Network Infrastructure and Connectivity →mediumMultiple Select

CCNA Network Infrastructure and Connectivity Practice Question

A network technician is troubleshooting a Cisco switch that is not forwarding traffic on a VLAN. The technician suspects a VLAN configuration issue. Which two commands can be used to verify VLAN configuration and port membership? (Choose two.)

⚠ Common exam trap

The trap here is selecting show mac address-table or show running-config, which can provide VLAN information but are not the primary commands for verifying VLAN configuration and port membership.

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

✓

show interfaces switchport

To verify VLAN configuration and port membership on a Cisco switch, the most direct commands are show vlan brief and show interfaces switchport. The former provides a summary of VLANs and their associated ports, while the latter gives detailed per-interface switchport information, including access VLAN and trunk settings. Together, they allow a technician to confirm that VLANs exist and that ports are assigned correctly.

Answer analysis

Option-by-option breakdown

For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.

✗
show ip interface brief
Why it's wrong here
The show ip interface brief command displays IP addresses and status of Layer 3 interfaces, not VLAN membership or switchport configuration. It is not useful for verifying VLAN assignments on switch ports. While it can show if an SVI is up, it does not provide information about which VLANs are configured or which ports belong to them. Therefore, it does not address the VLAN configuration issue.
✓
show interfaces switchport
Why this is correct
The show interfaces switchport command displays detailed switchport information for each interface, including administrative and operational mode, access VLAN, trunk VLANs, and whether the port is a member of a VLAN. It helps verify that a port is correctly assigned to the intended VLAN and is in the correct mode. This command is more detailed than show vlan brief and is useful for pinpointing misconfigurations.
✗
show mac address-table
Why it's wrong here
The show mac address-table command displays the MAC address-to-port mapping, which can help identify which MAC addresses are learned on which ports. However, it does not directly show VLAN configuration or port membership. While it can indicate if a port is in a VLAN by the VLAN ID associated with MAC entries, it is not a primary tool for verifying VLAN configuration. It is more useful for troubleshooting Layer 2 forwarding.
✗
show running-config
Why it's wrong here
The show running-config command displays the current configuration, including VLAN and interface configurations. While it can show VLAN assignments under each interface, it is not as concise or focused as show vlan brief or show interfaces switchport. It is a general command that requires parsing to find VLAN information. It is not the most efficient for quickly verifying VLAN membership, though it can be used.
✓
show vlan brief
Why this is correct
The show vlan brief command displays a list of all VLANs on the switch, including their IDs, names, status, and the ports assigned to each VLAN. This directly verifies VLAN configuration and which ports are members of which VLAN. It is essential for troubleshooting VLAN membership issues. If a port is not listed under the expected VLAN, it may be misconfigured.

Visual reference

Go deeper

CCNA Network Infrastructure and Connectivity Practice Question

Why each option matters

Option-by-option breakdown

Related to this question