Creating a PortChannel between 2 Cisco Catalyst 2960G-24TC-L switches

[JCHandshaw]

I want to run 2 cables between 2 identical Cisco Catalyst 2960G-24TC-L switches and configure them both active.

So I figure I need to create a PortChannel between them.

Do I need to establish the PortChannel/channel group on BOTH switches or just ONE (and the other switch passively 'receives' the Portchannel?)

Or do I set up both sides the same.

I ask, because when I did this, clients lost connection to our webservices (although my telnet connections to BOTH switches persisted), and I don't understand why.

PRIMARY SWITCH (connected to firewall)...SECONDARY SWITCH (connected to Primary switch)

interface Port-channel6                  interface Port-channel6

description PC2SN2                       description PC2SN1          (SN=ServiceNet)

switchport mode access                   switchport mode access

!

interface GigabitEthernet0/21            interface GigabitEthernet0/21

description PC2SN2                       description PC2SN1

channel-group 6 mode active              channel-group 6 mode active

!

interface GigabitEthernet0/24           interface GigabitEthernet0/24

description PC2SN2                      description PC2SN1

channel-group 6 mode active             channel-group 6 mode active

Of all the examples listed on the Cisco site there is no example of a simple same switch connection like this (everything else, but)

[Jon Marshall]

Jeffrey

You need to configure the port channel on both switches.

One thing though what vlan are the physical ports and the port channel meant to be in ?

You have used "switchport mode access" but you haven't configured the vlan for the ports eg. "switchport access vlan ".

I'm assuming you don't want a trunk link otherwise you wouldn't haven't used "switchport mode access" ?

Jon

[glen.grant]

  What you have shown should work fine .   You can use LACP active mode or pagp   mode desirable non-silent?  Both work fine .  The way you have it only vlan 1 is allowed across the link  because you did not specify a specific vlan it will use vlan 1 by default.

[JCHandshaw]

Turns out the 'previous administration' had set up a mirror on port 21 which cause a looping havoc when I connected 21 to 21 using the PortChannel.  It should work now.

One last question

I had included "switchport mode access" in my configuration

jon.marshall said I didn't need that unless I was trunking Vlans, I'm not

so should I leave "switchport mode access" of of the configuration?

[Jon Marshall]

Jeffrey

said I didn't need that unless I was trunking Vlans

that's not what i meant.. I meant you had "switchport mode access" which is correct if it is not a trunk link but you haven't defined the actual vlan those ports are meant to be in ie. in addition to what you have you then define the vlan with -

"switchport access vlan "

Jon

[JCHandshaw]

Gotcha, thanks