Network switching connects devices inside a local area network and separates traffic into logical segments. Strong switching knowledge begins with understanding how VLANs, trunks, spanning tree, and port security work together.
Key Switching Topics
- VLANs: separate users and services into logical networks.
- Trunks: carry multiple VLANs between switches.
- Spanning Tree Protocol: prevents switching loops while preserving redundancy.
- Port security: limits unauthorised devices on access ports.
- EtherChannel: combines links for capacity and resilience.
Troubleshooting Approach
Check port status, VLAN membership, trunk configuration, MAC address learning, and STP state. Make one change at a time and verify connectivity after each change.
For more detail, review our Spanning Tree Protocol guide.