Port LEDs During Switch POST

1. At the start, all port LEDs are green.
2. Each LED turns off after its test completes.
3. If a test fails, its LED turns amber.
4. System LED turns amber if any test fails.
5. If no test fails, POST completes.
6. On POST completion, LEDs blink, then turn off.

Initial Bootup Output from the Catalyst 1900 Switch

Initial Bootup Output from the Catalyst 2950 Switch

--- System Configuration Dialog ---

At any point you may enter a question mark '?' for help.
Use ctrl-c to abort configuration dialog at any prompt.
Default settings are in square brackets '[ ]'.
Continue with configuration dialog? [yes/no]: yes
Enter IP address: ip_address
Enter IP netmask: ip_netmask
Would you like to enter a default gateway address? [yes]: yes
IP address of the default gateway: ip_address
Enter a host name: host_name
Enter enable secret: secret_password
Would you like to configure a Telnet password? [yes] yes
Enter Telnet password: telnet_password
Would you like to enable as a cluster command switch? no
Enter cluster name: cls_name

Logging In to the Switch and Entering the Enable Password

> (User-Mode Prompt)

> enable

Enter password:

# (Privileged-Mode Prompt)

# disable

Switch Command-Line Help Facilities

Context-Sensitive Help

- Provides a list of commands and the arguments associated with a specific command

Console Error Messages

- Identifies problems with any switch commands that are incorrectly entered so that you can alter or correct them

Command History Buffer

- Allows recall of long or complex commands or entries for reentry, review, or correction

Configuring the Switch

Configuration Modes:
•Global configuration mode
–wg_sw_a#configure terminal
–wg_sw_a(config)#
•Interface configuration mode
–wg_sw_a(config)#interface e0/1
–wg_sw_a(config-if)#

Configuring Switch Identification

Switch Name

(config)#hostname wg_sw_c

wg_sw_c(config)#

•Sets the local identity for the switch

Configuring the Switch IP Address

wg_sw_a(config)#ip address {ip address} {mask}

Example:

wg_sw_a(config)#ip address 10.5.5.11 255.255.255.0

Configuring the Switch Default Gateway

wg_sw_a(config)#ip default-gateway {ip address}

Example:

wg_sw_a(config)#ip default-gateway 172.20.137.1

Showing Switch Initial Startup Status

wg_sw_a#show version

•Displays the configuration of the system hardware, software version, names and sources of configuration files, and boot images

wg_sw_a#show running-configuration

*Displays the switch’s current active configuration file

wg_sw_a#show interfaces

*Displays statistics for all interfaces configured on the switch

wg_sw_a#show ip

•Displays the IP address, subnet mask, and default gateway

Switch show version Command

wg_sw_a#show version
Cisco Catalyst 1900/2820 Enterprise Edition Software
Version V8.01.01 written from 171.068.229.225
Copyright (c) Cisco Systems, Inc. 1993-2001
wg_sw_c uptime is 15day(s) 21hour(s) 53minute(s) 11second(s)
cisco Catalyst 1900 (486sxl) processor with 2048K/1024K bytes of memory
Hardware board revision is 5
Upgrade Status: No upgrade currently in progress.
Config File Status: No configuration upload/download is in progress
27 Fixed Ethernet/IEEE 802.3 interface(s)
Base Ethernet Address: 00-50-BD-73-E2-C0

Switch show interfaces Command

wg_sw_a#show interfaces ethernet 0/1
Ethernet 0/1 is Enabled
Hardware is Built-in 10Base-T
Address is 0050.BD73.E2C1
MTU 1500 bytes, BW 10000 Kbits
802.1d STP State: Forwarding Forward Transitions: 1
Port monitoring: Disabled
Unknown unicast flooding: Enabled
Unregistered multicast flooding: Enabled
Description:
Duplex setting: Half duplex
Back pressure: Disabled
--More--

Showing the Switch IP Address

wg_sw_c#show ip
IP Address: 10.5.5.11
Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway: 10.5.5.3
Management VLAN: 1
Domain name:
Name server 1: 0.0.0.0
Name server 2: 0.0.0.0
HTTP server : Enabled
HTTP port : 80
RIP : Enabled
wg_sw_a#

Summary

•The startup of a Catalyst switch requires that you verify the physical installation, power up the switch, and view the Cisco IOS software output on the console.
•The Catalyst switches have several status LEDs that are generally lit in green when the switch is functioning normally but turn amber when there is a malfunction.
•The Catalyst POST is executed only when the switch is powered up. The POST uses the switch port LEDs to indicate test progress and status.
•During initial startup, if POST test failures are detected, they are reported to the console. If POST completes successfully, you can configure the switch.

Summary (Cont.)

•When you start any mode on a Catalyst switch, begin in user EXEC mode. To change modes, you must enter a password.
•The Catalyst switch uses Cisco IOS software with several command-line input help facilities, including context-sensitive help.
•The Catalyst switch IOS software has the global configuration mode and the interface configuration mode.
•After logging in to a Catalyst switch, you can verify the switch initial startup status using the switch status commands: show version, show running-configuration, and show interfaces.