FAQ – Dec 2016 TechConnect Genius Webinar
Can CDP be disabled? And is this a problem?
CDP can be disabled through CLI with a no cdp enable interface command. Disabling CDP is not a problem- it will actually limit some network traffic if CDP isn’t broadcast. It would only present a problem Technical Support is trying to use it to troubleshoot a connection.
Is broadcast address the address assigned to the router itself? Does broadcast mean samething as gateway? Does the gateway have to be a router?
No. The broadcast address is automatically determined by the subnet ID and the subnet mask. The router IP address is a host address that is manually assigned.
The gateway IP address is manually assigned to the device you want acting as the gateway.
The gateway does not have to be a router. But generally, your router’s IP address is the gateway.
What is the importance of the Native VLAN on a Trunk'ed port?
For trunked connection using a Stratix or Cisco product, the Native VLANs must match to allow communication. The data on a Native VLAN is not tagged- similar to an access port.
Does VLAN configuration / IP address have to be done through a serial interface or can it be done through web interface or RSLogix?
Configuration can absolutely be done without a serial connection. Information on what options / tools exist for configuration can be found in Technote 570843 – Stratix switches: configuration, monitoring, maintenance & troubleshooting tools.
Is there a command I can use to find what port I'm plug into & what Vlan that port is on?
Some useful commands would be:
Show interface status: to show which ports are connected and what vlan is assigned
Show log: to show which ports are going up and down. The switch will note each time a port is plugged in, regardless of how the end device is configured. So if you’re able to get into a switch- either through telnetting from another switch or through a console connection… you can monitor different attempts to plug in the switch. Once you know what port is being used, you can run a show run int XXY/Y with the port number to determine vlan. If no VLAN is shown, the default VLAN 1 is assigned.
Are all Rockwell Products supporting Classless IP Addresses?
No. For example, the SmartGuard 600 does not support Classless IP Addressing.
Will the console cable eventually evolve into a USB type cable? I ask because it is becoming increasing difficult to acquire a serial port on many new computers
I agree. Using a serial to USB converter is a current possible solution.
I have not heard anything from the product team, but I hope we see more of the mini USB connectors currently available on the Stratix 5700 in future hardware developments.
What are the advantages of buying a stratix switch vs a cisco switch - stratix is built on cisco correct?I notice that you use Stratix switch with Cisco IOS. Why not just use a Cisco switch? What is the difference?
For one, Rockwell Technical Support generally does not support Cisco switches- only Stratix.
AOP (Add on Profiles) for RSLogix Software are available for Stratix switches.
Firmware updates for Stratix are only applicable for Stratix.
The Stratix webpages include macros for automation that would have to be manually configured within a Cisco switch.
For more information, here is our Partner Profile information with Cisco Systems.
Need to use NTP on all VLAN, does the switch can do that? Does the switch act as NTP server for VLAN?
Yes. For more information, see page 295 in the Stratix Managed Switches User Manual. This can also be set up in CLI using the ntp master configuration command.