Which statement describes the port speed LED on the Cisco Catalyst 2960 switch?
A. If the LED is amber, the port is operating at 1000 Mb/s.
B. If the LED is blinking green, the port is operating at 10 Mb/s.
C. If the LED is green, the port is operating at 100 Mb/s.
D. If the LED is off, the port is not operating.
The correct answer and explanation is :
Correct Answer: C. If the LED is green, the port is operating at 100 Mb/s.
Explanation:
The Cisco Catalyst 2960 switch uses various LED indicators to show the status of switch ports, including speed and activity. Understanding these indicators is essential for network administrators to monitor and troubleshoot connectivity issues effectively.
On the Catalyst 2960 series switch, each Ethernet port typically has multiple LEDs that indicate different aspects of port status:
- Port Status LED – shows link status and activity.
- Port Speed LED – indicates the operational speed of the port.
To specifically interpret the port speed LED, refer to Cisco documentation and switch labeling:
- Off – The port is operating at 10 Mb/s.
- Green – The port is operating at 100 Mb/s.
- Amber – The port is operating at 1000 Mb/s (1 Gb/s).
Given this, option C is correct: If the port speed LED is green, it means the port is running at 100 megabits per second (Mb/s).
Why Other Options Are Incorrect:
- A. If the LED is amber, the port is operating at 1000 Mb/s – This is a true statement, but the question is asking for the specific meaning of a green LED, not amber. So it’s not the best answer here.
- B. If the LED is blinking green, the port is operating at 10 Mb/s – Incorrect. Blinking usually indicates activity, not speed. And a green LED never corresponds to 10 Mb/s.
- D. If the LED is off, the port is not operating – Incorrect. If the speed LED is off, it typically means the port is operating at the lowest speed (10 Mb/s), not that it’s inactive.
Understanding LED indicators helps in diagnosing issues like mismatched speeds or duplex settings, which can cause poor network performance. Being able to visually assess a switch’s port speed through LEDs offers a quick, reliable method for initial troubleshooting.