CCNA 200-301 v1.1 reference — Network Access

VLANs

Normal-range VLANs, data and voice access ports, the default VLAN, and how VLANs segment a switch into broadcast domains.

Objective 2.1v1.1 exam target

Quick Reference Handbook

VLANs and broadcast domains

A VLAN (virtual LAN) is a logical broadcast domain on a switch: ports in different VLANs cannot exchange Layer 2 frames without a router. The normal range is 1–1005 (1002–1005 are legacy reserved), with user VLANs commonly numbered 2–1001; VLAN 1 is the factory default — every port starts there.

VLAN ranges

Range	Numbers	Use
Default	1	Factory default; often left for management — know it's the default
Normal	2–1001	Standard user/data VLANs
Reserved	1002–1005	Token Ring/FDDI legacy defaults
Extended	1006–4094	Extended range — stored in running config only, not in VLAN.dat or VTP v1/2

Data and voice access ports

An access port carries exactly one data VLAN — the host attached sees ordinary untagged frames. A voice VLAN is a second VLAN assigned alongside the data VLAN: the switch tells the IP phone (via CDP/LLDP) to tag its traffic into the voice VLAN while the PC behind the phone stays untagged in the data VLAN.

Access port assignments

Setting	Command	Effect
Data VLAN	`switchport access vlan 20`	Port joins VLAN 20 for untagged host traffic
Voice VLAN	`switchport voice vlan 30`	Phone tags into VLAN 30; PC stays in data VLAN
Mode	`switchport mode access`	Pins the port as an edge port, never a trunk

Design VLANs for a floor

Requirements: PCs + phones on every desk, printers, management of the switches themselves

Separate broadcast domains per function: VLAN 20 data, 30 voice, 40 printers, 99 management.
Every desk port: switchport access vlan 20 + switchport voice vlan 30.
Printer-only ports: access VLAN 40. Switch management SVIs live on VLAN 99.

One access VLAN + one voice VLAN per desk port — trunks carry the rest between switches.

Configuration and verification

Create VLANs and assign access ports

Create a data and voice VLAN and wire a PC+phone port — Privileged EXEC → Global + interface configuration

Cisco IOS / IOS XE

configure terminal
vlan 20
 name SALES
 exit
vlan 30
 name VOICE
 exit
interface gigabitethernet1/0/1
 switchport mode access
 switchport access vlan 20
 switchport voice vlan 30
 end

Verify

show vlan brief
show interfaces gi1/0/1 switchport

show vlan brief lists the VLAN with the port in its membership column.
switchport output shows Access Mode VLAN 20 and Voice VLAN 30.

VLANs persist in vlan.dat — deleting the VLAN removes it, but saved config alone does not recreate it on some platforms.

Changes device configuration.

$ show vlan brief (interpreted)

VLAN Name Status PortsOne line per VLAN.

1 default active Gi1/0/10VLAN 1 always exists; ports not reassigned stay here.

20 SALES active Gi1/0/1, Gi1/0/2Members of the data VLAN.

30 VOICE active Voice VLAN shows no port here — check switchport output for voice assignment.

Common mistakes

Expecting access ports to carry multiple data VLANs — only trunks do; access ports carry one data VLAN (plus a voice VLAN).
Using VLAN 1 for user traffic as a habit — it's the default and often targeted by attacks; put users on a real VLAN.
Deleting the VLAN thinking the port config cleans itself up — orphaned access ports end up in a nonexistent VLAN and stop forwarding.
Assuming VLANs route between themselves — you always need a Layer 3 device.

Hosts on 'the same VLAN' cannot ping

Observation: Two PCs in VLAN 20 cannot reach each other across two switches.

Hypotheses

VLAN 20 not created on the second switch
The inter-switch link does not carry VLAN 20
Ports assigned to different VLANs

Check	Indicates
`show vlan brief` on both switches	VLAN absent on switch 2 → it never traverses.
`show interfaces trunk`	VLAN 20 missing from 'allowed and active' list blocks it at the trunk.
`show run interface` on each access port	Confirms the actual assigned VLAN.

Correction: Create the VLAN where missing and allow it on the trunk.

show vlan brief shows both ports in VLAN 20 on both switches and pings pass.

On this page

VLANs and broadcast domains
Data and voice access ports
Configuration and verification

Related resources

Practise this topic Source topic 16: VLANs (Part 1)Practise topic 16 deck Source topic 17: VLANs (Part 2 - Trunks & ROAS)Practise topic 17 deck

Sources

Cisco CCNA 200-301 v1.1 Exam Topics (official PDF) — reviewed 2026-11-02
Cisco — LAN Switching Command Reference — reviewed 2026-11-02

Targets CCNA 200-301 v1.1 objectives. Supplemental blocks are labeled beyond exam scope.