Meraki C9300 Interface / Port Layout
Here is a typical Cisco C9300 Switch:
Cisco C9300 switches have a port layout as below:
Starting from the left hand side and counting upwards as you go right, interface numbers increase by 2 as you move right on each row. The top row starts and 1 and the bottom row starts at 2. This means that odd numbers are always on tip and even numbers are always on the bottom.
RJ-45 interfaces (ports) are in groups of twelve. Switches have either 24 or 48 RJ-45 interfaces.
Naming Convention:
A switch that has 1000mbps (1Gbps) ports will use the port naming convention of GigaitEthernet x/y/z. Examples:
- GigabitEthernet 1/0/1 for switch 1, RJ-45 interface, interface 1 (Gi1/0/1)
- GigabitEthernet 5/0/47 for switch 5, RJ-45 interface, interface 47 (Gi5/0/47)
2.5Gbps:
- TwoGigabitEthernet 3/0/34 for switch 3, RJ-45 interface, interface 34 (Tw3/0/34)
10Gbps
- TenGigabitEthernet 7/0/25 for switch 7, RJ-45 interface, interface 25 (Te7/0/25)
Please note that not every port on a given switch will necessarily have the same data rate. Please check Cisco documentation for switch model number if you are unsure. The CLI shows which RJ-45 interfaces are present, including their data rates, with show interface brief or show running-config commands.
Power Over Ethernet (POE):
- A switch has POE capability if it says POE on the front (upper right hand side).
- The show power-inline command on the CLI will also show which switches, if any, in a stack are POE capable.
- POE can be switched on or off per port in the CLI (power-inline never).
- POE power level per interface can be changed. 30W command would be: power-inline static max 30000
-- To undo: power-inline auto
- Some switches are POE++ switches and can provide twice the available wattage.
-- Standard POE max is 30W
-- POE++ max is 60W (N.B. Meraki MR57 Wirelss Access Points function best at 40W)
Uplink modules:
They plug in on the far right of the switch at the front. Most GAT sites use C9300-NM-8Xs at the 10Gbps standard.
Currently used modules:
C9300-NM-4G - provides 4 times 1Gbps ports
- Can only use 1Gbps SFPs
C9300-NM-8X - provides 8 times 10 / 1 Gbps ports
- Can use either 10 or 1 Gbps SFPs (must be the same speed SFP on each end of a given uplink)
Require SFPs (Small Form-factor Pluggable[s]) to connect fibre optic cabling. C9300-NM-4G modules start at 1 on the left and count to up 4 moving right.
Layout of C9300-NM-8X below:
The layout is the same as the rest of the switch. Starting from the left hand side and counting upwards as you go right, interface numbers increase by 2 as you move right on each row. The top row starts and 1 and the bottom row starts at 2. This means that odd numbers are always on tip and even numbers are always on the bottom.
C9300-NM-8X images:
Naming Convention:
A switch that has 1000mbps (1Gbps) ports will use the port naming convention of Gigabitethernet x/y/z.
A switch that has 10000mbps (10Gbps) ports will use the port naming convention of TenGigabitEthernet x/y/z. Examples:
- GigabitEthernet 1/1/1 for switch 1, C9300-NM-[4G/8X] module, interface 1 (Gi1/1/1)
- GigabitEthernet 2/1/4 for switch 2, C9300-NM-[4G/8X] module, interface 1 (Gi2/1/4)
- TenGigabitEthernet 1/1/1 for switch 1, C9300-NM-8X module, interface 25 (Te1/1/1)
- TenGigabitEthernet 2/1/7 for switch 2, C9300-NM-8X module, interface 25 (Te2/1/7)