ZyXEL Communications ZyWALL 300 User Manual

Chapter 10 Interface

ZyWALL USG 300 User’s Guide

• Trunks manage load balancing between interfaces.

Port groups, trunks, and the auxiliary interface have a lot of characteristics that are specific to 
each type of interface. They are discussed in more detail in 

, 

, and 

, respectively. The other types of 

interfaces--Ethernet, VLAN, bridge, PPPoE/PPTP, and virtual--have a lot of similar 
characteristics. These characteristics are listed in the following table and discussed in more 
detail below.

* - The format of interface names is strict. Each name consists of 2-4 letters (interface type), followed by a 

number (x, limited by the maximum number of each type of interface). For example, Ethernet interface 
names are ge1, ge2, ge3, ...; VLAN interfaces are vlan0, vlan1, vlan2, ...; and so on.

** - The names of virtual interfaces are derived from the interfaces on which they are created. For example, 

virtual interfaces created on Ethernet interface ge1 are called ge1:1, ge1:2, and so on. Virtual interfaces 
created on VLAN interface vlan2 are called vlan2:1, vlan2:2, and so on. You cannot specify the number 
after the colon(:) in the web configurator; it is a sequential number. You can specify the number after the 
colon if you use the CLI to set up a virtual interface.

Most interfaces have an IP address and a subnet mask. This information is used to create an 
entry in the routing table.

Table 43   Ethernet, VLAN, Bridge, PPPoE/PPTP, and Virtual Interfaces Characteristics

Name*

gex

vlanx

brx

pppx

**

IP Address Assignment

static IP address

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

DHCP client

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

routing metric

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Interface Parameters

bandwidth restrictions

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

packet size (MTU)

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

DHCP

DHCP server

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

No

DHCP relay

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

No

Ping Check

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No