CCNA Foundations: Root Guard — Keep the Root Where You Put It

Archive lab

CCNA exam domain: Network Access

Harden a small campus Layer-2 triangle so a downstream access switch cannot become root. You will verify DSW1 is already the STP root for VLAN 20, then apply Root Guard on each distribution switch’s access-facing trunk to the access layer. Confirm steady-state reachability between users and that a superior BPDU would put those ports into root-inconsistent instead of re-rooting the campus.

Learning objectives

• Identify the intended STP root and verify the current root bridge per VLAN
• Apply Root Guard correctly on downstream-facing trunk ports at the distribution layer
• Validate steady state (no inconsistent ports) and end-to-end user VLAN reachability
• Demonstrate how a superior BPDU triggers root-inconsistent and auto-recovers when the threat is removed
• Avoid common misconfiguration: never apply Root Guard toward the core/root or on host access ports

Troubleshooting focus

• If hosts cannot ping each other, verify both access switch ports are in VLAN 20 and up/up with portfast
• Ensure all trunks match: native VLAN 999 and allowed VLANs 20,999 on both ends
• Confirm VLAN 20 exists on every switch in the path (vtp transparent requires local VLAN definition)
• Check the STP root: DSW1 should be root for VLAN 20; if not, examine priorities and BPDUs
• If an uplink shows root-inconsistent unexpectedly, ensure Root Guard is only on access-facing trunks