C-Data OLT: show interface Command Detailed Guide
What is show interface ?
The show interface command displays detailed information about all network interfaces on your C-Data
OLT. Think of it as the "health check" command that tells you everything about your ports, connections,
and their current status.
Basic Command Variations
1. Show All Interfaces
bash
show interface
What it shows: Complete list of all interfaces (GPON, Ethernet, Management)
2. Show Interface Summary
bash
show interface brief
What it shows: Quick overview table with interface names, status, and basic info
3. Show Specific Interface Type
bash
show interface gpon
show interface ethernet
show interface management
4. Show Specific Interface
bash
show interface gpon 1/1
show interface ethernet 1/1
show interface management 0/1
Understanding Interface Naming
C-Data Interface Naming Convention
Format: [Type] [Slot/Port]
Examples:
- gpon 1/1 = GPON port 1 on slot 1
- gpon 1/2 = GPON port 2 on slot 1
- ethernet 1/1 = Ethernet port 1 on slot 1
- management 0/1 = Management port 1 on slot 0
Common Interface Types
GPON: Fiber optic ports connecting to ONTs
Ethernet: Uplink ports to core network
Management: Dedicated management interface
VLAN: Virtual LAN interfaces
Reading the Output: Step by Step
Sample Output Breakdown
bash
Router# show interface gpon 1/1
Interface: gpon 1/1
Description: Customer Area A - Building 1
Administrative Status: UP
Operational Status: UP
Hardware Type: GPON
MAC Address: 00:1a:2b:3c:4d:5e
MTU: 1500 bytes
Duplex: Full
Speed: 2.5 Gbps downstream, 1.25 Gbps upstream
Last Input: 00:00:01 ago
Last Output: 00:00:01 ago
Input Statistics:
Packets: 1,234,567
Bytes: 987,654,321
Errors: 0
Dropped: 0
Output Statistics:
Packets: 1,098,765
Bytes: 876,543,210
Errors: 0
Dropped: 0
Optical Power:
Tx Power: +3.2 dBm
Rx Power: -15.7 dBm
Connected ONTs: 24
Active ONTs: 23
Offline ONTs: 1
What Each Field Means
Interface Status Fields
Field Meaning What to Look For
Administrative Status Whether port is enabled/disabled UP = enabled, DOWN = disabled
Operational Status Whether port is actually working UP = working, DOWN = problem
Hardware Type Type of interface GPON, Ethernet, etc.
MAC Address Unique identifier Used for network identification
MTU Maximum frame size Usually 1500 bytes
Duplex Communication direction Full = both ways, Half = one way
Speed Data transmission rate 2.5G down / 1.25G up for GPON
Traffic Statistics
Field Meaning What to Monitor
Input/Output Packets Total packets sent/received Should be increasing
Input/Output Bytes Total data sent/received Shows traffic volume
Errors Transmission errors Should be 0 or very low
Dropped Packets discarded Should be 0 or very low
Last Input/Output Last activity timestamp Shows if port is active
GPON Specific Fields
Field Meaning Normal Range
Tx Power Transmission power +2 to +7 dBm
Rx Power Received power -8 to -28 dBm
Connected ONTs Total registered ONTs Depends on setup
Active ONTs Currently online ONTs Should match connected
Offline ONTs Currently offline ONTs Should be 0
Practical Examples
Example 1: Check All GPON Ports
bash
Router# show interface gpon
Interface gpon 1/1 is UP, line protocol is UP
Hardware is GPON, MAC address is 00:1a:2b:3c:4d:5e
Description: Area A - Residential Block 1
Connected ONTs: 32, Active: 31, Offline: 1
Optical Power: Tx +3.1 dBm, Rx -12.5 dBm
Interface gpon 1/2 is UP, line protocol is UP
Hardware is GPON, MAC address is 00:1a:2b:3c:4d:5f
Description: Area B - Commercial Zone
Connected ONTs: 16, Active: 16, Offline: 0
Optical Power: Tx +3.3 dBm, Rx -14.2 dBm
Interface gpon 1/3 is DOWN, line protocol is DOWN
Hardware is GPON, MAC address is 00:1a:2b:3c:4d:60
Description: Area C - Under Construction
Connected ONTs: 0, Active: 0, Offline: 0
Optical Power: Tx +3.0 dBm, Rx No Signal
Example 2: Check Uplink Ethernet Ports
bash
Router# show interface ethernet
Interface ethernet 1/1 is UP, line protocol is UP
Hardware is GigabitEthernet, MAC address is 00:1a:2b:3c:4d:61
Description: Uplink to Core Router
Speed: 1000 Mbps, Duplex: Full
VLAN: Trunk (100,200,300)
5 minute input rate: 45.2 Mbps, 1250 packets/sec
5 minute output rate: 52.8 Mbps, 1456 packets/sec
Input: 1,234,567,890 packets, 987,654,321,098 bytes
Output: 1,098,765,432 packets, 876,543,210,987 bytes
Errors: 0, Dropped: 0
Common Status Interpretations
Healthy Interface
UP/UP = Interface is enabled and working properly
Low or zero errors = Good signal quality
Regular traffic = Active usage
Proper optical power levels = Good fiber connection
Problem Indicators
UP/DOWN = Interface enabled but not working (check cables/fiber)
DOWN/DOWN = Interface disabled (check configuration)
High errors = Signal quality issues
No traffic = No active services or connection issues
Poor optical power = Fiber connection problems
Daily Monitoring Commands
Quick Health Check
bash
# Check all interfaces status
show interface brief
# Check GPON ports only
show interface gpon brief
# Check for any DOWN interfaces
show interface | include "is DOWN"
# Check error counters
show interface | include "error"
Traffic Monitoring
bash
# Show real-time traffic rates
show interface ethernet 1/1 | include "rate"
# Show packet statistics
show interface gpon 1/1 | include "packets"
# Check for dropped packets
show interface | include "dropped"
Optical Power Monitoring
bash
# Check all GPON optical power
show interface gpon | include "Power"
# Detailed optical info for specific port
show interface gpon 1/1 | include "Optical"
Troubleshooting with show interface
Problem: ONT Not Coming Online
bash
# Step 1: Check GPON port status
show interface gpon 1/1
# Look for:
- Administrative Status: UP
- Operational Status: UP
- Optical Power within range
- Connected ONTs count
# Step 2: Check optical power
# Good range: Tx +2 to +7 dBm, Rx -8 to -28 dBm
# Bad signs: "No Signal", very low Rx power
Problem: Slow Internet Speed
bash
# Step 1: Check interface utilization
show interface ethernet 1/1
# Look for:
- High input/output rates near port capacity
- Packet drops or errors
- Interface congestion
# Step 2: Check GPON port
show interface gpon 1/1
# Look for:
- Too many active ONTs on one port
- Optical power issues
- Error counters increasing
Problem: No Connectivity
bash
# Step 1: Check physical interfaces
show interface brief
# Look for:
- DOWN/DOWN status (interface disabled)
- UP/DOWN status (cable/fiber issue)
- Error counters increasing
# Step 2: Check specific troubled interface
show interface [interface-name]
# Look for:
- Last input/output timestamps
- Packet counters not increasing
- High error rates
Advanced show interface Commands
Historical Statistics
bash
# Show interface statistics over time
show interface gpon 1/1 statistics
# Show error history
show interface gpon 1/1 errors
# Show utilization graphs (if supported)
show interface gpon 1/1 utilization
Filter Output
bash
# Show only UP interfaces
show interface | include "is UP"
# Show only error information
show interface | include "error|Error"
# Show only optical power info
show interface | include "Power|Optical"
Best Practices
Daily Monitoring Routine
1. Morning Check: show interface brief
2. Look for DOWN interfaces: Investigate immediately
3. Check error counters: Note any increases
4. Monitor optical power: Ensure within normal range
5. Document issues: Keep track of recurring problems
When to Use Each Command
show interface brief - Quick daily overview
show interface gpon - GPON port health check
show interface ethernet - Uplink monitoring
show interface [specific] - Detailed troubleshooting
Red Flags to Watch For
DOWN interfaces - Service outage
Increasing errors - Signal quality degrading
No traffic - Service not working
Poor optical power - Fiber issues developing
High utilization - Capacity planning needed
Tips for New Technicians
Memory Aids
UP/UP = Happy face 😊 (everything working)
UP/DOWN = Sad face 😞 (physical problem)
DOWN/DOWN = Sleeping face 😴 (administratively disabled)
Quick Checks
1. Always start with show interface brief
2. If something is DOWN, check the specific interface
3. Look at optical power first for GPON issues
4. Check error counters for data quality issues
5. Monitor traffic rates for capacity issues
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Don't ignore small error counts (they can grow)
Don't assume UP/UP means everything is perfect
Don't forget to check optical power regularly
Don't overlook interface descriptions (they help identify locations)
This command will become your best friend for troubleshooting - master it and you'll solve 80% of
network issues quickly!
