Lab Manual: Packet Tracer – Explore the OSI and TCP-IP Models in

Action (Instructor Version)

Instructor Note: The answers to the questions are indicated in red font color or gray highlights and this
only appears in the instructor version only.

Objectives
Part 1: Assess a Web based traffic. Remember web traffic runs on HTTP(S) Service Web
Part 2: Display the Parameters of the TCP/IP Protocol Suite

Background / Scenario
This activity will provide a basic understanding of TCP-IP protocol suite and how it is related to the
OSI Protocol suites. Simulation mode allows you to explore the data contents being sent across the
network at each layer.
As the network traffic data traverses through the network, it is broken down into smaller pieces and
identified so that the pieces can be put back together when they arrive at the destination. Each piece
is assigned a specific name (protocol data unit [PDU]) and associated with a specific layer of the
TCP/IP and OSI models. Packet Tracer simulation mode enables you to view each of the layers and
the associated PDU. The following steps lead the user through the process of requesting a web page
from a web server by using the web browser application available on a client PC. This Packet Tracer
simulation mode will give you the opportunity to better visualize and understand the encapsulation
process.

Instructions

Part 1: Assess a Web based traffic. Remember web traffic runs on HTTP(S)
Service Web
In this section of the lab, a Packet Tracer (PT) Simulation mode will be used to generate web traffic
and examine HTTP.

Step 1: Switch from Realtime Mode to Simulation Mode on the Packet Tracer
In the lower right corner of the Packet Tracer interface are buttons that toggle between Realtime and
Simulation mode. PT always starts in Realtime mode, in which networking protocols operate with
realistic timings. However, a powerful feature of Packet Tracer allows the user to “stop time” by
switching to Simulation mode. In Simulation mode, packets are displayed as animated envelopes,
time is event driven, and the user can step through networking events.

a. Click the Simulation mode icon to switch from Realtime mode to Simulation mode.
b. Select HTTP from the Event List Filters.
1) HTTP may already be the only visible event. If necessary, click the Edit Filters button at the
bottom of the simulation panel to display the available visible events. Toggle the Show
All/None check box and notice how the check boxes switch from unchecked to checked or
checked to unchecked, depending on the current state.
 2) Click the Show All/None check box until all boxes are cleared and then select HTTP from
the Misc tab of the Edit Filters window. Click the X in the upper right hand corner of the
window to close the Edit Filters window. The Visible Events should now only display HTTP.

Step 2: Generate Web Based Traffic (HTTP)

Currently the Simulation Panel is empty. There are five columns listed across the top of the Event List
within the Simulation Panel. As traffic is generated and stepped through, events appear in the list.
Note: The Web Server and Web Client are displayed in the left pane. You can adjust the size of the
panel by hovering next to the scroll bar and dragging left or right when the double-headed arrow
appears.
a. Click Web Client in the far left pane.
b. Click the Desktop tab and click the Web Browser icon to open it.
c. In the URL field, enter www.osi.local and click Go.
Because time in Simulation mode is event-driven, you must use the Capture/Forward button to
display network events. The capture forward button is located at the left hand side of the blue
band that is below the topology window. Of the three buttons there, it is the one on the right.
d. Click Capture/Forward four times. There should be four events in the Event List.
Question:
Look at the Web Client web browser page. Did anything change? The web page was
returned from the web server.

Step 3: Explore the HTTP traffic Packet contents

a. Click the first colored square box under the Event List > Type column. It may be necessary to
expand the Simulation Panel or use the scrollbar directly below the Event List.
The PDU Information at Device: Web Client window displays. In this window, there are only two
tabs (OSI Model and Outbound PDU Details) because this is the start of the transmission. As
more events are examined, there will be three tabs displayed, adding a tab for Inbound PDU
Details. When an event is the last event in the stream of traffic, only the OSI Model and Inbound
PDU Details tabs are displayed.
b. Ensure that the OSI Model tab is selected.
Under the Out Layers column, click Layer 7.
Questions:
• What information is listed in the numbered steps directly below the In Layers and Out
Layers boxes for Layer 7? “1. The HTTP client sends a HTTP request to the server.”
• ere.
• What is the Dst Port value for Layer 4 under the Out Layers column? 80
•
• What is the Dest. IP value for Layer 3 under the Out Layers column? 192.168.1.254
• nswers here.
• What information is displayed at Layer 2 under the Out Layers column? Layer 2
Ethernet II Header and inbound and outbound MAC addresses.
 c. Click the Outbound PDU Details tab.
Information listed under the PDU Formats is reflective of the layers within the TCP/IP model.
Note: The information listed under the Ethernet II section of the Outbound PDU Details tab
provides even more detailed information than is listed under Layer 2 on the OSI Model tab. The
Outbound PDU Details provides more descriptive and detailed information. The values under
DEST MAC ADDR and SRC MAC ADDR within the Ethernet II section of the PDU Details
appear on the OSI Model tab under Layer 2, but are not identified as such.
Questions:
• What is the common information listed under the IP section of PDU Details as
compared to the information listed under the OSI Model tab? With which layer is it
associated? SRC IP and DST IP at Layer 3
• swers here.
• What is the common information listed under the TCP section of PDU Details, as
compared to the information listed under the OSI Model tab, and with which layer is it
associated? SRC PORT and DEST PORT at Layer 4
• answers here.
• What is the Host listed under the HTTP section of the PDU Details? What layer would
this information be associated with under the OSI Model tab? www.osi.local, Layer 7

d. Click the next colored square box under the Event List > Type column. Only Layer 1 is active
(not grayed out). The device is moving the frame from the buffer and placing it on to the network.
e. Advance to the next HTTP Type box within the Event List and click the colored square box. This
window contains both In Layers and Out Layers. Notice the direction of the arrow directly under
the In Layers column; it is pointing upward, indicating the direction the data is travelling. Scroll
through these layers making note of the items previously viewed. At the top of the column the
arrow points to the right. This denotes that the server is now sending the information back to the
client.
Question:
Comparing the information displayed in the In Layers column with that of the Out Layers
column, what are the major differences? The Src and Dst Ports, Src and Dst IPs and MAC
addresses have been swapped.
ur answers here.
f. Click the Inbound and Outbound PDU Details tab. Review the PDU details.
g. Click the last-colored square box under the Info column.
Question:
How many tabs are displayed with this event? Explain.
Just 2, one for the OSI Model and one for Inbound PDU Details because this is the receiving
device.

Part 2: Display the Parameters of the TCP/IP Protocol Suite

In this section of the lab, you will use the Packet Tracer Simulation mode to view and examine some
of the other protocols comprising of TCP/IP suite.
Step 1: View Additional Events
a. Close any open PDU information windows.
b. In the Event List Filters > Visible Events section, click Show All/None.
Question:
What additional Event Types are displayed?
Depending on whether any communications has occurred prior to starting the original
simulation, there should now be entries for ARP, DNS, TCP and HTTP. It is possible that
the ARP entries may not show, depending on what a student may have done prior to going
to simulation mode. If the activity is started from scratch all of those will be listed.
These extra entries play various roles within the TCP/IP suite. Address Resolution Protocol (ARP)
requests MAC addresses for destination hosts. DNS is responsible for converting a name (for example,
www.osi.local) to an IP address. The additional TCP events are responsible for connecting, agreeing on
communication parameters, and disconnecting the communications sessions between the devices. These
protocols have been mentioned previously and will be further discussed as the course progresses.
Currently there are over 35 possible protocols (event types) available for capture within Packet Tracer.
c. Click the first DNS event in the Type column. Explore the OSI Model and PDU Detail tabs and
note the encapsulation process. As you look at the OSI Model tab with Layer 7 highlighted, a
description of what is occurring is listed directly below the In Layers and Out Layers (“1. The
DNS client sends a DNS query to the DNS server.”). This is very useful information to help
understand what is occurring during the communication process.
d. Click the Outbound PDU Details tab.
Question:
What information is listed in the NAME field: in the DNS QUERY section?
www.osi.local
answers here.
e. Click the last DNS Info colored square box in the event list.
Questions:
• At which device was the PDU captured?
The Web Client
• ere.
• What is the value listed next to ADDRESS: in the DNS ANSWER section of the Inbound
PDU Details?
192.168.1.254 – the address of the Web Server
nswers here.
f. Find the first HTTP event in the list and click the colored square box of the TCP event
immediately following this event. Highlight Layer 4 in the OSI Model tab.
Question:
In the numbered list directly below the In Layers and Out Layers, what is the information
displayed under items 4 and 5?
4. The TCP connection is successful. 5. The device sets the connection state to
ESTABLISHED.
 TCP manages the connecting and disconnecting of the communications channel along with other
responsibilities. This particular event shows that the communication channel has been
ESTABLISHED.
g. Click the last TCP event. Highlight Layer 4 in the OSI Model tab. Examine the steps listed directly
below In Layers and Out Layers.
Question:
What is the purpose of this event, based on the information provided in the last item in the
list (should be item 4)?
CLOSING the connection.