Name: Farman Haider

Roll No:18
XIE_ID:2019032006

EXPERIMENT NO. 1

AIM: Study of Packet Tracer software interface.

THEORY:

Introduction:

Packet Tracer is a cross-platform visual simulation tool designed by Cisco Systems that
allows users to create network topologies and imitate modern computer networks. The
software allows users to simulate the configuration of Cisco routers and switches using a
simulated command line interface. Packet Tracer makes use of a drag and drop user interface,
allowing users to add and remove simulated network devices as they see fit. The software is
mainly focused towards Certified Cisco Network Associate Academy students as an
educational tool for helping them learn fundamental CCNA concepts.

Packet Tracer allows users to create simulated network topologies by dragging and dropping
routers, switches and various other types of network devices. A physical connection between
devices is represented by a 'cable' item. Packet Tracer supports an array of simulated
Application Layer protocols, as well as basic routing with RIP, OSPF, EIGRP, BGP, to the
extents required by the current CCNA curriculum.

In addition to simulating certain aspects of computer networks, Packet Tracer can also be
used for collaboration. As of Packet Tracer 5.0, Packet Tracer supports a multi-user system
that enables multiple users to connect multiple topologies together over a computer network.
Packet Tracer also allows instructors to create activities that students have to complete.
Packet Tracer is often used in educational settings as a learning aid. Cisco Systems claims
that Packet Tracer is useful for network experimentation.

Some of the benefits of Packet Tracer are as follows:

 Provides a realistic simulation and visualization learning environment that

supplements classroom equipment, including the ability to see internal processes in
real-time that are normally hidden on real devices.
 Enables multi-user, real-time collaboration and competition for dynamic learning.
Name: Farman Haider
Roll No:18
XIE_ID:2019032006

 Enables authoring and localization of structured learning activities such as labs,

demonstrations, quizzes, exams, and games.
 Empowers students to explore concepts, conduct experiments, and test their
understanding of network building.
 Allows students and teachers to design, build, configure, and troubleshoot complex
networks using virtual equipment.
 Supports a variety of teaching and learning opportunities such as lectures, group, and
individual labs, homework, games, and competitions.
 Supports feature expansion through external applications using an API to enhance the
functionality of Cisco Packet

Simulation:

The components of the Packet Tracer interface are as follows:

Area 1: Menu bar – This is a common menu found in all software applications; it is used to
open, save, print, change preferences, and so on.
Area 2: Main toolbar – This bar provides shortcut icons to menu options that are commonly
accessed, such as open, save, zoom, undo, and redo, and on the right-hand side is an icon for
entering network information for the current network.
Name: Farman Haider
Roll No:18
XIE_ID:2019032006

Area 3: Logical/Physical workspace tabs – These tabs allow you to toggle between the
Logical and Physical work areas.
Area 4: Workspace – This is the area where topologies are created and simulations are
displayed.
Area 5: Common tools bar – This toolbar provides controls for manipulating topologies, such
as select, move layout, place note, delete, inspect, resize shape, and add simple/complex
PDU. Area 6: Realtime/Simulation tabs – These tabs are used to toggle between the real and
simulation modes. Buttons are also provided to control the time, and to capture the packets.
Area 7: Network component box – This component contains all of the network and end
devices available with Packet Tracer, and is further divided into two areas:
Area 7a: Device-type selection box – This area contains device categories
Area 7b: Device-specific selection box – When a device category is selected, this selection
box displays the different device models within that category
Area 8: User-created packet box – Users can create highly-customized packets to test their
topology from this area, and the results are displayed as a list.

Visualization:
Packet tracer helps to physically visualize and troubleshoot any kind of network, for example
setting up pings, or more complex packages, between nodes.
Following are the steps for creation of a network topology:

1. From the network component box, click on End Devices and drag-and-drop
a Generic PC icon and a Generic laptop icon into the Workspace.
2. Click on Connections, then click on Copper Cross-Over, then on PC0, and
select FastEthernet. After this, click on Laptop0 and select FastEthernet. The link
status LED should show up in green, indicating that the link is up.

3. Click on the PC, go to the Desktop tab, click on IP Configuration, and enter an IP
address and subnet mask. In this topology, the default gateway and DNS server
information is not needed as there are only two end devices in the network.
Name: Farman Haider
Roll No:18
XIE_ID:2019032006

4. Close the window, open the laptop, and assign an IP address to it in the same way.
Make sure that both of the IP addresses are in the same subnet.

5. Close the IP Configuration box, open the command prompt, and ping the IP address
of the device at the end to check connectivity.

Pinging Laptop0 from PC0

Add an Ethernet switch to this topology so that more than two end devices can be connected,
by performing the following steps:

1. Click on Switches from the device-type selection box and insert any switch
(except Switch-PT-Empty) into the workspace.
2. Remove the link between the PC and the laptop using the delete tool from the
common tools bar.
Name: Farman Haider
Roll No:18
XIE_ID:2019032006

3. Choose the Copper Straight-Through cable and connect the PC and laptop with the
switch. At this point, the link indicators on the switch are orange in color because the
switchports are undergoing the listening and learning states of the Spanning Tree
Protocol (STP).

4. Once the link turns green, as shown in the previous screenshot, ping again to check
the connectivity.
5. To save this topology, navigate to File | Save As and choose a location. The topology
will be saved with a .pkt extension, with the devices in the same state.

Collaboration:

Fig: Multiuser collaborative simulation-based virtual environment

The multiuser feature in Packet Tracer allows multiple point-to-point connections between
multiple instances of Packet Tracer. There are many operational differences between standard
and multiuser CCNA activities, as outlined in and described in the following. These
differences create a whole new set of factors that has to be taken into account. The main task
is minimizing
Name: Farman Haider
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XIE_ID:2019032006

the disadvantages and limitations of the multiuser feature and maximizing the advantages it
offers in interactivity and real-time communication.

Packet Tracer allows users to use a simple drag and drop cloud icon to connect to peer
clouds. Each multiuser cloud supports one-to-one, many-to-one and many-to-many peer
connection configurations. The activities that are created operate on a client-server
environment. This architecture allows for easy management and control, and provides an
overall view for the activity. The multiuser capabilities of Packet Tracer during testing
allowed the connection of up to 60-75 users simultaneously to a single activity over LAN.

CONCLUSION:
Packet tracer helps to simulate the configuration of routers and switches using a simulated
command line interface and also includes the ability to see internal processes in real-time that
are normally hidden on real devices.