Switch to behave as a router

[jahanzeb.feroze]

Is there any possibility to make a switch acts like a router? Please mention the steps what to do to  make this happens.
 

[Leo Laohoo]

Is there any possibility to make a switch acts like a router?

Yes.

Please mention the steps what to do to  make this happens.

This is a loaded question so I'll answer as vaguely as possible:  Enable Layer  3 options on the switch.

[jahanzeb.feroze]

Layer3 option to be enable by ip routing command?

[Leo Laohoo]

Layer3 option to be enable by ip routing command?

From a Sales point of view, yes.  

Exactly what are you trying to achieve?  

[rosaho]

This discussion has been reposted to the LAN, Switching and Routing community.

[Anthonize Rajaratne]

Layer3 switches comes 'ip routing' enable by default. 

Layer2  switches you have to enable ' ip routing' if you want intervlan routing. If not layer 2 switches work as just normal access layer switch.  

[chinmoy.boruah1]

Dear Jahanzeb,

In simple language, while configuring a Layer 2 Switch e.g 2960, we need to create VLAN's and provide ip address in VLAN's and then tag the ports in respective VLAN. In this scenario, when there is a need for intervlan communication we do connect a router with the switch and use the command 'IP ROUTING'. We can't configure routing protocols in the switch and so have to use the router for the same purpose.
But in case of a Layer 3 switch e.g 3650, we could use it as a Layer 2 as well as Layer 3 device by simply issuing the command 'SWITCHPORT' or 'NO SWITCHPORT' after entering in the specific port need to be used.
By applying 'SWITCHPORT' command, we configure the port to work as a Layer 2 port and would have to bind it with any particular vlan or could use as a trunk port. And by using 'NO SWITCHPORT' command, we enable the Layer 3 function of the switch, where we could configure an IP ADDRESS against that particular port (just like that of routers) and configure the protocols too.

Here is the configuration example for Layer 2 switchport
Switch#configure terminal
Switch(config)#interface vlan xyz
Switch(config-if)#ip address x.x.x.x x.x.x.x
Switch(config-if)#exit
Switch(config)#interface fastethernet 0/1/1
Switch(config-if)#switchport mode access/trunk
Switch(config-if)#switchport access vlan xyz (any VLAN which you want this port to be part of)
Switch(config-if)#exit

Here is configuration example for Layer 3 switchport
Switch#configure terminal
Switch(config)#interface fastethernet 0/1/1
Switch(config)#no switchport (it does support SWITCHPORT command for Layer 2 functionality)
Switch(config)#ip address x.x.x.x x.x.x.x (same as that of router ports)
Switch(config)#no shut
Switch(config)#exit

Hope it would help you out a bit :)

Regards

Chinmoy Boruah

[jahanzeb.feroze]

Chinmoy,

Superb explanation, much appreciated.

[Dan Lukes]

Sorry to asking, but it seems you are interested to solve the issue on a switch of Cisco's main product line not the Small Business product one. Can you confirm, please ?

I will arrange to move of this thread to appropriate community in such case. This community is dedicated to questions related to SMB class of devices.  We wish the future users with the same question will find answer without asking thus placing thread in appropriate community is important.
 

[jahanzeb.feroze]

Just wanted to solve the issue

[Dan Lukes]

It is clear. But on what kind of hardware ?

[jahanzeb.feroze]

3560 switch

[Dan Lukes]

Thanks. Then the advices apply to your's case, but this thread is in wrong community. 3560 is not Small Business kind of beast. I will create move request to LAN, Switching and Routing.

[jahanzeb.feroze]

Is that really necessary to select exact matching category? I think solving issue is of main concern rather than to be get concern of category

[Dan Lukes]

Solving issue concern just you and just now. Make such solution easy to find concern future users facing the same issue - and concern them all future days.

Those users may fail to find solution placed in inappropriate category so they may ask again. It will require experts attention and will take the new time to response.

Even worse, there may be users interested on L3 switching on Small Business category of switches. This (misplaced) thread may confuse them - and attempts to apply advices from this thread may waste their time.

Issue's solution is as most important as make advices, answers and solutions available to others. The time spend by all those experts responding to you may be reused many times.

Moving the thread into proper category have advantages only, IMHO.