Cabling the Switch

Cabling an access switch is somewhat simpler than cabling a router. The access switches discussed in this book have only one type of interface, and that is Ethernet, so you won't have to worry about serial ports or cables.

This section explores the cabling considerations for connecting the access switch to other devices.

Cabling Switch to Switch

Switches are often connected to one another. When they are, the links that run between them can be one of two types:

• Trunk links
• Access links

The only difference between these two types of links is the traffic that is allowed to use them. By default, all ports in a switch are in the same virtual LAN (VLAN). A VLAN is any set of ports on a switch that can communicate with one another without the aid of a router.