A structured lesson workspace with readable content, hands-on examples, and a clean path to completion.
! Step 1: Enable IP routing globally — this is requiredSW1(config)# ip routing! Step 2: Verify VLANs existSW1(config)# vlan 10SW1(config-vlan)# name UsersSW1(config-vlan)# exitSW1(config)# vlan 20SW1(config-vlan)# name ServersSW1(config-vlan)# exitSW1(config)# vlan 30SW1(config-vlan)# name VoiceSW1(config-vlan)# exit! Step 3: Configure SVIsSW1(config)# interface vlan 10SW1(config-if)# description Users-GatewaySW1(config-if)# ip address 10.10.10.1 255.255.255.0SW1(config-if)# no shutdownSW1(config-if)# exitSW1(config)# interface vlan 20SW1(config-if)# description Servers-GatewaySW1(config-if)# ip address 10.10.20.1 255.255.255.0SW1(config-if)# no shutdownSW1(config-if)# exitSW1(config)# interface vlan 30SW1(config-if)# description Voice-GatewaySW1(config-if)# ip address 10.10.30.1 255.255.255.0SW1(config-if)# no shutdownSW1(config-if)# exit
The sequence is: enable routing, create VLANs, configure SVIs. SVIs won't come up unless the VLAN exists — the switch rejects `interface vlan 50` if VLAN 50 isn't in the database. Create first, then configure the SVI.
SVIs also stay down unless at least one port in that VLAN is up. This is a common surprise in the lab — you configure the SVI, but it shows down until you plug in a device or bring up a trunk carrying the VLAN.
Each SVI contributes two routes: `C` for the subnet (10.10.10.0/24) and `L` for the SVI's own IP as a /32 (10.10.10.1/32). The C routes are what make inter-VLAN routing work — the switch knows these networks are directly connected and can forward between them.
The switch pings its own SVI 20 from SVI 10 — that path exercises the routing engine. A host-to-host ping would also exercise the access ports and VLAN assignments. Both levels of testing are useful.
Enabling `ip routing`, creating VLANs, and configuring SVIs gives you inter-VLAN routing at wire speed. Verify with `show ip interface brief` and `show ip route`. Next lesson covers routed ports — the other way to route on a Layer 3 switch.
Finish the lesson once you have worked through the material. This awards ★ 20 XP.