Table Of Contents

Interface Configuration Overview

Interface Types Supported on Cisco Routers

Interface Configuration Overview

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Use the information in this chapter to understand the types of interfaces supported on Cisco routers and access servers and to locate configuration information for various types of interfaces.

For a complete description of the interface commands used in this and other chapters that describe interface configuration, refer to the "Interface Commands" chapter of the Cisco IOS Interface Command Reference. To locate documentation of other commands that appear in this chapter, use the command reference master index or search online.

For a list of interface types supported on Cisco routers, see Interface Types Supported on Cisco Routers.

For information about a specific type of interface, see the chapter or publication indicated in .

Table 3 Locating Information about Interface Types

For this interface type...	And these tasks...	See this chapter or publication...
Dialed interfaces	•Configuring channelized E1, channelized T1, or channelized T1 on the Cisco AS5200 •Configuring a dialer interface •Configuring an ISDN BRI, MBRI, or PRI interface •Managing Dial Shelves	Cisco IOS Dial Services Configuration Guide and Cisco IOS Dial Services Command Reference. Managing Dial Shelves in Cicso IOS Interface Configuration Guide
LAN interfaces	•Configuring Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, or GigabitEthernet interfaces •Configuring Fast EtherChannel •Configuring an FDDI interface •Configuring a hub interface •Configuring a LAN Extender interface •Configuring a Token Ring interface	Configuring LAN Interfaces in Cicso IOS Interface Configuration Guide
Serial interfaces	•Configuring a high-speed serial interface •Configuring a synchronous serial interface •Configuring a channelized T3 interface processor •Configuring PA-E3 and PA-2E3 serial port adapters •Configuring PA-T3 and PA2T3 serial port adapters •Configuring a packet OC-3 interface •Configuring a DPT OC-12c interface •Configuring automatic protection switching of Packet-over-SONET circuits •Configuring serial interfaces for CSU/DSU service modules •Configuring low-speed serial interfaces	Configuring Serial Interfaces in Cicso IOS Interface Configuration Guide
Logical or virtual interfaces	•Configuring a loopback interface •Configuring a null interface •Configuring a tunnel interface	Configuring Logical Interfaces in Cicso IOS Interface Configuration Guide
Cisco Mainframe Channel Connection (CMCC) adapters	•Configuring a Channel Interface Processor (CIP) •Configuring a Channel Port Adapter (CPA)	"Configuring Cisco Mainframe Channel Connection Adapters" chapter in the Cisco IOS Bridging and IBM Networking Configuration Guide

Interface Types Supported on Cisco Routers

Two types of interfaces are supported: physical and virtual interfaces. The types of physical interfaces on a device depend on its interface processors or port adapters. the virtual interfaces that Cisco routers and access servers support include subinterfaces and IP tunnels.

Cisco routers and access servers support the following types of interfaces:

•Asynchronous serial

•ATM

•Automatic Protection Switching of Packet-over-SONET

•Channelized E1

•Channelized T1

•Channelized T3

•Dialer

•Ethernet

•Fast Ethernet

•FDDI

•Fractional T1/T1

•High-Speed Serial Interface (HSSI)

•ISDN BRI

•ISDN Multiple Basic Rate Interface (MBRI)

•ISDN PRI

•LAN Extender

•Loopback

•Low-speed serial

•Null

•Packet OC-3

•OC-12c Dynamic Packet Transport (DPT)

•OC-12c Dynamic Packet Transport Interface Processor (DPTIP)

•PA-E3 and PA-2E3

•PA-T3 and PA-2T3

•Synchronous serial

•Token Ring

•Tunnel

In addition, the Cisco IOS software supports subinterfaces. Refer to the Cisco IOS Wide-Area Networking Configuration Guide and the protocol chapters in the Cisco IOS software configuration guides for specific information on how to configure a subinterface for a particular protocol.

For hardware technical descriptions and information about installing interfaces, refer to the hardware installation and maintenance publication for your product. For command descriptions and usage information, refer to the "Interface Commands" chapter of the Cisco IOS Interface Command Reference.