Management Interface

The switch has one IPv4 address and one IPv6 interface in the management VLAN. This IP address and the default gateway can be configured manually, or by DHCP. The static IP address and default gateway are configured on the IPv4 Interface and IPv6 Interface pages. The switch uses the default gateway, if configured, to communicate with devices that are not in the same IP subnet with the switch. By default, VLAN 1 is the management VLAN, but this can be modified. The switch can only be reached at the configured IP address through its management VLAN. The factory default setting of the IPv4 address configuration is DHCPv4. This means that the switch acts as a DHCPv4 client, and sends out a DHCPv4 request during boot up.

If the switch receives a DHCPv4 response from the DHCPv4 server with an IPv4 address, it sends Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) packets to confirm that the IP address is unique. If the ARP response shows that the IPv4 address is in use, the switch sends a DHCPDECLINE message to the offering DHCP server, and sends another DHCPDISCOVER packet that restarts the process.

If the switch does not receive a DHCPv4 response in 60 seconds, it continues to send DHCPDISCOVER queries, and adopts the default IPv4 address: 192.168.1.254/24.

IP address collisions occur when the same IP address is used in the same IP subnet by more than one device. Address collisions require administrative actions on the DHCP server and/or the devices that collide with the switch. When a VLAN is configured to use dynamic IPv4 addresses, the switch issues DHCPv4 requests until it is assigned an IPv4 address from a DHCPv4 server. Only the management VLAN can be configured with a static or dynamic IP address.

The IP address assignment rules for the switch are as follows:

  • Unless the switch is configured with a static IP address, it issues DHCPv4 requests until a response is received from the DHCP server.

  • The System LED on the front panel of the switch changes to solid green when a new unique IP address is received from the DHCP server. If a static IP address has been set, the System LED also changes to solid green. The System LED flashes when the switch is acquiring an IP address and is currently using the factory default IP address 192.168.1.254.

  • The same rules apply when a client must renew the lease, prior to its expiration date, through a DHCPREQUEST message.

  • With the factory default settings, when no statically-defined or DHCP acquired IP address is available, the default IP address is used. When the other IP addresses become available, the addresses are automatically used. The default IP address is always on the management VLAN.

To access and manage the switch by using the web-based interface, the switch management IP address must be defined and known. The default configuration of the switch is to use its factory default IP address of 192.168.1.254. The switch IP address can be manually configured.