show interfaces description
Displays a summary of all interfaces with their status, protocol, and description, useful for quickly verifying interface connectivity and administrative notes.
show interfaces descriptionWhen to Use This Command
- Quickly check which interfaces are up/up and which have descriptions for documentation.
- Identify interfaces that are administratively down or have protocol issues.
- Verify that descriptions are correctly assigned after configuration changes.
- Troubleshoot connectivity by correlating interface status with descriptions.
Command Examples
Basic show interfaces description
show interfaces descriptionInterface Status Protocol Description Gi0/0 up up Connection to Core Switch Gi0/1 up down Link to ISP Router Gi0/2 admin down down Spare port Gi0/3 up up Loopback0 up up Management Loopback
Line 1: Header. Line 2: Gi0/0 is up/up with description. Line 3: Gi0/1 is up/down (physical up but protocol down). Line 4: Gi0/2 is admin down (shutdown). Line 5: Gi0/3 has no description. Line 6: Loopback0 is up/up.
Show interfaces description for a specific interface
show interfaces description GigabitEthernet0/1Interface Status Protocol Description Gi0/1 up down Link to ISP Router
Filters output to only show Gi0/1. Status is up (cable connected) but Protocol is down (no keepalive or Layer 2 issue).
Understanding the Output
The output has three columns: Interface (name), Status (administrative/line status: up, down, admin down), Protocol (Layer 2/3 protocol status: up, down). 'up/up' means fully operational. 'admin down' means the interface was manually shut down. 'up/down' indicates a physical link but no protocol (e.g., no keepalive, mismatched encapsulation). Descriptions are optional administrative notes. Watch for interfaces with no description as they may be undocumented.
CCNA Exam Tips
CCNA exam often tests the difference between 'Status' (line protocol) and 'Protocol' (Layer 2 protocol).
Remember that 'admin down' appears only in Status column, not Protocol.
Be able to identify that 'up/down' means physical connectivity exists but Layer 2 is not functioning.
The command does not show IP addresses; use 'show ip interface brief' for IP info.
Common Mistakes
Confusing 'Status' with 'Protocol' — Status is line state, Protocol is Layer 2 state.
Assuming 'up/down' means the interface is working — it indicates a problem.
Forgetting that descriptions are optional and an empty description field is normal.
Related Commands
show interfaces status
Displays a summary of all switch interfaces including their status, VLAN, duplex, speed, and type, used to quickly verify interface connectivity and configuration.
show ip interface brief
Displays a summary of all IP interfaces on the device, including their IP address, status, and protocol state, used for quick verification of interface configuration and connectivity.
Practice for the CCNA 200-301
Test your knowledge with hundreds of CCNA practice questions covering all exam domains.
Practice CCNA Questions