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CCNA EtherChannel Practice Question
Drag and drop the following steps into the correct order to configure an LACP EtherChannel on two Cisco switches.
⚠ Common exam trap
A common mistake is to think that the LACP mode must be set separately on the physical interfaces before assigning them to the port-channel. In reality, the 'channel-group' command simultaneously binds the interface to the port-channel and sets the LACP mode, so there is no separate 'mode active' command needed. The correct order is to configure the port-channel interface first, then assign the physical interfaces with the channel-group command.
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
✓
Enter global configuration mode on both switches.
To configure LACP EtherChannel on two Cisco switches, the correct order is: first, enter global configuration mode on both switches (A). Next, create the port-channel interface using the 'interface port-channel' command (B). Finally, assign the physical interfaces to the port-channel using the 'channel-group' command with LACP active mode (D). Step C ('Set the LACP mode to active on the physical interfaces') is not a separate step because the mode is configured as part of the channel-group command. Therefore, the proper sequence is A, B, D.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Enter global configuration mode on both switches.
Why this is correct
This is the first step in any configuration process on Cisco IOS devices. You must enter global configuration mode to make changes to the switch's configuration.
- ✓
Create the port-channel interface using the 'interface port-channel' command.
Why this is correct
This is incorrect because the port-channel interface must be created before assigning physical interfaces to it. However, the correct order is to first enter global config, then create the port-channel, then configure the physical interfaces. This option is out of order.
- ✗
Set the LACP mode to 'active' on the physical interfaces.
Why it's wrong here
This is incorrect because the LACP mode must be set on the physical interfaces after they are assigned to the port-channel. The correct order is to first create the port-channel, then assign the physical interfaces, then set the LACP mode.
- ✓
Assign the physical interfaces to the port-channel using the 'channel-group' command with LACP active mode.
Why this is correct
This is incorrect because assigning the physical interfaces to the port-channel should come after creating the port-channel interface but before setting the LACP mode. The correct order is to create the port-channel, then assign the interfaces, then set the LACP mode.
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.
✓Enter global configuration mode on both switches.Correct answer▾
Why this is correct
This is the first step in any configuration process on Cisco IOS devices. You must enter global configuration mode to make changes to the switch's configuration.
✗Set the LACP mode to 'active' on the physical interfaces.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The specific factual error is that setting the LACP mode before assigning the interfaces to the port-channel would not associate the LACP configuration with the correct port-channel.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates might think that setting the LACP mode is done before assigning interfaces because they want to ensure the interfaces are ready for LACP negotiation.
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?”
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Lab: Configure EtherChannel with LACP
Key term
LACP
LACP is a protocol that automatically combines multiple physical network links into a single logical link to increase bandwidth and provide redundancy.
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.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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