I want to prevent (or inform an administrator) when an unknown MAC address connects to a switch port. What are the different ways to do this? Thanks in advance, Scott

What kind of switches are you using? Make/model would be helpful.

Sorry. We're using a Nortel Passport 8006 Modular Chassis, which is connected to several Nortel Baystack 450/470s.

We have dual Nortel Passport 8600's (just upgraded to the 10 GB backplanes) and connected to one of them via Device Manager. From the looks of it, if you edit a port (choose "Edit General") you should be able to set something up in the Mac Learning tab. I'm not 100% sure not having tried to limit one a MAC per port basis but you could try setting up something there. We use Baystack 5510's and 5520's extensively and haven't tried limiting connections by MAC per port there either so I'm not sure if you can, or how to if you indeed can. Just had a quick look in DM at a 5510 and if you go "Edit >> Security >> AuthConfig tab" it does show the MAC to port table. I imagine there is a way but short of looking in the manual (and my manuals wouldn't help you.....but that's not stopping you from reading through your management/setup manuals right) and researching it, I couldn't tell you offhand. Basically, our standard security practice is to leave any ports not in use disabled. This prevents anyone from using a wall outlet say, that has nothing plugged into it. That's not going to stop someone from unplugging a PC and plugging in to that port. Of course, they'd have to know what subnet is running out of that port (good luck with that if you're not in my department) and then pick a valid IP in that subnet in order to gain connectivity. In a nutshell, you're going to have to get ahold of the manuals for your equipment and do some research/reading.....that's what I'd do if I had to figure something like this out.