How To Use Cisco Packet Tracer
How To Use Cisco Packet Tracer
Packet Tracer is a protocol simulator developed by Dennis Frezzo and his team at Cisco
Systems. Packet Tracer (PT) is a powerful and dynamic tool that displays the various
protocols used in networking, in either Real Time or Simulation mode. This includes layer 2
protocols such as Ethernet and PPP, layer 3 protocols such as IP, ICMP, and ARP, and layer
4 protocols such as TCP and UDP. Routing protocols can also be traced.
Purpose:
The purpose of this lab is to become familiar with the Packet Tracer interface. Learn how to
use existing topologies and build your own.
Requisite knowledge:
This lab assumes some understanding of the Ethernet protocol. At this point we have not
discussed other protocols, but will use Packet Tracer in later labs to discuss those as well.
Opportunity
As networking systems continue to evolve in complexity, new curricula and educational tools
are emerging to facilitate teaching and learning about networking technology. The Cisco
Networking Academy® program is designed to keep pace with the evolution of networking
systems by providing innovative curricula and educational tools that help students understand
the complexities of information and communication technologies (ICTs). Within this
framework, the Cisco® Packet Tracer e-learning software was developed to help Networking
Academy students gain practical networking technology skills in a rapidly changing
environment. Students seeking ICT skills can now benefit from the accessibility of online
curricula and new opportunities for social learning, collaboration, and competition.
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Solution
Cisco® Packet Tracer is a powerful network simulation program that allows students to
experiment with network behaviour and ask “what if” questions. As an integral part of the
Networking Academy comprehensive learning experience, Packet Tracer provides
simulation, visualization, authoring, assessment, and collaboration capabilities to facilitate
the teaching and learning of complex technology concepts.
Packet Tracer supplements physical equipment in the classroom by allowing students to
create a network with an almost unlimited number of devices, encouraging practice,
discovery, and troubleshooting. The simulation-based learning environment helps students
develop 21st century skills such as decision making, creative and critical thinking, and
problem solving. Packet Tracer complements the Networking Academy curricula, allowing
instructors to easily teach and demonstrate complex technical concepts and networking
systems design. Instructors can customize individual or multiuser activities, providing
hands-on lessons for students that offer value and relevance in their classrooms. Students can
build, configure, and troubleshoot networks using virtual equipment and simulated
connections, alone or in collaboration with other students. Packet Tracer offers an effective,
interactive environment for learning networking concepts and protocols. Most importantly,
Packet Tracer helps students and instructors create their own virtual “network worlds” for
exploration, experimentation, and explanation of networking concepts and technologies.
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Figure. Packet Tracer’s drag-and-drop interface allows students to configure and
validate system architecture.
CHAPTER 2
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• Allows instructors to author customized, guided activities that provide immediate feedback
using the Activity Wizard
• Facilitates numerous learning activities such as lectures, individual and group lab activities,
homework, assessments, games, network design, troubleshooting, modelling tasks, case
studies, and competitions
• Enables visualization, animation, and detailed modelling for exploration, experimentation,
and explanation
• Supports self-paced learning outside the classroom
• Supports social learning processes by enabling collaboration and competition
• Supports the majority of protocols and technologies taught in the following Networking
Academy curricula: Cisco CCNA® Discovery, CCNA Exploration, and CCNA Security, and
can be used to teach concepts from IT Essentials and Cisco CCNP® courses.
Students who spend more time in a hands-on mode of learning, with simulation and
interactive capabilities, will be better equipped to apply concepts and configuration
fundamentals when exposed to real equipment. As students gain practical experience with
tasks such as configuration and troubleshooting, they become more confident in their
abilities. Cisco Packet Tracer’s multiuser functionality also provides an opportunity for social
learning, allowing students to collaborate and compete with each other and play games that
enhance the learning experience.
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Figure. Multiuser games provide fun learning opportunities for collaboration and
competition.
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Figure. The physical workspace provides a graphical view of the logical network
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CHAPTER 3
Cisco Packet Tracer Modes
Cisco Packet Tracer provides two operating modes to visualize the behaviour of a network
Real-time mode
Simulation mode.
In real-time mode the network behaves as real devices do, with immediate real-time
response for all network activities. The real-time mode gives students a viable alternative
to real equipment and allows them to gain configuration practice before working with real
equipment.
In simulation mode the user can see and control time intervals, the inner workings of data
transfer, and the propagation of data across a network. This helps students understand the
fundamental concepts behind network operations. A solid understanding of network
fundamentals can help accelerate learning about related concepts.
Protocols
Cisco Packet Tracer supports the following protocols:
Figure. The Activity Wizard enables the creation of customized learning activities
Additional Features
• Lab grading function
• International language support
• Compatible with the following platforms:
Windows, Windows XP; Vista (Vista Basic, Vista Premium); Windows 7; and Linux
(Ubuntu, Fedora)
• Available to registered Networking Academy instructors, students, and alumni.
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CHAPTER 4
WORKING IN CISCO PACKET TRACER
Introduction to the Packet Tracer Interface using a Hub Topology
Single click on each group of devices and connections to display the various choices.
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Step 3: Building the Topology – Adding Hosts
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Move the cursor into topology area. You will notice it turns into a plus “+” sign.
Single click in the topology area and it copies the device.
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Step 4: Building the Topology – Connecting the Hosts to Hubs and Switches
Adding a Hub
Select a hub, by clicking once on Hubs and once on a Generic hub.
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Perform the following steps to connect PC0 to Hub0:
1. Click once on PC0
2. Choose Fast Ethernet
3. Drag the cursor to Hub0
4. Click once on Hub0 and choose Port 0
5. Notice the green link lights on both the PC0 Ethernet NIC and the Hub0 Port 0 showing
that the link is active.
Adding a Switch
Select a switch, by clicking once on Switches and once on a 2950-24 switch.
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Add the switch by moving the plus sign “+” below PC2 and PC3 and click once.
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6. After a about 30 seconds the amber light will change to green indicating that the port has
entered the forwarding stage. Frames can now forwarded out the switch port.
Before we can communicate between the hosts we need to configure IP Addresses and
Subnet Masks on the devices.
Click once on PC0.
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Choose the Config tab. It is here that you can change the name of PC0. It is also here where
you would enter a Gateway IP Address, also known as the default gateway. We will discuss
this later, but this would be the IP address of the local router. If you want, you can enter the
IP Address 172.16.1.1, although it will not be used in this lab.
Click on FastEthernet. Although we have not yet discussed IP Addresses, add the IP
Address to 172.16.1.10. Click once in the Subnet Mask field to enter the default Subnet
Mask. You can leave this at 255.255.0.0. We will discuss this later.
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Also, notice this is where you can change the Bandwidth (speed) and Duplex of the Ethernet
NIC (Network Interface Card). The default is Auto (auto negotiation), which means the NIC
will negotiate with the hub or switch. The bandwidth and/or duplex can be manually set by
removing the check from the Auto box and choosing the specific option.
Bandwidth - Auto
If the host is connected to a hub or switch port which can do 100 Mbps, then the Ethernet
NIC on the host will choose 100 Mbps (Fast Ethernet). Otherwise, if the hub or switch port
can only do 10 Mbps, then the Ethernet NIC on the host will choose 10 Mbps (Ethernet).
Duplex - Auto
Hub: If the host is connected to a hub, then the Ethernet NIC on the host will choose Half
Duplex.
Switch: If the host is connected to a switch, and the switch port is configured as Full Duplex
(or Auto negotiation), then the Ethernet NIC on the host will choose Full Duplex. If the
switch port is configured as Half Duplex, then the Ethernet NIC on the host will choose Half
Duplex. (Full Duplex is a much more efficient option.)
The information is automatically saved when entered.
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Repeat these steps for the other hosts. Use the information below for IP Addresses and
Subnet Masks.
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Move the Connections cursor to Switch0.
Click once on Switch0 and choose FastEthernet0/4 (actual port does not matter).
The link light for switch port FastEthernet0/4 will begin as amber and eventually change to
green as the Spanning Tree Protocol transitions the port to forwarding.
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CHAPTER 5
PROTOTYPING A NETWORK
Objectives
• Prototype a network using Packet Tracer
Background
A client has requested that you set up a simple network with two PCs connected to a switch.
Verify that the hardware, along with the given configurations, meet the requirements of the
client.
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CHAPTER 6
Background
A network administrator wants to verify the path a packet takes to get to a destination web
server.
Step 1: Verify connectivity from the source host to the destination host
a) Open the source host command prompt window and ping the destination
1. Select PC0.
2. Select the Desktop tab > Command Prompt
3. Type: ping 192.168.3.2 and press enter.
*A Reply verifies connectivity from the host to the destination device. It does not indicate the
path that was taken to reach it.
**The first few pings may time out while devices load. If all pings time out, repeat the
command.
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CHAPTER 7
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CHAPTER 8
Background
A home user wants to use a Linksys-WRT300N device to connect three PCs. All three PCs
should obtain an IP address automatically from the Linksys device.
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*Notice the range of address available to clients has updated to reflect the change.
f) Close the Linksys configuration window.
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CHAPTER 9
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Step 4: View NAT translation across the Linksys
a) Enter Simulation mode by clicking the Simulation tab in the lower right-hand corner. The
Simulation tab is located behind the Realtime tab and has a stopwatch symbol.
b) View traffic by creating a Complex PDU in Simulation mode
1. From the Simulation Panel, select Edit Filters and check only the boxes for TCP
and HTTP.
2. Add a Complex PDU by clicking the open envelope located above the Simulation
mode icon.
3. Click one of the PCs to specify it as the source.
c) Specify the Complex PDU settings by changing the following within the Create Complex
PDU window:
1. Under PDU Settings > Select Application should be set to HTTP.
2. Click the ciscolearn.nat.com server to specify it as the destination device.
3. For the Source Port type 1000.
4. Under Simulation Settings select Periodic Interval and type 120 seconds.
5. Create the PDU by clicking the box Create PDU in the Create Complex PDU
window.
d) Double click the Simulation Panel to unlock it from the PT window. This allows you to
move the Simulation Panel to view the entire network topology.
e) Observe the traffic flow by clicking the Auto Capture / Play button in the Simulation
Panel. Speed up the animation by using the play control slider.
*When the Buffer Full window appears, close the window by clicking the x in the upper
right-hand corner of the window.
Step 5: View the header information of the packets that travelled across the network
a) Examine the headers of the packets sent between the PC and the web server.
1. In the Simulation Panel, double click the third line down in the Event List. This
displays an envelope in the work area that represents that line.
2. Click the envelope in the work area window to view the packet and header
information.
b) Click the Inbound PDU Details tab. Examine the packet information for the source (SRC)
IP address and destination IP address.
c) Click the Outbound PDU Details tab. Examine the packet information for the source
(SRC) IP address and destination IP address.
*Notice the change in SRC IP address.
d) Click through other event lines to view those headers throughout the process.
e) When finished, click the Check Results button at the bottom of the instruction window to
check your work.
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CHAPTER 10
Step 4: Observe traffic between the client and the web server
a) Enter Simulation mode by clicking the Simulation tab in the lower right-hand corner. The
Simulation tab is located behind the Realtime tab and has a stopwatch symbol.
b) Double click the Simulation Panel to unlock it from the PT window. This allows you to
move the Simulation Panel to view the entire network topology.
c) View traffic by creating a Complex PDU in Simulation mode.
1. From the Simulation Panel, select Edit Filters and check only the boxes for TCP and
HTTP.
2. Add a Complex PDU by clicking the open envelope located above the Simulation mode
icon.
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3. Click the External Client to specify it as the source. The complex PDU window will
appear.
4. Click the ciscolearn.web.com server to specify it as the destination device. Notice the IP
address of the web server will appear in the destination box within the complex PDU
window.
d) Specify the Complex PDU settings by changing the following within the complex PDU
window:
1. Under PDU Settings > Select Application should be set to HTTP.
2. For the Source Port type 1000.
3. Under Simulation Settings select Periodic Interval and type 120 seconds.
4. Create the PDU by clicking the box Create PDU in the Create Complex PDU
window.
e) Observe the traffic flow by clicking the Auto Capture / Play button in the Simulation
Panel. Speed up the animation by using the play control slider.
*When the Buffer Full window appears, close the window using the x.
f) Scroll through the Event List. Notice the number of packets that traveled from source to
destination. HTTP is a TCP protocol, which requires connection establishment and
acknowledgement of receipt of packets, considerably increasing the amount of traffic
overhead.
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CHAPTER 11
Background
A small business owner cannot connect to the Internet with one of the four PCs in the office.
All of the PCs are configured with static IP addressing. Use the ipconfig /all command to
identify which PC is incorrectly configured.
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CHAPTER 12
Background
A small business owner learns that the user of PC2 is unable to access a website. All PCs are
configured with static IP addressing. Use the ping command to identify the issue.
Step 5: Compare the DNS server information on PC2 with other PCs on the local
network
a) Access the Command Prompt of PC1.
b) Using the command ipconfig /all, examine the DNS server configuration on PC1.
c) Access the Command Prompt of PC2.
d) Using the command ipconfig /all, examine the DNS server configuration on PC2. Do the
two configurations match?
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b) Using the Web Browser within the Desktop tab, connect to ciscolearn.more.com to
verify that configuration changes resolved the problem.
c) Click the Check Results button at the bottom of the instruction window to check your
work.
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CHAPTER 13
Troubleshooting a Wireless Connection
Objective
Identify and correct any misconfiguration of a wireless device.
Background
A small business owner learns that a wireless user is unable to access the network. All of the
PCs are configured with static IP addressing. Identify and resolve the issue.
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