Adding Cisco 2950 to existing network

[tyl3r32]

Hi guys,

I have a small lab setup at my desk at work with 5 vlans set up, and a Cisco router doing inter-vlan routing. My plan was to create a new vlan and connect it to my company's network so I can have more jacks to connect PCs to the network. I'm connecting port 2 of my 2950 to the buildings data port with a cross-over cable. When I do 'sh cdp neighbors detail', I can see another 2950 that my company uses along with all of it's details, such as vtp domain, native vlan, etc. Port 2 on my switch is setup for dynamic desirable (and when I do a 'sh int fa0/2 switchport', it shows it is in trunking mode), and I have native vlan set to 1, which is what is shown from the neighbors detail from the other switch. When connecting my laptop to my switch on fa0/3 which is set to vlan 1, I can't get to the network. I'm not sure why. Do you think it is related to vtp? I set my switch to be on the same vtp domain, but I didn't set a password and was wondering if that would cause this issue. Any help on this would be appreciated. Thanks! : )

 

[vipergg]

Thats hard to say without seeing both ends of the config . By default the port config is dyn desirable so it will bring up a trunk . What vlan is your corp network on, if its not in vlan 1 you won't get there . you have to figure that out and then put a port on the 2950 into that vlan and see if you can get in . I would also be careful if this is a lab network and you are connecting into the corp network with a router hooked up , you could cause problems . I would disconnect your router before plugging in that 2950 to the corp 2950 .

 

[burtsbees]

Also, I would wipe out vlan.dat and any config, and configure it as vtp client---I think they default to vtp server, but I am not sure---if they are, and you plug it into a live network, it's posible it passes a lower revision vtp update, replacing the configs of the network devices with its own...

Burt

 

[tyl3r32]

Thanks for the quick responses, guys. Prior to posting this, I had tried a couple different things, one of which was deleting my vlan.dat file and setting my switch as a vtp client on the same domain as my corp (I didn't delete the config from my switch, but I will try that shortly). I thought if I set my switch like this, I would get the vlan info from the vtp server, but I saw no changes on my switch after re-connecting it to the corp network. I thought if I got the vlan info from the server, I would be able to try out different vlans on my switch until I got a connection. Do I HAVE to be in the same vtp domain in order to get a connection, or just be on the same vlan? (just out of curiosity). Thanks again.

 

[baddos]

What VTP mode is your new switch running on? You can find this out by typing in "show vtp status".

 

[tyl3r32]

Hey guys,

I've been busy the last two days and haven't gotten a chance to play with this setup yet, but I plan to get to it later today or tomorrow.

Baddos - Currently my switch's vtp mode is transparent, but when I was trying out some settings 2 days ago, I had it set to client and on the same domain as the corp network.

 

[tyl3r32]

Sorry I took so long to reply, guys. This is what I've done, with no success: deleted config and vlan.dat, unplugged my router from the switch, set the vtp mode to client, and the domain to match that of my corp...no luck. I plugged the cross-over cable in from my switch to the data jack and watched the port go into trunking mode, but when I plugged a PC in the switch on vlan 1, I got nothing : / I'm assuming there really isn't anything else I can try without knowing the vlan of the corp network?

 

[vipergg]

I think that is basically true . If you aren't in the company networking department you shouldn't be plugging in things like that anyway you could cause a network loop and take down the whole network.

 

[CiscoGuy33]

tyl3r32,

I'm with vipergg on this, if you can't call the network department to support you in what you are doing then you need to STOP at once, in EVERY place that I have worked you would be fired on the spot for connecting additional stuff to the network without authorization!!!

Just the fact you are trying to add a VTP Client switch on the corp network and not a dumb SOHO switch or hub would scare the heck out of ANY networking department.

Do yourself a favor, if the corp does not care then ASK them for help or request more network ports in your office, I would hate to hear that you were "let go"!!

Good luck!!

E.A. Broda
CCNA, CCDA, CCAI, Network +

 

[tyl3r32]

OK guys...I'll bow out of this one. As long as I know what exactly I need to find out from the Network department, I can do that. I appreciate your help and your wise words of advice : )