more of channels and trunks...

use the interface range command and add ports into a channel...

dsw2(config)#int rang f0/1 - 2

dsw2(config-if-range)#channel-group 1 mode on

dsw2(config-if-range)#end

i usually make the ports trunks first on both ends in case i want to revert back, but that's an option

and in the case below i gave the port channel an ip address

dsw2#sh run int po1

Building configuration...

Current configuration : 84 bytes

!

interface Port-channel1

no switchport

ip address 10.2.4.14 255.255.255.252

end

there isn't any single way to make the channel, and negotiation protocols are an option as well, such as pagp and lacp...

dsw2#sh int port-channel1

Port-channel1 is up, line protocol is up (connected)

  Hardware is EtherChannel, address is 000b.5fc9.0000 (bia 000b.5fc9.0000)

  Internet address is 10.2.4.14/30

  MTU 1500 bytes, BW 200000 Kbit, DLY 100 usec,

     reliability 255/255, txload 1/255, rxload 1/255

note the aggregate bandwidth...  understanding the protocols and when to use them, esp. lacp is vital...

make the ports into trunks first (i think thats best) then channelize them...

asw2#config t

Enter configuration commands, one per line.  End with CNTL/Z.

asw2(config)#int range f0/5 -6

asw2(config-if-range)#sw mode trunk

asw2(config-if-range)#channel-g 1 mode on

Creating a port-channel interface Port-channel 1

note they are suspended because i didn't want to connect them, but they show as members of po1... i hope that doesn't confuse you, i haven't had any coffee yet...

asw2#sh int f0/5 sw

Name: Fa0/5

Switchport: Enabled

Administrative Mode: trunk

Operational Mode: down (suspended member of bundle Po1)

Administrative Trunking Encapsulation: dot1q

Negotiation of Trunking: On

asw2#sh int f0/6 sw

Name: Fa0/6

Switchport: Enabled

Administrative Mode: trunk

Operational Mode: down (suspended member of bundle Po1)

Administrative Trunking Encapsulation: dot1q

Negotiation of Trunking: On

the channel is not a trunk... the port channel is an aggregation of 2 or more links... a trunk behaves much differently due to stp... like the output below... f0/1 -2 are channelized whereas f0/3 - 4 are trunked on dsw2... stp is in effect on the trunks only...

dsw2#sh spann

VLAN0001

  Spanning tree enabled protocol ieee

  Root ID    Priority    32769

             Address     0009.b73f.ce80

             Cost        19

             Port        3 (FastEthernet0/3)

             Hello Time   2 sec  Max Age 20 sec  Forward Delay 15 sec

  Bridge ID  Priority    32769  (priority 32768 sys-id-ext 1)

             Address     000b.5fc9.0000

             Hello Time   2 sec  Max Age 20 sec  Forward Delay 15 sec

             Aging Time 300

Interface           Role Sts Cost      Prio.Nbr Type

------------------- ---- --- --------- -------- --------------------------------

Fa0/3               Root FWD 19        128.3    P2p

Fa0/4               Desg FWD 19        128.4    P2p

dsw2#sh int po1

Port-channel1 is up, line protocol is up (connected)

  Hardware is EtherChannel, address is 000b.5fc9.0000 (bia 000b.5fc9.0000)

  Internet address is 10.2.4.14/30

  MTU 1500 bytes, BW 200000 Kbit, DLY 100 usec,

     reliability 255/255, txload 1/255, rxload 1/255

  Encapsulation ARPA, loopback not set

  Keepalive set (10 sec)

  Full-duplex, 100Mb/s, media type is 10/100BaseTX

  input flow-control is off, output flow-control is unsupported

  Members in this channel: Fa0/1 Fa0/2