CCNA Switching and Network Access Practice Question
What is a common requirement for interfaces to successfully bundle into an EtherChannel?
⚠ Common exam trap
Remember that EtherChannel is concerned with Layer 2 settings like speed and duplex, not Layer 3 settings like IP addresses.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
All member interfaces must use matching speed, duplex, and trunk/access settings
EtherChannel members must have compatible operational and administrative settings, including speed, duplex, and switchport mode.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
All member interfaces must use matching speed, duplex, and trunk/access settings
Why this is correct
All member interfaces must have matching physical and logical characteristics to be eligible for EtherChannel bundling. This includes identical speed and duplex settings, because protocols like LACP and PAgP verify these parameters during negotiation and will not form a bundle if they differ. Additionally, each interface must be configured with the same operational mode—either access or trunk—with consistent native and allowed VLANs, so that the aggregated link behaves as a single port.
- ✗
Each interface must belong to a different VLAN
Why it's wrong here
EtherChannel does not require member interfaces to be in different VLANs; in fact, interfaces in the same access VLAN or configured as trunk ports can be bundled. The mandatory condition is that all interfaces share identical VLAN assignments, including the same native VLAN and allowed VLAN list for trunks. Requiring different VLANs would actually break the channel, because the switch needs to treat the bundle as one consistent logical link for forwarding decisions.
When this WOULD be correct
In a different context, a question might ask about the configuration of multiple VLANs across different switches, where it is necessary to specify that each interface in a specific EtherChannel must belong to distinct VLANs for load balancing or segmentation purposes.
- ✗
Only odd-numbered switch ports can be bundled
Why it's wrong here
The physical port number of an interface has no bearing on its ability to join an EtherChannel; switches group interfaces based on administrative configuration and hardware capabilities, not on numeric order or parity. Odd-numbered ports are not singled out by any Ethernet or channeling protocol, and mixing odd- and even-numbered ports in the same bundle is perfectly supported. The true eligibility criteria are matching speed, duplex, and VLAN/trunk settings, along with the switch's capacity for channel-group assignments.
When this WOULD be correct
In a different question asking about specific configurations for a unique switch model that only supports bundling on odd-numbered ports, option C would be correct. For instance, if the exam question specified that only odd-numbered ports are allowed for EtherChannel due to hardware limitations, then this option would apply.
- ✗
Each interface must have a different STP path cost
Why it's wrong here
STP path cost is not a bundling criterion; rather, Spanning Tree Protocol operates on the logical EtherChannel as a whole, computing a combined cost based on aggregated bandwidth. Each physical interface's individual STP cost is irrelevant to channel formation, and demanding different costs would only introduce instability. In fact, interfaces that will form a channel should have consistent STP settings such as portfast and link type to avoid topology changes during negotiation.
When this WOULD be correct
In a different exam scenario, if the question asked about configuring multiple EtherChannels with specific STP configurations for redundancy, then having different STP path costs might be correct if the intention is to control traffic flow and redundancy in a complex network design.
Option-by-option analysis
Why each answer is right or wrong
Understanding why wrong answers are wrong — and when they would be correct — is what separates a 750 score from a 900. The 200-301 exam frequently reuses these exact scenarios with slightly different constraints.
✓All member interfaces must use matching speed, duplex, and trunk/access settingsCorrect answer▾
Why this is correct
All member interfaces must have matching physical and logical characteristics to be eligible for EtherChannel bundling. This includes identical speed and duplex settings, because protocols like LACP and PAgP verify these parameters during negotiation and will not form a bundle if they differ. Additionally, each interface must be configured with the same operational mode—either access or trunk—with consistent native and allowed VLANs, so that the aggregated link behaves as a single port.
✗Each interface must belong to a different VLANWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
EtherChannel does not require interfaces to be in different VLANs; in fact, all member interfaces must have the same VLAN configuration (either all access ports in the same VLAN or all trunk ports with the same allowed VLAN list). Placing interfaces in different VLANs would violate the consistency requirement and prevent bundling.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
In a different context, a question might ask about the configuration of multiple VLANs across different switches, where it is necessary to specify that each interface in a specific EtherChannel must belong to distinct VLANs for load balancing or segmentation purposes.
Why candidates choose this
Students might mistakenly think that different VLANs are needed to avoid loops or to distribute traffic, confusing EtherChannel with concepts like VLAN load balancing or separate broadcast domains.
✗Only odd-numbered switch ports can be bundledWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Port numbering (odd or even) has no bearing on EtherChannel eligibility; any physical ports on a switch can be bundled as long as they meet the configuration consistency requirements. The restriction is based on hardware capabilities, not port numbers.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
In a different question asking about specific configurations for a unique switch model that only supports bundling on odd-numbered ports, option C would be correct. For instance, if the exam question specified that only odd-numbered ports are allowed for EtherChannel due to hardware limitations, then this option would apply.
Why candidates choose this
Some students may recall that certain switch models group ports into port channels based on numbering (e.g., only consecutive ports), but this is a hardware limitation, not a general rule. The odd/even distinction is a common myth.
✗Each interface must have a different STP path costWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
STP path cost is a per-interface value used by Spanning Tree Protocol to determine the best path to the root bridge; it is not a requirement for EtherChannel bundling. In fact, when interfaces are bundled, STP treats the EtherChannel as a single logical link, and all member interfaces share the same STP state.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
In a different exam scenario, if the question asked about configuring multiple EtherChannels with specific STP configurations for redundancy, then having different STP path costs might be correct if the intention is to control traffic flow and redundancy in a complex network design.
Why candidates choose this
Students might confuse the need for consistent STP parameters with the requirement for consistent interface settings, or think that different path costs help load balancing, but load balancing in EtherChannel is based on hashing algorithms, not STP costs.
Analysis generated from the official 200-301blueprint and verified against question context. The “when correct” sections are what AI assistants cite when candidates ask “what’s the difference between these options?”
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Related to this question
Learn chapter
Configuring Switch Ports for Desktops, VoIP Phones, APs, IoT, and Virtualized Hosts
Key term
Link Aggregation Control Protocol
Link Aggregation Control Protocol (LACP) is a standard protocol that automatically bundles multiple physical network links into a single logical link to increase bandwidth and provide redundancy.
Key term
Switchport
A switchport is a physical or virtual interface on a network switch that connects devices like computers, printers, or other switches to a local area network.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This 200-301 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Cisco certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the 200-301 exam.