Add a New Ethernet Switch

Introduction      Requirements      Connect to the New Switch           Change the IP Address on the PC           Put the Switch in Setup Mode           Connect the PC to the Switch      Configure the New Switch           Connect to the Switch with CNA           Create a VLAN           Configure VTP Server           Configure the Host Name           Configure Passwords           Set the System Time           Configure the IP Address           Configure Port 1           Save Your Current Configuration           Reconnect to the Switch           Configure the Remaining Ports           Save Your Completed Configuration      Connect the Switch to the Root Switch      Next Step      Troubleshoot the Procedure      Related Information

Download PDF   Add a New Ethernet Switch

Introduction

This document explains how to add an additional switch to your network after you have installed and configured your root switch. This procedure applies to 2900XL, 2940, 2950, 2960, 2970, 3500XL, 3550, 3560, and 3750 model Catalyst switches.

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Requirements

To perform the steps described in this document, you will need these items:

• A configured root switch and a second switch with Cisco IOS® Software Release 12.0 - 12.2 that has been installed and powered on

  Note: If you have not installed the switch, refer to Hardware Setup Procedure for the Catalyst Switch.

• A PC with CNA installed on it

  Note: If your PC does not have CNA installed, refer to Download and Install Cisco Network Assistant.

• A straight-through Ethernet cable to connect your PC to the switch for setup

• A crossover Ethernet cable to connect the switch to the root switch

• Completed worksheets as instructed in the Site Survey:

  • LAN Addressing Worksheet

  • Switch Port Assignments Worksheet

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Connect to the New Switch

Follow these steps to connect your PC to the switch for configuration:

• Change the IP address on the PC

• Connect the PC to the switch

• Put the switch in setup mode

Change the IP Address on the PC

Your PC must have a compatible IP address in order to communicate with the switch. Before you change your TCP/IP settings, make note of your current settings.

To configure the IP address on your PC, go to the Start > Settings > Control Panel > Network and Dialup Connections. Right-click on your network connection icon and choose Properties. Select the Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) and click Properties. Enter the IP address 10.0.0.2 with a subnet mask of 255.255.255.0. For more detailed instructions, refer to Configure an IP Address on Your PC.

Put the Switch in Setup Mode

Follow these steps to put the switch in setup mode:

1. Press and hold the Mode button for approximately 2 seconds, or until all LEDs next to the Mode button except for the RPS LED turn green. On the 2940 switch, hold the Mode button until all of the LEDs above the Mode button turn green. On the 2960 switch, hold the Mode button until the all of the LEDs except the RPS and SPEED turn green.

   

   Note: The model illustrated is a Catalyst 2950. Your switch may look slightly different.

2. When all LEDs except the RPS LED turn green, release the Mode button. All LEDs except the RPS LED should remain green. On the 2940 switch, all of the LEDs remain green. On the 2960 switch, all of the LEDs except the RPS and SPEED remain green.

   If the LEDs begin to blink after you have held the Mode button for 2 seconds or you cannot get the required LEDs to remain lit, then the switch has an existing configuration and cannot enter setup mode. Refer to Troubleshoot the Procedure for assistance.

Connect the PC to the Switch

Follow these steps to connect your PC to the switch:

Note: For configuration, the switch must be connected only to the PC. Verify that no other devices are connected to the switch.

1. Connect one end of a straight-through Ethernet cable to Ethernet port 20 on the front panel of the switch. If you have a 2940 switch, connect one end of a straight-through Ethernet cable to any Ethernet port on the front panel of the switch.

   Note: Port 1 is typically the management port, but for VLAN configuration you cannot use port 1 as the management port for setup.

2. Connect the other end of the Ethernet cable to the Ethernet port on your PC.

   

3. Verify that the port status LEDs turn green on both connected Ethernet ports.

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Configure the New Switch

Follow these steps to add a new switch to your network:

• Connect to the Switch with CNA

• Create a VLAN

• Configure VTP Server

• Configure the Host Name

• Configure Passwords

• Set the System Time

• Configure the IP Address

• Configure Port 1

• Save Your Current Configuration

• Reconnect to the Switch

• Configure the Remaining Ports

• Save Your Completed Configuration

Connect to the Switch with CNA

Follow these steps to log in to the switch with CNA:

1. To launch CNA, go to Start > Programs > Cisco Network Assistant > Cisco Network Assistant.

2. When the Connect window opens, type 10.0.0.1 in the Connect To field, and then click Connect.

   

   Note: If you are unable to connect to the switch with CNA, see Troubleshoot the Procedure for help.

Create a VLAN

CNA operates in two modes: Expert View and Guide View. The default view for CNA 3.0 is Expert View. To ensure that you are in Expert View, click the Expert button on the far right of the toolbar.

Follow these steps to create a VLAN on the switch:

1. On the Features tab, click Configure > Switching > VLANs.

   

2. In the VLANs window, click the Configure VLANs tab.

   

3. Click Create to open the Create VLAN window.

4. Enter the VLAN information for the new VLAN.

   • In the VLAN ID field, enter 20.

   • In the VLAN Name field, enter Default.

   • Leave the VLAN Status field set as Active.

   Click OK.

   

5. When you are finished, the two VLANs appear in the VLANs window. Click Apply, and then click OK.

   

Configure VTP Server

Follow these steps to configure the VLAN trunking protocol (VTP) server:

1. On the Features tab, click Configure > Switching > VLANs.

   

2. In the VLANs window, click the Configure VTP tab.

3. For VTP Mode Control, select Client.

   Note: All other fields are disabled.

   

4. Click OK to save the VTP information.

Configure the Host Name

The host name identifies the switch. Follow these steps to configure or change the host name on the switch:

1. On the Features tab, click Configure > Device Properties > Hostname.

   

2. In the New Hostname field, type the Hostname drop-down list to select the name of your switch listed in field S1 of the Switch Port Assignments Worksheet. For example, switch 2 is named switch2.

   

3. Click OK.

Configure Passwords

Follow these steps to create or change passwords on the switch:

Note: Refer to Password Security for guidelines on how to create secure passwords.

1. On the Features tab, click Configure > Device Properties > Users and Passwords.

   

2. In the Users and Passwords window, click the Local Username/Password tab.

3. Click Create.

4. Enter the administrative user name and password information:

   • In the Username field, enter admin.

   • In the password fields, enter the password, and then enter the password again to confirm. Use the admin password that you entered in field S64 of the Switch Port Assignments worksheet.

   • Use the Privilege Level drop-down list to set the access level to 15. This level has read-write access; all user levels under 15 have read-only access.

   Click OK.

   

5. Click Apply. The user information appears in the Username list.

   

6. Click the HTTP Authentication tab.

7. Click the Local Username/Password radio button, and then click Apply.

   Note: When you receive an alert message that you have changed your authentication values, click Yes to continue. You do not need to relaunch CNA.

8. Click the Enable Password tab.

9. Click Create.

10. In the password fields, enter the enable password, and then enter the password again to confirm. Click OK. Use the enable password that you entered in field S64 of the Switch Port Assignments Worksheet.

    

11. Click OK in the Users and Passwords window. When you receive an alert message that you have changed your authentication values, click Yes to continue.

12. Click OK. When the Network Authentication window appears, log back in to CNA as the admin user; use the admin password that you entered in field S5 of the Switch Port Assignments worksheet.

    

Set the System Time

Follow these steps to configure the clock time zone and the Network Time Protocol (NTP) server:

1. On the Features tab, click Configure > Device Properties > System Time.

   

2. In the System Time window, use the Time Zone drop-down list to select the correct time zone for your location. Use the system time that you entered in field B13 in the Internet worksheet.

   Note: You do not need to manually enter the current time because the switch uses the router as a time server.

   

3. Click Advanced.

4. In the Server field, enter the IP address of the router that you entered in field L6A of the LAN Addressing Worksheet, and click OK.

   

5. Click OK in the System Time window.

Configure the IP Address

Configure VLAN 20 with the IP address that you entered in field L9 of the LAN Addressing Worksheet.

1. On the Features tab, click Configure > Device Properties > IP Addresses.

   

2. On the Interface Configuration tab, enter the IP address information.

   • Click the IP Address field for VLAN 20, and then enter the IP address of the switch that you entered in the LAN Addressing Worksheet (for example, the IP address for switch #2 is in field L9).

   • Click the Subnet Mask field, and then select 255.255.255.0 from the drop-down list.

   

3. Click Apply.

4. Click the Device Configuration tab.

5. Enter the default gateway information for the switch.

   • In the Default Gateway field, enter the IP address for the router that you entered in field L6A of the LAN Addressing Worksheet.

   • In the Domain Name field, enter the domain name for the device that you entered in field B48 of Internet Worksheet.

   • Uncheck the Enable Domain Lookup check box.

   

6. Click Apply, then click OK.

Configure Port 1

To configure the ports, you must first configure port 1. After you set the management VLAN, you can configure additional ports.

Follow these steps:

1. On the Features tab, click Configure > Smartports. A window displays with a graphic illustration of the switch.

   

2. Click port 1 to select the port, and then click Modify.

3. In the Modify Port Roles window, configure the port role and attributes.

   • Use the Role drop-down list to set the port role to Switch.

   • Use the Access VLAN drop-down list to set the Access VLAN field to Default (20).

   Click OK.

   

   The port is assigned with the desktop macro, which appears on the switch illustration.

   

4. Click Apply. When you receive a warning message that modified ports will be set to factory default, click Yes to continue.

5. Click OK. When you receive a warning message that modified ports will be set to factory default, click Yes to continue.

Save Your Current Configuration

Follow these steps to save your configuration.

Note: When you save your configuration, CNA disconnects from the switch.

1. On the Features tab, click Configure > Save Configuration.

2. In the Save Configuration window, use the Hostname drop-down list to select the name of your switch listed in field S1 of the Switch Port Assignments Worksheet. For example, switch 2 is named switch2.

   

3. Click Save. This causes the switch to exit setup mode and disconnect from your PC. All LEDs on the switch shut off except the SYS and STAT LEDs, which remain green.

4. Close the CNA application.

Reconnect to the Switch

Follow these steps to reconnect to the switch on a different port:

1. Unplug the Ethernet cable from port 20, and then insert the cable into port 1.

2. Change the TCP/IP setting on your PC to match the switch (for example, 192.168.10.50). Right-click on the network connection icon in your system tray and open the network connections window. Right-click on the Local Area Connection icon and choose Properties. Select Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), click Properties, and then enter the new IP address.

   Note: You may need to restart your computer after you change the IP address.

3. Launch CNA. When the Connect window appears, enter the switch IP address from the LAN Addressing Worksheet (for example, field L9 for switch #2), and then click Connect.

   

4. When the Network Authentication window appears, log into the switch with the admin user ID and password.

Configure the Remaining Ports

Follow these steps to configure the rest of the ports on the switch:

1. On the Features tab, click Configure > Smartports. A window displays with a graphic illustration of the switch.

   

2. Drag the mouse cursor over ports 10 through 24 (or 48) to highlight the ports with a yellow outline.

3. Click Modify.

4. In the Modify Port Roles window, configure the port type and attributes.

   • Use the Role drop-down list to set the macro type to Desktop.

   • Use the Access VLAN drop-down list to set the Access VLAN field to Default (20).

   

5. Click OK.

6. Click Apply in the Smartports Setup window. When you receive a warning message that modified ports will be set to factory default, click Yes to continue.

7. Click OK in the Smartports Setup window. When you receive a warning message that modified ports will be set to factory default, click Yes to continue. The remaining ports are now configured.

Save Your Completed Configuration

Follow these steps to save your configuration.

Note: When you save your configuration, CNA will disconnect from the switch.

1. On the Features tab, click Configure > Save Configuration.

2. In the Save Configuration window, use the Hostname drop-down list to select the name of your switch listed in field S1 of the Switch Port Assignments Worksheet. For example, switch 2 is named switch2.

   

3. Click Save. You can now close the CNA application.

4. To disconnect your PC from the switch, remove the Ethernet cable from the ports on the PC and the switch. You may need to restore the TCP/IP settings on your PC to the original values. Refer to Configure an IP Address on Your PC for instructions.

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Connect the Switch to the Root Switch

You need a crossover cable to connect the new switch to the root switch. Refer to Cable Descriptions for more information on cable types.

• To connect your switch to a repeater or another switch, use a crossover Ethernet cable.

• To connect your switch to a server, workstation, or router, use a straight-through Ethernet cable.

Follow these steps to connect the new switch to the root switch:

1. Connect one end of the crossover Ethernet cable to port 6 on the root switch.

2. Insert the other end of the crossover Ethernet cable to port 1 on the new switch.

3. Wait for approximately 30 seconds, and then verify that the port status LED on the switch turns green. If the LED is off and does not turn green, see Troubleshoot the Procedure for help.

   Note: To add additional switches, use ports 7, 8, and 9 on the root switch.

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Next Step

You have completed setup of your nonroot switch.

To make further changes to your switch, refer to the Switch Support Page.

To configure other devices in your network, refer to the Configuration Overview Page.

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Troubleshoot the Procedure

This section provides information about common problems that you may encounter. If this information does not solve your problem, contact the SMB Technical Assistance Center (SMB TAC) for assistance.

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Related Information

• Site Survey
• Download and Install Cisco Network Assistant
• Configure the Catalyst Switch with Cisco Network Assistant
• Configure an IP Address on Your PC
• Cable Descriptions
• Password Security