Cisco 2950 with enhanced software question/problem

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Stohon 20 years ago

Hello All,

First time posting to this forum, so bear with my lack of protocol. I have begun working with a 2950 switch. It is running 12.1(9)EA1. I downloaded the config guide, as well as the command reference guide. They are fairly straight forward. However, it appears that when I do a sho ver it says I am running the enhanced image. My understanding that this allows the device to go beyond L2 switching, and delve into L3 routing (to an extent). When I look at the reference guides, there seem

to be far less commands than what I have available in the terminal session. Example: In the reference guide for the 2950, there are just a

few IP commands. However, when I do a ip ? from global config mode, I get a whole host of different commands. My questions are:

1 - Is it true that the enhanced image allows greater commands, include

L3 activity.

2 - Is there a command guide specific to the enhanced version beyond the typical 2950 CR guide.

Thanks in advance for the advice, and if there is a better forum for this type of discussion, please advise.

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Cliff 20 years ago

Howdy,

I wish I had a better answer for your question however as far as I know the 2950 will still be L2 device.

However I dont see why you couldnt test it. (Cuz im no cisco genius and I could definatly be wrong)

Try turning the switchport OFF on some of your ports. Turning on IP Routing.(To do this login, Enable, COnfig t, and the command is "Ip routing") Setup some static routes through it, or try configuring a simple routing protocol from the global command prompt. What your ultimate goal is to basically setup one or two ports as route ports. Turning off switching on those ports, turning on ip routeing, assigning IP address's and installing routes.

I dont know if your in an environment where you can test this. TBH I know nothing about new IOS versions and software enchancements of this switch, however seems to me in a lab environment you could easily test it.

I wish I could help ya better, The only L3 switch I have ever dealt with was a 3550.

I hope I helped ya a tad or gave ya some ideas. =/

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Walter Roberson 20 years ago

No, the Enhanced Image for the 2950 adds rate limiting and security filtering.

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Merv 20 years ago

Did you mean 12.1(19)EA1 ???

If so it is a deferred release and you need to upgrade.

Latest 12.1 is 12.1(22)EA7

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Stohon 20 years ago

Thanks everyone for the responses. Hopefully this will help clarify. This is a link to the official documentation from Cisco for the version I am running (from the sho ver command):

formatting link

Another example that might help is that the command reference guide refers to the commands for that version, but makes no mention to ip helper addresses, access lists, etc. All of which are available on the

2950 that I am running.

Please let me know if there anything else I can to better qualify my question.

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Stohon 20 years ago

Thanks everyone for the responses. Hopefully this will help clarify. This is a link to the official documentation from Cisco for the version I am running (from the sho ver command):

formatting link

Another example that might help is that the command reference guide refers to the commands for that version, but makes no mention to ip helper addresses, access lists, etc. All of which are available on the

2950 that I am running.

Please let me know if there anything else I can to better qualify my question.

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Peter 20 years ago

Hi Michael,

To read these guides correctly you need to put things into the correct context first.

The 2950 is a Layer 2 Etherswitch, that has some minimal Layer 3 CLIENT functionality, FOR MANAGEMENT PURPOSES ONLY!

That is, ALL physical ports on a 2950 accept Layer 2 functional commands only. The 2950's Layer 3 capability is ONLY available for ONE VIRTUAL interface that is used to allow the device to be addressed and MANAGED across a network. A 2950 CANNOT Route Layer 3 traffic.The default VIRTUAL interface is VLAN 1, and that can have ONE IP address, and ACL's applied to it. You can only create a SECOND VLAN (say VLAN55), if you SHUTDOWN the first VLAN interface.

This mean you CAN assign a 2950 ONE IP address and ONLY put that address on its VIRTUAL interface. That VIRTUAL interface can have access lists applied to control the MANAGEMENT traffic relating to that VLAN port only. No Layer 3 ACL's or any other Layer functionality can be applied to a "real" Switch port.

I hope that helps.................pk.

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Cisco 2950 with enhanced software question/problem

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