extending vlan from core Cisco Switch onto Adtran point2point router

[kabirhussein]

HI All,

please can someone advise me, if we wanted to extend vlans over two Adtran routers which are configured as a point to point link over a T1 fibre.How can we set up the routers to extend the vLans we have at our site between the two buildings where these two routers are deployed?

Hope this makes sense?

We have cisco core switchs, which are the switches all end users connect to, we have a building which doesn't have connections to the main building, we have a T1 fibre link which is connected via two Adtran routers.. wanted to know how do we extend vlans into the next building over the NetVan router?

[jayh]

I'm having difficulty with the term "T1 fiber". Fiber connections are typically SONET or ethernet. T-1 is delivered on copper, typically on an 8-pin modular plug.

If your link is in fact an ethernet fiber connection,then your VLANs can pass transparently the same as any ethernet link.

If in fact your handoff is T1 delivered over copper (perhaps with fiber transport in the middle) there isn't a convenient way to pass VLANs. You can use frame-relay encapsulation on the T1 and map a PVC to each VLAN, or you can set up GRE tunnels. We have used frame-relay with multiple PVCs to map VLANs on numerous occasions between Adtran and Cisco gear.

[kabirhussein]

Hi Jayh,

Many thanks for the reply, the reply. The bridged T1 is provided by a local Telco service provider. I have been told the connection between the two buildings is over fibre (2 x 1.5MB fibre links). ive included an image of what we are trying to do.

Pass the vLans between the two Adtran routers (Netvanta 3448) and hopefully it allows us to connect computers to the Edge switch in building 2 and also get the Wireless working which is on another vLan.

At present the site is up and running with a flat network and one vLan. I am trying to do multiple vLans.

[kabirhussein]

Hi Jay,

I have been misinformed, the connection between the two NetVanta routers is copper.

[jayh]

kabirhussein wrote:

I have been misinformed, the connection between the two NetVanta routers is copper.

Is the connection between the Netvanta routers plugged in to Ethernet ports or T-1 ports on the routers?

[kabirhussein]

the connection between the NetVanta is via the T-1 port (copper)

[jayh]

If at all possible, abandon the use of the fiber-to-T1 conversion boxes and connect the inter-building fiber directly into SFP ethernet ports on the Netvanta units. More reliable, less gear, MUCH faster, and your VLANs will just work. You'll need to determine the mode of the fiber and get the appropriate SFPs. Singlemode usually has yellow jumpers and multimode has orange.

If you can't do that, then you can use frame-relay encapsulation on the T1s and use a separate PVC for each VLAN. Some Adtran gear won't allow subinterfaces to be bridged so you may have to route your separate traffic flows and use a separate VRF for each.

[kabirhussein]

‌Hi Jay,

the connection  between the two routers is copper, not fibre.

[jayh]

The best solution would be to use Ethernet instead of T-1. How far are the buildings from each other? Do you have access to the raw copper? Can you bookend a pair of Netvanta 834s between them?

If not, then you'll have to use frame-relay encapsulation on the T-1s and put each traffic stream into a VRF. Alternatively, you could use L2TP or GRE tunnels. In any case, you won't be able to just pass the VLANs through.

[kabirhussein]

Hi Jay,

We are looking to use Integrated Routing and Bridging with the vLans, but this is without testing it will work.

I will have a google at the VRF solution or L2TP or GRE tunnels.

many thanks for your help, will keep you posted once we get a solution working.