EtherChannel ports suspended (LACP not bundling)
Suspended (or independent) members mean the links are up but not bundling. A LACP port-channel only forms when both ends agree, so a suspended port is almost always a negotiation or consistency mismatch, not a cabling problem. The two ends must use the same bonding mode and identical member settings.
What it means
LACP exchanges control frames to agree on a bundle. If one side never sends them (mode 'on'/static, or both sides passive) the negotiation never completes and the port is held suspended. Even with LACP active on both ends, the members must match in speed, duplex, and switchport mode/VLANs. Any difference makes a port go independent instead of joining.
Most common causes
- Both sides passive. LACP passive waits to be asked; if neither side is active, nobody starts negotiation. At least one end must be active.
- One side static 'on' vs LACP. Mode 'on' forms a channel with no negotiation and won't bundle against a side running LACP. Use LACP on both ends.
- Mismatched channel-group or member config. Members assigned to different channel groups, or differing speed/duplex/trunk/VLAN settings, keep ports out of the bundle.
How to fix it
- Put both ends in a negotiating LACP mode (active/active is safest; active/passive also works).
- Confirm both members are in the same channel-group / port-channel number.
- Make the member interfaces identical: speed, duplex, and switchport mode/VLANs.
- Verify with `show port-channel` / `show etherchannel summary` that both members are bundled.