Should you add an IP address to a slave port?

• A. Yes
• B. No
• C. Sometimes
• D. Only on some models

Answer: (B)

When you use a bridge, the ports that are members of that bridge are treated as one Layer 2 domain. The IP address for management or routing should be assigned to the bridge interface itself (or another interface that isn’t part of the bridge), not to an individual slave port. Giving an IP to a slave port would create a separate Layer 3 path that doesn’t participate in the bridge’s traffic, which can break reachability and bypass the intended bridging behavior. So, the correct approach is to assign the IP to the bridge, not to a slave port.