Cisco Catalyst C9300X-24Y Configuration for Enterprise CCTV Networks
Complete Step-by-Step Guide for 300 Hikvision IP Cameras
Introduction
The Cisco Catalyst C9300X-24Y is an enterprise Layer 3 core switch designed for high-performance campus and surveillance networks. In a CCTV deployment, it serves as the backbone that connects all floor access switches, Optical Distribution Frames (ODFs), Network Video Recorders (NVRs), and the monitoring network.
This tutorial demonstrates how to configure a Cisco Catalyst C9300X-24Y for a 9-floor building with 300 Hikvision IP cameras, using VLANs, SFP fiber uplinks, trunk ports, and management best practices.
Enterprise CCTV Topology
Floor 1 Switch │ Single Mode Fiber │ Floor 2 Switch │ Single Mode Fiber │ ...... │ Floor 9 Switch │ Main Fiber ODF │ Cisco Catalyst C9300X-24Y Core Switch │ 24-Port Gigabit Switch │ Hikvision NVRs (5 Units) │ Video Wall / LCD
Step 1 – Connect to the Cisco Switch
Using Console Cable
- Connect the Cisco console cable from your PC to the switch.
- Open PuTTY or Tera Term.
Serial Settings:
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Speed | 9600 |
| Data Bits | 8 |
| Stop Bits | 1 |
| Parity | None |
| Flow Control | None |
Press Enter to access the CLI.
Step 2 – Basic Switch Configuration
enable configure terminal hostname CCTV-Core-SW no ip domain-lookup service password-encryption enable secret Cisco@123 banner motd # Authorized Personnel Only # end write memory
Step 3 – Configure Management IP
configure terminal interface vlan 300 ip address 192.168.300.1 255.255.255.0 no shutdown exit
Default Gateway:
ip default-gateway 192.168.300.254
Step 4 – Create CCTV VLANs
Example VLAN plan:
| VLAN | Purpose |
|---|---|
| 101 | Floor 1 Cameras |
| 102 | Floor 2 Cameras |
| 103 | Floor 3 Cameras |
| 104 | Floor 4 Cameras |
| 105 | Floor 5 Cameras |
| 106 | Floor 6 Cameras |
| 107 | Floor 7 Cameras |
| 108 | Floor 8 Cameras |
| 109 | Floor 9 Cameras |
| 200 | NVR Network |
| 300 | Management |
Configuration:
configure terminal vlan 101 name FLOOR1 vlan 102 name FLOOR2 vlan 103 name FLOOR3 vlan 104 name FLOOR4 vlan 105 name FLOOR5 vlan 106 name FLOOR6 vlan 107 name FLOOR7 vlan 108 name FLOOR8 vlan 109 name FLOOR9 vlan 200 name NVR vlan 300 name MANAGEMENT end
Step 5 – Configure SFP Fiber Uplink Ports
Assuming ports TwentyFiveGigE1/1/1 to TwentyFiveGigE1/1/9 connect to the floor switches.
configure terminal interface TwentyFiveGigE1/1/1 description Floor1 Fiber switchport mode trunk switchport trunk allowed vlan 101 no shutdown exit
Repeat for the remaining floors:
| Port | VLAN |
|---|---|
| 1/1/1 | 101 |
| 1/1/2 | 102 |
| 1/1/3 | 103 |
| 1/1/4 | 104 |
| 1/1/5 | 105 |
| 1/1/6 | 106 |
| 1/1/7 | 107 |
| 1/1/8 | 108 |
| 1/1/9 | 109 |
Step 6 – Configure Monitoring Switch Port
Example:
interface TwentyFiveGigE1/1/20 description Monitoring Switch switchport mode access switchport access vlan 200 no shutdown exit
Step 7 – Configure Management PC Port
interface TwentyFiveGigE1/1/21 description Network Administrator switchport mode access switchport access vlan 300 no shutdown
Step 8 – Enable Inter-VLAN Routing
configure terminal ip routing
Create VLAN interfaces:
interface vlan101 ip address 192.168.101.1 255.255.255.0 no shutdown exit interface vlan102 ip address 192.168.102.1 255.255.255.0 no shutdown exit
Repeat for VLANs 103–109.
Example gateways:
| VLAN | Gateway |
|---|---|
| 101 | 192.168.101.1 |
| 102 | 192.168.102.1 |
| 103 | 192.168.103.1 |
| 104 | 192.168.104.1 |
| 105 | 192.168.105.1 |
| 106 | 192.168.106.1 |
| 107 | 192.168.107.1 |
| 108 | 192.168.108.1 |
| 109 | 192.168.109.1 |
| 200 | 192.168.200.1 |
| 300 | 192.168.300.1 |
Step 9 – Verify SFP Modules
show interfaces status show inventory show interfaces transceiver show interfaces trunk
These commands verify:
- SFP detection
- Link status
- Trunk configuration
- Optical interface health
Step 10 – Save the Configuration
copy running-config startup-config
or
write memory
Useful Verification Commands
| Command | Purpose |
|---|---|
show vlan brief | Displays configured VLANs |
show interfaces trunk | Checks trunk ports |
show ip interface brief | Shows interface IP status |
show mac address-table | Lists learned MAC addresses |
show spanning-tree | Displays STP status |
show logging | Shows system logs |
show running-config | Displays current configuration |
show startup-config | Displays saved configuration |
Best Practices for CCTV Networks
- Use Single-Mode Fiber (OS2) for all floor uplinks.
- Keep camera traffic in dedicated VLANs.
- Separate NVR and management networks.
- Label fiber strands, ODF ports, and switch interfaces.
- Use UPS protection for the core switch and NVRs.
- Keep firmware updated during maintenance windows.
- Back up the running configuration after every change.
Troubleshooting Checklist
| Issue | Check |
|---|---|
| No camera video | Verify camera IP, PoE switch, VLAN assignment |
| Fiber link down | Check SFP modules, fiber polarity, ODF patching |
| NVR cannot discover cameras | Confirm VLAN routing and IP addressing |
| Slow video or dropped frames | Check interface speed, duplex, and uplink utilization |
| Cannot access switch remotely | Verify management VLAN, IP address, gateway, and ACLs (if configured) |
Complete Enterprise Data Flow
Hikvision IP Cameras │ CAT6 │ 48-Port PoE Switch │ SFP Module │ Single-Mode Fiber │ Floor ODF │ Main ODF (5th Floor) │ Cisco Catalyst C9300X-24Y │ 24-Port Gigabit Monitoring Switch │ CAT6 Patch Panel │ 5 Hikvision NVRs │ HDMI │ Video Wall / LCD Monitors
Conclusion
The Cisco Catalyst C9300X-24Y provides a robust core for enterprise CCTV systems. By organizing each floor into its own VLAN, using fiber uplinks with SFP modules, enabling inter-VLAN routing where required, and separating camera, NVR, and management traffic, you create a network that is scalable, secure, and easier to troubleshoot.
📘 Next Tutorial in Your Blog Series
Hikvision IP Camera Configuration and NVR Integration (300-Camera Enterprise Deployment)
- Initial camera activation
- Batch IP assignment
- Camera naming conventions
- Adding cameras to NVRs
- Recording schedules
- Motion detection
- Storage management
- User permissions
- Remote viewing with Hik-Connect
- Troubleshooting common camera and NVR issues
This will continue building your end-to-end enterprise CCTV networking course, moving from Cisco core networking into Hikvision camera deployment and management.
0 Comments