Getting Started in Cisco Packet Tracer

Packet Tracer is a tool that allows you to simulate real networks. It provides three main menus
that you can use for the following:

 Add devices and connect them via cables or wireless

 Select, delete, inspect, label, and group components within your network
 Manage your network

The network management menu lets you do the following:

 Open an existing/sample network

 Save your current network
 Modify your user profile or your preferences

If you have used any program such as a word processor or spreadsheet, you are already familiar
with the File menu commands located in the top menu bar. The Open, Save, Save As,
and Exit commands work as they would for any program, but there are two commands that are
special to Packet Tracer:

 The Open Samples command will display a directory of prebuilt examples of features

and configurations of various network and Internet of Things devices included within
Packet Tracer.
 The Exit and Logout command will remove the registration information for this copy of
Packet Tracer and require the next user of this copy of Packet Tracer to do the login
procedure again.

Locate and Deploy Devices

Because Packet Tracer simulates networks and network traffic, the physical aspects of these
networks also need to be simulated. This includes actually finding and deploying physical
devices, customizing those devices, and cabling those devices. After the physical deployment
and cabling is done, then it is time for configuration of the interfaces used to connect the devices.

Finding a device to deploy requires looking in the Device-Type Selection Box. The Device-Type
Selection Box works on the concept of categories and sub-categories, as shown in the figure.

The top row of icons represents the category list consisting of: [Networking Devices], [End
Devices], [Components], [Connections], [Miscellaneous], and [Multiuser]. Each category contains
at least one sub-category group.
Device Configuration in Packet Tracer
After your network has been created, it is time to configure the devices and components. Packet
Tracer lets you configure the different intermediate and end devices that make up your network.
To access the configuration interface of any devices, first click the device that you wish to
configure. A popup window will appear displaying a series of tabs. Different types of devices
have different interfaces.

Click Play in the video to learn how to configure devices and components in your simulated
network.

GUI and CLI Configuration in Packet Tracer

Packet Tracer also provides a variety of tabs for device configuration including the following:

 Physical
 Config
 CLI
 Desktop
 Services

The tabs that are shown depend on the device you are currently configuring.

Note: You may see other tabs on different devices. These additional tabs are beyond the scope
of this course.

Physical Tab

The Physical tab provides an interface for interacting with the device including powering it on or
off or installing different modules, such as a wireless network interface card (NIC).
Config Tab

For intermediate devices such as routers and switches, there are two methods of configuration
available. Devices can be configured or investigated via a Config tab (a GUI interface) or a
command line interface (CLI).

The Config tab does not provide a real world environment. This tab is a learning tab in Packet
Tracer. If you don’t know how to use the command line interface, this tab provides a way to “fill in
the blank” to do basic configurations. It will show the equivalent CLI commands that perform the
same action if someone was configuring using the CLI tab.

For example, in the figure the user has configured MyRouter as the name of the device.
The Equivalent IOS Commands window shows the command that would achieve the same
results in the CLI.
CLI Tab

The CLI tab provides access to the CLI interface, which requires knowledge of device
configuration. Here, you can practice configuring the device at the command line. CLI
configuration is a necessary skill for more advanced networking implementations.

Note: Any commands that were entered from the Config tab are also shown here in the CLI
tab.

Desktop Tab

For some of the end devices, such as PCs and laptops, Packet Tracer provides a desktop
interface that gives you access to IP configuration, wireless configuration, a command
prompt, a web browser, and much more.
Services Tab

If you are configuring a server, the server has all of the functions of a host with the addition
of one more tab, the Services tab. This tab allows a server to be configured as a web server, a
DHCP server, a DNS server, or various other servers visible in the graphic.

What Did I Learn in this Module?

Packet Tracer Network Simulator

Cisco Packet Tracer is a network simulation and visualization tool that helps you to practice your
network configuration and troubleshooting skills via your computer, or an Android or iOS based
mobile device. Packet Tracer is available for the Linux, Windows, and macOS environments.

With Packet Tracer you can build a network from scratch, use a prebuilt sample network, or
complete classroom lab assignments. Packet Tracer allows you to easily explore how data
traverses your network. Packet Tracer provides an easy way to design and build networks of
varying sizes without expensive lab equipment.

Packet Tracer Installation

Packet Tracer is an essential learning tool used in many Cisco Networking Academy courses. To
obtain and install your copy of Cisco Packet Tracer follow these simple steps:

1. Log into your Cisco Networking Academy “I’m Learning” page.

2. Select Resources from the menu in the upper right portion of your screen.
3. Select Download Packet Tracer.
4. Select the version of Packet Tracer you require.
5. Save the file to your computer.
6. Launch the Packet Tracer install program.
7. After installation, close and restart your web browser.
8. Launch Cisco Packet Tracer by selecting the appropriate icon.
9. When prompted, use your Netacad login information to authenticate. Packet Tracer will
launch, and you are ready to explore its features.
Packet Tracer User Interface

Packet Tracer provides three main menus that allow you to do the following:

 Add devices and connect them via cables or wireless

 Select, delete, inspect, label, and group components within your network
 Manage your network

The network management menu allows you to do the following:

 Open an existing/sample network

 Save your current network
 Modify your user profile or your preferences

The physical aspects of networks are also simulated with Packet Tracer: finding and deploying
physical devices, customizing those devices, and cabling those devices. To find a device to
deploy, look in the Device-Type Selection Box. The Device-Type Selection Box has categories
and subcategories. The top row of icons represents the category list: [Networking Devices], [End
Devices], [Components], [Connections], [Miscellaneous], and [Multiuser]. Each category contains
at least one sub category group.

After this, it is time for configuration of the interfaces used to connect the devices.

Packet Tracer Network Configuration

You can configure the different intermediate and end devices that make up your network. Click
the device that you wish to configure. A popup window will appear displaying a series of tabs.
Different types of devices have different interfaces.

For intermediate devices such as routers and switches, there are two methods of configuration
available. Devices can be configured or investigated via a Config tab (a GUI interface) or a
command line interface (CLI). The CLI interface requires knowledge of device configuration.

For some of the end devices, such as PCs and laptops, Packet Tracer provides a desktop
interface that gives you access to IP configuration, wireless configuration, a command prompt, a
web browser, and much more.

If you are configuring a server, the server has all of the functions of the host with the addition of
the Services tab. With it, you can configure a server as a web server, a DHCP server, a DNS
server, or other type of server.

Module 3 - Explore Networks with Packet

Tracer Quiz
1. Which Packet Tracer operating system installation option requires that the person
installing it knows whether the system is a 32- or 64-bit operating system?

2. What is a feature of Packet Tracer?

3.

Refer to the exhibit. Which network device is being configured within Packet Tracer?

4.

Refer to the exhibit. A user is building a home wireless network within Packet Tracer. The
user adds 2 PCs and 2 laptops. Which device would be needed to create the network?
5.

Refer to the exhibit. Which menu item would be used to bring up a web browser?

6. Which type of cable connection would be used in Packet Tracer to connect a

FastEthernet port on a PC to a switch port?

7. A student is creating a wired network in Packet Tracer. The student added six PCs. What
other device is needed so that the PCs can communicate with one another?

8.

Refer to the exhibit. A user is creating a wired and wireless network using Packet Tracer.
The user has added a home wireless router, a PC, and a laptop. The user configures the
home wireless router. Which icon represents the tool that can be used on the laptop to
view the SSID and connect to the wireless router?
9.

Refer to the exhibit. A student is working on a Packet Tracer lab that includes a home
wireless router to be used for both wired and wireless devices. The router and laptop have
been placed within the logical workspace. The student adds a laptop device and wants to
replace the wired network card with a wireless network card. What is the first step the
student should do to install the wireless card?

10.
 A technician selected the GUI interface on a wireless router and added a DNS address of
208.67.220.220. The technician then immediately exited the GUI interface. What will occur
as a result of this configuration?

11.

Refer to the exhibit. Which Packet Tracer menu option would be used to change the
preferences such as showing port labels in the logical workspace?