A method for providing Layer 2 link attributes to a user includes transmitting a query using a Layer 3 network protocol to at least a first network element to determine a link attribute for a Layer 2 link between the first network element and a second network element in a network, receiving a response indicative of the link attribute for the Layer 2 link, determining based on the received response a graphical line attribute corresponding to the link attribute according to a predetermined mapping of link attributes to graphical line attributes, and updating a line element at a graphical user interface according to the graphical line attribute, the line element connecting at the graphical user interface a first graphical element corresponding to the first network element and a second graphical element corresponding to the second network element.