

Unless its something enterprise, its unlikely to support Port Channeling. Both sides have to support it, you couldn't connect your SG200 to a home netgear router and expect it to load balance. 

[tursiops33]

Thank you for the answer. I've indeed noticed while reading the manual that the switch has lacp capabilities but when I activate it I lose all connection to the switch.

i currently have a Netgear nighthawk ac1900 but I was thinking of replacing it by their new nighthawk x8 which has two ports available for port bonding.

i will read all the links you sent me and try to understand better all of this work. 

Thanks.