Router-on-a-Stick
Router-on-a-stick performs inter-VLAN routing using one router interface with VLAN subinterfaces.
Updated: 2026-03-05
Definition
Router-on-a-stick uses a trunk link between a switch and router, and the router has subinterfaces per VLAN.
Each subinterface has an IP address and handles routing between VLANs.
Key points
- Trunk to router + subinterfaces
- Enables inter-VLAN routing without L3 switch
- Can be a bottleneck if many VLANs/traffic
Common mistakes
- Wrong trunk/native VLAN configuration causing VLAN leakage or loss.
- Missing default gateway settings for VLAN hosts.
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