Entering the Initial Configuration Information

To set up the switch, you need to assign an IP address and other configuration information necessary for the switch to communicate with the local routers and the Internet. The minimal configuration provided here does not cover most of the features; it simply allows you to perform other configuration tasks using a Telnet connection from your management network. To configure other features and interfaces, see the Software Configuration Guide for your release.

IP Settings

You will need this information from your network administrator:

•  Switch IP address

•  Subnet mask (IP netmask)

•  Default gateway (router)

•  Enable secret password

•  Enable password

•  Telnet password

Performing the Initial Configuration

To complete the initial configuration for the switch, follow these steps:

Step 1 <="" border="0" height="2" src="" width="5" />At the terminal prompt, enter the enable command to enter privileged exec mode.

Switch> enable

Password: password

Switch#

Step 2 <="" border="0" height="2" src="" width="5" />Set the system time using the clock set command in privileged EXEC mode.

Switch# clock set 20:09:01 3 Apr 2006

Step 3 <="" border="0" height="2" src="" width="5" />Verify the change by entering the show clock command.

Switch# show clock 

20:09:06.079 UTC Thu Apr 3 2006

Step 4 <="" border="0" height="2" src="" width="5" />Enter the configure terminal command to enter global configuration mode.

Switch# configure terminal 

Enter configuration commands, one per line. End with CNTL/Z.

Switch (config)#

Step 5 <="" border="0" height="2" src="" width="5" />Configure the system prompt and hostname for the switch, and press Return. To remove the new prompt and return the prompt to its default, use the no hostname command.

Switch (config)# hostname Switch1 

Step 6 <="" border="0" height="2" src="" width="5" />Use the banner motd global configuration command to set location information in the login banner. You can also set a system contact using this command.

Switch1(config)# banner motd c 170 West Tasman Drive, San Jose, CA c 

or

Switch1 (config)# banner motd c 170 West Tasman Drive, San Jose, CA; Tech Support 408 123 
4567 c

Step 7 <="" border="0" height="2" src="" width="5" />Configure an enable secret password, and press Return.

The password can be from 1 to 25 alphanumeric characters, can start with a number, is case sensitive, allows spaces, but ignores leading spaces. The secret password is encrypted and the enable password is in plain text.

Switch1 (config)# enable secret SecretPassword

Step 8 <="" border="0" height="2" src="" width="5" />Configure an enable password, and press Return.

Switch1 (config)# enable password EnablePassword

Step 9 <="" border="0" height="2" src="" width="5" />Configure a virtual terminal (Telnet) password, and press Return.

The password can be from 1 to 25 alphanumeric characters, is case sensitive, allows spaces, but ignores leading spaces.

Switch1 (config)# password terminal-password

Switch1 (config)# line vty 0 15

Step 10 <="" border="0" height="2" src="" width="5" />Configure the interface that connects to the management network. (The IP address and subnet mask shown are for example only. Use an address appropriate for your network.)

Switch1 (config)# ip routing

Switch1 (config)# interface gigabitethernet 3/24

Switch1 (config-if)# no switchport 

Switch1 (config-if)# no shutdown 

Switch1 (config-if)# ip address 10.4.120.106 255.0.0.0

Switch1 (config-if)# exit

Step 11 <="" border="0" height="2" src="" width="5" />Exit from global configuration mode:

Switch (config)# exit 

Switch #

Step 12 <="" border="0" height="2" src="" width="5" />View the configuration that you have just created and confirm that it is what you want.

Switch1# show run

!

hostname Switch1

!

banner motd ^C

170 West Tasman Drive, San Jose, CA ^C

!

!--- Output suppressed.

Step 13 <="" border="0" height="2" src="" width="5" />Configure a default route.

Switch1(config)#ip route 0.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 172.16.1.1

Step 14 <="" border="0" height="2" src="" width="5" />Verify the IP information by using the show ip interface brief and show ip route commands.

Switch1# show ip interface brief

Interface        IP-Address         OK?    Method      Status      Protocol 

Vlan1            10.4.220.206       YES    manual        up           up       

FastEthernet1				 unassigned         YES    unset         up           up

!--- Output suppressed.

Switch1# show ip route 

Codes: C - connected, S - static, I - IGRP, R - RIP, M - mobile, B - BGP 

       D - EIGRP, EX - EIGRP external, O - OSPF, IA - OSPF inter area 

       N1 - OSPF NSSA external type 1, N2 - OSPF NSSA external type 2 

       E1 - OSPF external type 1, E2 - OSPF external type 2, E - EGP 

       i - IS-IS, L1 - ISIS level-1, L2 - ISIS level-2, ia - ISIS inter area 

       * - candidate default, U - per-user static route, o - ODR 

       P - periodic downloaded static route 

Gateway of last resort is 172.16.1.1 to network 0.0.0.0 

     172.16.0.0/24 is subnetted, 1 subnets 

C       172.16.1.0 is directly connected, Vlan1 

S*   0.0.0.0/0 [1/0] via 172.16.1.1 

Switch1#

Step 15 <="" border="0" height="2" src="" width="5" />Save the running configuration:

Switch1# copy system:running-config nvram:startup-config

You have now completed the initial configuration of the switch, so you can now configure other interfaces and features over a network connection without having to directly connect to the console port of the supervisor engine.