Vlan

[siyadheen]

Hi all.... I want to know whether it is possible to connect same VLANS configured on diffrent switches by using access ports (without trunking)

[dbeare]

If you are only using 1 VLAN between 2 switches, you can use an access port to communicate between the switches. If you want to communicate between more than one VLAN per switch, you would need to use a trunk. If you want to allow inter-VLAN communication, you would need a trunk and a router. Hope that helps!

[pconlan]

Hey siyadheen,

I do agree with dbeare, in addition though, you have to be careful connecting switches together using access links. If you connect an access link to a port on SW-A that is in VLAN 5 and connect the other end of the cable to a port on SW-B that is in VLAN 10 the switches will pass traffic between them and allow traffic from VLAN 5 and 10 to be mixed accross the switches.
The VLAN database on a switch is locally significant to the switch. Only a trunk link carries the VLAN ID between switches which allows it to make the proper decision of which VLAN to put the traffic into.
So again to answer your question, you can use an access link to connect switches but make sure you connect it to ports that are in the same VLAN, or atleast VLANS that you want traffic to pass back and forth between.
Thanks
Pat