Forward delay

This value determines the time (in seconds) that passes before a port should change from 'listening' to 'learning' or from 'learning' to 'forwarding'. However, now that rapid spanning tree offers a method of determining when a port can be switched into the "forwarding state" without a long wait, this setting in many cases no longer has any effect. Do not change this value without detailed knowledge of spanning tree, since it may increase the risk of temporary loops in the network.