Introduction to Packet Tracer

Packet Tracer is a protocol simulator developed 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. Packet Tracer is a supplement to and not a replacement for experience with real equipment. Students are encouraged to compare the results obtained from Packet Tracer network models with the behavior of real equipment.

Creating a New Topology in Packet Tracer
Start Packet Tracer



Choosing Devices and Connections
We will begin building our network topology by selecting devices and the media in which to connect them. Several types of devices and network connections can be used. For this lab we will keep it simple by using End Devices, Switches, Hubs, and Connections.
Single click on each group of devices and connections to display the various choices. When we select a device in the left panel, in the right panel we see all the listed devices of that type.


Single click on the End Devices.


Single click on the Generic host.



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.

 


Add three more hosts.


Adding a Hub

Select a hub, by clicking once on Hubs and once on a Generic hub.

 


Add the hub by moving the plus sign “+” below PC0 and PC1 and click once.


Connect PC0 to Hub0 by first choosing Connections.



Click once on the Copper Straight-through cable.



Perform the following steps to connect PC0 to Hub0:

1. Click once on PC0
2. Choose FastEthernet
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.

1	2	3	4	5

Repeat the steps above for PC1 connecting it to Port 1 on Hub0. (The actual hub port you choose does not matter.


Adding a Switch

Select a switch, by clicking once on Switches and once on a 2950-24 switch.

 


Add the switch by moving the plus sign “+” below PC2 and PC3 and click once.

 


Connect PC2 to Hub0 by first choosing Connections.



Click once on the Copper Straight-through cable



Perform the following steps to connect PC2 to Switch0:

1. Click once on PC2
2. Choose FastEthernet
3. Drag the cursor to Switch0
4. Click once on Switch0 and choose FastEthernet0/1
5. Notice the green link lights on PC2 Ethernet NIC and amber light Switch0 FastEthernet0/1 port. The switch port is temporarily not forwarding frames, while it goes through the stages for the Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) process.
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.

1	2	3	4	5	6

Repeat the steps above for PC3 connecting it to Port 3 on Switch0 on port FastEtherent0/2. (The actual switch port you choose does not matter.)


Move the cursor over the link light to view the port number. Fa means FastEthernet, 100 Mbps Ethernet.


After you successfully create the topology like here,

Be sure you are in Realtime mode.

Select the Add Simple PDU tool used to ping devices.


Click once on PC0, then once on PC3.
The PDU Last Status should show as Successful.


For a detailed successful topology creation and traffic flow, click here.

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