Switching practice labs — Page 3

Port Security: Voice + Data on One Access Port

Harden a real desk port that carries both data (PC) and voice (IP phone) using switchport voice vlan and access vlan on a single access port. Apply port security with a maximum that accounts for two MAC addresses (phone + PC) so a third device is restricted. A deliberate trunk allow-list drift on the inter-switch link initially blocks the Voice VLAN; learners must repair the trunk and then verify port-security state on the desk port.

CCNA55 min6 objectives

Port Security: Static Secure MAC Binding

Troubleshoot a Layer-2 forwarding fault that breaks a user VLAN between access/distribution switches, then implement static secure MAC binding on the client-facing access port. You will restore end-to-end VLAN 20 reachability and enforce a single authorized MAC on the user port using port-security with violation restrict.

CCNA55 min5 objectives

CCNA Port-Sec 9: Multi-Port Sticky Restrict Policy

Advanced CCNA switchport port-security rollout on multiple access ports across two Layer-2 switches with a trunk. You will standardize a consistent edge policy (sticky MAC learning, maximum 1, violation restrict) on all host-facing access ports while leaving the uplink trunk exempt from port-security. Includes a realistic drift on the trunk allow-list and VLAN database to fix before validating end-to-end user VLAN transport. Pure Layer-2: no SVIs or routing.

CCNA58 min6 objectives

Port Security: Violation Shutdown & Manual Recovery

Hands-on CCNA L2 switching lab: build a small campus with a distribution switch and two access switches carrying a shared user VLAN over 802.1Q trunks. Harden access ports with sticky port-security in violation shutdown mode. Intentionally seed and diagnose broken trunks/host VLANs, restore end-to-end host reachability, then trigger a port-security violation to observe err-disabled behavior and perform manual recovery.

CCNA65 min5 objectives

CCNA Port Security 2: Sticky Secure MAC Learning

Two access-layer switches have a VLAN 20 connectivity problem: users in one wiring closet cannot reach users in the other. Diagnose and repair the issue, then deploy sticky secure MAC learning on the host-facing access ports so each port dynamically learns and persists its connected host's MAC. Verify sticky entries in show commands and confirm same-VLAN host connectivity end-to-end.

CCNA45 min4 objectives

Trunking Basics: Access Ports vs Trunk Ports

Hands-on CCNA switching lab contrasting single-VLAN access ports with 802.1Q trunks. You begin with the inter-switch link configured as a plain access port, so only one VLAN reaches the router-on-a-stick gateway while the other cannot. You will diagnose the connectivity problem, convert the link into a properly hardened 802.1Q trunk, and validate that both VLANs regain access to their gateway.

CCNA55 min5 objectives

CCNA: Native VLAN & Untagged Traffic on 802.1Q

Hands-on CCNA switching lab focused on the native VLAN and tagging behavior on 802.1Q trunks. Users in one VLAN currently cannot reach their peers across a switch-to-switch trunk; you will standardize the native VLAN away from VLAN 1 to a dedicated parking VLAN, diagnose and correct the trunk configuration, verify the untagged VLAN on both ends, and confirm same-VLAN host reachability across the trunk.

CCNA55 min6 objectives

Native VLAN Mismatch: Diagnosing a Broken Trunk with CDP

Diagnose and remediate a trunk misconfiguration between an access switch and a distribution switch so that same-VLAN hosts across two access switches can communicate end-to-end. Use CDP and trunk verification commands to investigate the fault and restore proper trunk operation, without introducing any Layer-3 routing.

CCNA45 min5 objectives

CCNA VLAN Trunking 7: Trunking Across Three Switches

Build an end-to-end 802.1Q path across three Cisco IOS Layer-2 switches so VLAN 10 transports user traffic from an access port on the left switch to an access port on the right switch through a middle switch. Harden trunks (native VLAN 999, nonegotiate) and verify with show interfaces trunk. Then intentionally break the allow-list to see the outage and restore service.

CCNA45 min5 objectives

Trunk Verification & Diagnosing a Silent VLAN

An advanced CCNA switching lab focused on verifying 802.1Q trunks and diagnosing a silent VLAN after a switch refresh. The topology uses three layer-2 switches (a distribution switch between two access closets) and two Alpine hosts, and users in VLAN 20 at one closet cannot reach their VLAN 20 peers at the other closet across the trunk path. Learners use show interfaces trunk, show interfaces switchport, and show vlan brief to locate the break and restore predictable Layer-2 forwarding without adding any Layer-3 configuration.

CCNA55 min5 objectives

VLAN Trunking 6: DTP and Trunk Hardening

Hands-on DTP negotiation and trunk hardening across a 3-switch path. You will observe dynamic trunking behavior (auto vs desirable), fix an allow-list drift that blocks user VLAN transport, and then harden the trunks to static with nonegotiate and a non-default native VLAN. End-to-end host reachability in the same VLAN proves success.

CCNA55 min6 objectives

Branch Layer 2 Capstone: Build, Verify & Fix VLANs and Trunks

Advanced Layer-2 capstone, run as a fault hunt. A branch was cut over last night: one user VLAN has no gateway, another user sits in the wrong subnet, the management VLAN is unreachable from the distribution switch, and a port that should lock to one MAC no longer does. Nothing was recorded. You get symptoms and the required end state — no fault list. Faults span the router and both switches, and more than one of them presents as 'the trunk is broken'.

CCNA75 min5 objectives

Troubleshoot a Branch ROAS: VLANs, Trunks & Port Security

Deploy and troubleshoot VLANs, 802.1Q trunks, and port security in a realistic small-branch ROAS design. You will stand up VLANs 10/20/99 with a hardened trunk native VLAN 999, configure sticky port security on access ports, correct a misassigned VLAN, and resolve an err-disabled port caused by a port security violation. Finish by verifying end-to-end host connectivity across VLANs.

CCNA55 min5 objectives

VLAN Fundamentals: Creating & Assigning Access Ports

Hands-on CCNA lab to practice creating VLANs on a single Layer-2 switch and assigning access ports. You will segment a flat network into two VLANs, place hosts into the right VLAN, and verify that intra-VLAN pings succeed while inter-VLAN pings fail (no routing present). Includes realistic verification and troubleshooting.

CCNA45 min5 objectives

Free with an account

Extending VLAN 10 Across Two Switches (802.1Q)

Build and verify an 802.1Q trunk between two access switches that cleanly transports VLAN 10 end-to-end while intentionally pruning VLAN 20. You will configure access ports, create VLANs, set a hardened dot1Q trunk with a non-default native VLAN, and validate host reachability and isolation from endpoints.

CCNA55 min5 objectives

CCNA: VLAN DB & Trunk Allow-List Drift Recovery

Hands-on CCNA VLAN lab: build VLANs with names, assign access ports, harden and verify 802.1Q trunks, and troubleshoot a broken allow-list that prevents a VLAN from traversing the SW1–SW2 trunk. Includes router-on-a-stick gateways, management VLAN, and end-host validation.

CCNA65 min7 objectives

Multi-VLAN Segmentation: 3 VLANs & Trunk Alignment

Hands-on CCNA campus switching lab with two Layer-2 switches and three VLANs (Users 10, Servers 20, Management 99) extended over a single 802.1Q trunk. Learners deploy VLANs and access ports, harden the trunk (native VLAN 999, explicit allow-list, nonegotiate), and validate isolation. The lab ships with a trunk-carried outage: VLAN 10 traffic reaches its gateway successfully, but VLAN 20 traffic does not. You will diagnose from end hosts, confirm switch states, and correct the trunk so that same-VLAN traffic to the gateway SVI succeeds while inter-VLAN forwarding remains absent.

CCNA75 min5 objectives

Voice & Data VLANs: Access + Trunk Allowed Lists

Configure a two-switch access layer with data and voice VLANs on access ports and an 802.1Q trunk between switches. Add a router-on-a-stick gateway for VLAN 10/20. Verify VLAN placement, trunk status, and observe a connectivity failure caused by an allow-list misconfiguration on the inter-switch trunk—then correct it to restore intra-VLAN reachability.

CCNA65 min6 objectives

Port Membership & Trunking: VLAN Assignment + Verification

Hands-on CCNA VLAN and trunking lab: assign access ports by interface range, build and harden 802.1Q trunks, set a dedicated native VLAN, correct a misassigned user port, and verify VLAN membership. Includes a cross-switch path with a router-on-a-stick gateway, tests from real hosts, and troubleshooting of trunk allow-lists and native VLAN mismatches.

CCNA70 min6 objectives

Native VLAN & Trunk Mismatch: Detection and Recovery

Configure VLANs and 802.1Q trunks across two access switches with a router-on-a-stick gateway. Intentionally misconfigure the native VLAN and trunk allow-list to observe loss of intra-VLAN connectivity, detect the mismatch using switch warnings and show commands, and then remediate to restore user reachability. Validates VLAN segmentation, trunking symmetry, and troubleshooting skills for CCNA candidates.

CCNA65 min5 objectives

Trunk Allowed-VLAN Pruning Across L2 Switches

Configure VLANs and access ports on two Layer-2 switches, build 802.1Q trunks (with hardened native VLAN and an explicit allowed list), validate end-to-end reachability, intentionally prune a VLAN from the inter-switch trunk to observe segmentation, then restore the correct allow-list. Includes realistic router-on-a-stick gateways for VLAN 10/20/99 and switch management on VLAN 99.

CCNA55 min6 objectives

VLAN Troubleshooting Capstone: Native Mismatch & VLAN Drift

Advanced CCNA L2 troubleshooting in a compact branch. Some PCs can't reach their default gateway or other departments across two switches and a router-on-a-stick gateway, and your monitoring system has flagged a switching/trunking problem on the path. Validation is performed from the endpoints (Alpine hosts) using pings and ARP, and trunks are hardened with a non-default native VLAN.

CCNA65 min6 objectives

VLAN Segmentation: Broadcast-Domain Isolation

Build VLANs across two access switches with an 802.1Q trunk and a router uplink. Verify that hosts in the same VLAN can communicate (even across switches) while hosts in different VLANs cannot. Then troubleshoot a failure caused by a trunk allow-list misconfiguration.

CCNA55 min5 objectives

Hardened Trunks & ROAS: Allowed VLAN Lists, Native VLAN 999

Implement VLANs, 802.1Q trunking, router-on-a-stick inter-VLAN routing, and access-layer port security on a compact branch network with two access switches and two endpoints. You will configure segmentation (VLANs 10, 20, 99), hardened trunks with a dedicated native VLAN 999, Layer 3 gateways on a core router, and sticky MAC port security on user-facing ports. Verify end-to-end reachability and remediate common misconfigurations like missing allowed VLANs, native VLAN mismatches, and unauthorized endpoint moves.

CCNA68 min6 objectives