What is Multi VLAN port ?

by Shabeeribm
What is Multi VLAN port ?

The multi-VLAN port is a special feature which allows switch for configuring a single port for 2 or more vlans. This feature allows users from different VLANs to access a server or router without implementing InterVLAN routing capability. A multi-VLAN port performs normal switching functions in all its assigned VLANs.

multi-VLAN port will not work when a trunk is configured on the switch. Multi-VLAN can’t be used to connect between switches. Multi-VLAN port only used to connect a router or server. The switch automatically transitions to VTP transparent mode when the multi-VLAN port feature is enabled, making the VTP disabled.

The multi-VLAN port feature is supported only on the Catalyst 2900 XL/3500 XL series switches. This feature is not supported on the Catalyst 4000/5000/6000 series or any other Cisco Catalyst switches.

Configuration
Switch(config-if)# switchport mode multi

To assign a multi-VLAN port already in multi mode to a range of VLANs:
Switch(config-if)# switchport multi vlan 15-20

Related articles

6 comments:

  1. Devraj TripathiJuly 23, 2013 at 10:45 PM

    It is a port which is configured for both Data vlan and voice vlan.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Robert SebastianJuly 26, 2013 at 7:48 PM

    Am assuming that multi-VLAN port would be used when your switch is used as the VLAN router.

    True having a data vlan and voice vlan on the same interface would by definition be multi-VLAN as well.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Rehan AshrafJuly 26, 2013 at 7:49 PM

    @Devraj:
    The multi-VLAN port feature is supported only on Catalyst 2900XL/3500XL Series Switches.

    Its not the same as configuring a port for data & voice vlan

    You cannot configure a multi-VLAN port when a trunk is configured on the switch. You can connect the multi-VLAN port only to a router or server. The switch automatically transitions to VTP transparent mode when the multi-VLAN port feature is enabled, which disables the VTP. No VTP configuration is necessary.

    Example:

    Configure the Fast Ethernet 0/1 port in multi-VLAN mode, and add assigned VLANs to the multi-VLAN port.
    6-3512xl#configure terminal
    6-3512xl(config)#interface fastethernet 0/1
    6-3512xl(config-if)#switchport multi vlan ?
    6-3512xl(config-if)#switchport multi vlan 1,2,3

    ReplyDelete
  4. Devraj TripathiJuly 26, 2013 at 7:50 PM

    Yes Rehan, It is true when both are data vlan. But you can also configure Multi vlan access port under interface configuration mode one as a data vlan and another as a voice vlan.

    ReplyDelete
  5. ZahirJuly 26, 2013 at 7:52 PM

    hello guys , my questions is in what scenario we use multi-vlan ?

    ReplyDelete
  6. Randal EchterlingJuly 26, 2013 at 7:53 PM

    The scenario you would use multi-vlan routing is where you have a switch that is not capable of inter-vlan routing and you need those VLAN's to communicate to a router or server. You would configure the VLAN's on the switch, configure the port going to the server or router as a multi-vlan port. This would allow those VLAN's to send traffic to the router or server without using inter-vlan routing.

    ReplyDelete