Cisco ios router switch nomenclature classification detail

Interface of Router

Console

The console port is used for local management connections. This means that you must be able to physically reach the console port with a cable. The console port looks exactly like an Ethernet port. It uses the same connector, but it has different wiring and is often identified with a light blue label "CONSOLE."

Aux Port

The AUX port is really just another console port that is intended for use with a modem, so you can remotely connect and administer the device by phoning it. However using aux port for configuration create some security issues, so make sure that you get advice on addressing those before setting this up.

Ethernet Port

An Ethernet port (which might be a FastEthernet or even a GigabitEthernet port, depending on your router model) is intended to connect to the LAN. Some routers have more than one Ethernet or FastEthernet port; it really depends on what you need and of course what you purchase. The Ethernet port usually connects to the LAN switch with a straight-through cable.

Serial Port

A Cisco serial port is a proprietary design, a 60-pin D-sub. This connector can be configured for almost any kind of serial communication. You need a cable that has the Cisco connector on one end and the appropriate type of connector for the service you want to connect to on the other.

Other Connections

Your router may have some other port like T1 controller for wan services. Or you could have bri and pri port. But none of these ports are tested in CCNA exam so you need to concern about these ports.

Switch Interface Nomenclature

The Catalyst 2950 and 2960 switches support only fixed interfaces, while some of Cisco’s higher end switches, such as the 6500s, support modular slots with interface cards.
The nomenclature of an interface is type slot_#/port_#.
The type of interface is the media type, such as ethernet, fastethernet, or gigabit.
Following this is the slot number. For all fixed interfaces on a Cisco switch, the slot number is always 0.
The port number is the number of the port in the specified slot.
Unlike Cisco router ports, switch port numbers start at 1 and work their way up. For instance, on a 2960, the very first port is fastethernet 0/1, the second port is fastethernet 0/2, and so on. Some 2960 switches support Gigabit Ethernet interfaces, so the nomenclature for the interface would look like this:
gigabitethernet 0/1.

Router Interface Nomenclature

When referring to fixed interfaces, the interface numbers always begin with 0 (not 1, like the switches) and work their way up within a particular interface type.
For routers that have only fixed interfaces, the interface nomenclature is type port_#.
For example, if a router has two fixed Ethernet interfaces and two fixed serial interfaces, they would be called ethernet 0 and ethernet 1 and serial 0 and serial 1. The port numbers begin at 0 within each interface type. Through use of an interface type and a number, each of the interfaces can be uniquely identified.
However, if a router has modular slots, where you can insert interface cards into these slots, the interface nomenclature is like the Catalyst switches:
type slot_#/ port_#. Each slot has a unique slot number beginning with 0, and within each slot, the ports begin at 0 and work their way up.
For example, if you had a modular router with two slots, the first slot would be 0 and the second 1. If the first slot had four Ethernet interfaces, the interface numbers would be 0– 3 and if the second slot had two Ethernet interfaces, the interface numbers would be 0 and 1.
Here’s an example of a four-port serial module in the third slot of a 3640 router: serial 2/0, serial 2/1, serial 2/2, and serial 2/3. Here are some examples of routers with modular interfaces: 2600, 3600, 3700, 7000, 7200, and 7500.
The exception to this is the 1600 and 1700 routers; even though they are modular, you don’t configure any slot number when specifying a particular interface