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IntermediatePublished 2026-07-02

L3 Routed EtherChannel Between Two Routers (LACP)

Bundle lab

Build a Layer-3 EtherChannel between two IOS XE routers using LACP active/active. Two parallel router links are bundled into Port-channel5, which carries a /30 transit. R2 hosts a loopback; R1 installs a static route to reach it. Validate that the Port-channel holds the IP (members do not), that the bundle is up and uses both links, and that pings across the /30 and to the loopback succeed. Emphasis: deterministic EtherChannel configuration and Layer-3 port-channel practices.

Track
Est. time
45 minutes
Difficulty
Intermediate
Topics

Learning objectives

  • Configure a routed EtherChannel (Port-channel) between two routers using LACP in mode active on both member links.
  • Place the /30 transit IP on the Port-channel interface and ensure no IP addressing remains on physical members.
  • Verify EtherChannel state and health with show commands and confirm reachability across the aggregated link.
  • Publish a minimal route so LAN-A on R1 can reach an R2 loopback via the Layer-3 Port-channel.

Troubleshooting focus

  • Verify EtherChannel modes are compatible at both ends (active/active or active/passive) and that the channel-group number matches.
  • Check that IP addressing is only on Port-channel5, not on Ethernet0/0 or Ethernet0/1 members.
  • Confirm both physical members are up/up and have identical Layer-1/2 parameters (speed/duplex/MTU).
  • Use show etherchannel summary and show interfaces port-channel 5 to confirm LACP bundling and member status.
  • If reachability to the R2 loopback fails, confirm the static route on R1 points to the R2 Port-channel IP and that the Port-channel is up.

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How this lab is graded
  • Build it your way. Where a lab lets you choose a value — a VLAN name, an interface description — grading checks that you configured it, not which name you picked. Names that another line has to reference, like an ACL applied with access-class, are stated in the guide and do have to match.
  • Addresses, modes and protocol keywords are exact. An IP address, a subnet mask, switchport mode trunk, an encapsulation — these carry the meaning of the lab, so they are graded as written in the guide.
  • Grading reads your saved configuration. Export the lab from CML after you have configured it, and make sure anything you set is in the running-config — a change that only exists in a terminal session never reaches the grader.
  • You can submit as many times as you like. Your best score stands, and each attempt tells you which checks passed so you can work the gaps.
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