VLAN Struggles

[bk10233]

Hi Community,

Somehow, 5 months ago, our local charter school mistook me for someone who understands IT and asked me to be the director...weird. Anyhow, I inherited a small server closet with two MS225-48s cabled to a MS425 aggregate. I was also welcomed with every active port on those 225s being configured as trunk and associated to VLAN native 1.

Now, with a VoIP system being installed, we decided to segregate 70+ phone devices to a newly created VLAN 2. When trying to configure Routing & DHCP, I pretty much get the “sorry, but thanks for playing” message. But, I’d still like to get the phones on their own VLAN.

I’ve read that the 225s are layer 2 switches and VLANs cannot be created on such, but I’m also wondering if having just “trunk” is a bad design from square one.

I appreciate any feedback, advice, or an existing post re-direct.

Many thanks

Bill

[BlakeRichardson]

@bk10233 Can you please include a screenshot of the error message you are getting.

Are you trying to configure your VOIP system on a completely segregated VLAN or just a seperate VLAN which routes to VLAN1?

[bk10233]

Thanks for the quick reply Blake.

We created a new VLAN that is separate from VLAN 1 (pic 1).

Also, we are not actually receiving a true error message, but the a page display indicating that we would need to create an interface to make things work. (pic 2).

Thanks again for any insight into what would be the correct design.

Bill

[Philip D'Ath]

I'm guessing you have an MX, and the first screenshot is from the VLANs on that. And that the second screenshot is from the switches, and that no layer 3 VLANs exist on them.

First, all the links between the MX and switches, and from switch to switch should be left as trunks. I would change every other port to being an access port in VLAN1 with a voice vlan of 2.

https://documentation.meraki.com/MS/Port_and_VLAN_Configuration/Configuring_the_MS_Access_Switch_for_Standard_VoIP_deployments

After that - you are pretty much finished.

[bk10233]

Thank you very much Phillip. I'll walk through this tomorrow AM.

[Nolan H.]

Make sure you allow all vlans across the trunk ports as well.

[bk10233]

Thanks Nolan .. I appreciate your help .. !

[bk10233]

Thanks for everyone's help.

One follow-up question: Is it permissible to change port types on the fly during production hours, or best practice to do so while the system is essentially quiet ?.. (No staff or kids starting Monday .. Spring Break)

Thanks again

BK

[Philip D'Ath · Accepted solution]

It is likely to cause a port bounce, so I would do it when it is quiet.

[bk10233]

Thank you !