Cisco "show vlan brief" Command Explained
show vlan brief — lists every VLAN on a switch with its name, status and assigned access ports — the map of your Layer 2 segmentation. Runs in privileged EXEC mode.
Syntax and common variants
| Variant | Purpose |
|---|---|
show vlan brief | All VLANs, compact view |
show vlan id 10 | Detail for one VLAN |
show vlan name SALES | Look up a VLAN by name |
Reading the output
| Output field | Meaning |
|---|---|
VLAN | VLAN ID (1 = default) |
Name | Configured label (default: VLANxxxx) |
Status | active, or act/lshut if suspended |
Ports | Access ports assigned to this VLAN |
When to use it
The go-to check when "two PCs can't ping": are their ports actually in the same VLAN? Also confirms a VLAN exists before you trunk it. Note trunk ports don't appear in the Ports column — verify those with show interfaces trunk. Browse more in the command reference or practise in the free labs.
Frequently asked questions
Why doesn't my trunk port show in show vlan brief?
The Ports column lists access ports only; trunks carry many VLANs and are verified with show interfaces trunk.
What is VLAN 1?
The default VLAN — all ports start there. Good practice moves user traffic to purpose-made VLANs.
A port is missing from the VLAN I configured — why?
Check it isn't a trunk, isn't errdisabled, and that the VLAN exists — a port assigned to a non-existent VLAN goes inactive.
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