Yep ! When we refer to VLAN 1 as the default VLAN, we are describing the behavior of a switch. On most switches, any L2 port that is not explicitly assigned to a VLAN is automatically associated with VLAN 1. This makes VLAN 1 the default for unconfigured access ports. However, this designation of "default" does not inherently mean anything about how frames are tagged—it is simply the starting VLAN assignment for ports.
The tagging of VLANs comes into play when trunking is configured. A trunk link allows multiple VLANs to traverse a single physical connection between switches or other network devices. To ensure frames are identified correctly as belonging to specific VLANs, a tag is added to the Ethernet frame. This tagging is done using protocols like 802.1Q.
On a trunk link, there is a concept of the native VLAN, which specifies one VLAN that will transmit its traffic untagged. This is often VLAN 1 by default, but administrators can change the native VLAN to another VLAN for various reasons, such as improved security or separation of management traffic. The key point here is that the native VLAN refers to how frames are transmitted over a trunk (untagged), while the default VLAN refers to the initial assignment of ports.
Importantly, the default VLAN and the native VLAN are not inherently tied together. For instance:
- VLAN 1 might be the default VLAN for access ports, but another VLAN (e.g., VLAN 100) could be designated as the native VLAN on trunk links.
- Similarly, the native VLAN on a trunk can be changed to any VLAN, and VLAN 1 can still serve as the default VLAN for unconfigured ports.
This distinction is crucial for designing and managing networks effectively, especially in environments where security or traffic segmentation is a concern.
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