By Shunming Liu

This summer I joined the CCNA boot camp. There is a network simulation tool named Cisco Packet Tracer, which I think can be handy. Just like saying the name, it can simulate the packet transfer process between routers and switches across the enterprise network infrastructure. It is also a very useful tool when you want to learn network planning. So I would like to take this opportunity to tell you about this tool.

Cisco Packet Tracer is an auxiliary learning tool, which is published by Cisco Network Academy. It provides the beginners a network simulation environment that covers the network design, configure, and troubleshooting. You can use the software’s graphical user interface, drag and drop to build up the network topology, and then as I mentioned earlier the tool itself can show the detailed packets traveling process across the network. It is real-time observation of network operation.

Packet Tracer supplements the physical equipment in the classroom that allows students to use the virtual equipment, to create an almost unlimited number of networks. This tool encourages me to practice more, discover more about network simulation, and helps with troubleshooting for my network course during this semester.

The latest version of packet tracer is 6.0.1. Actually the recent release has greatly improved the performance. It adds several new routers. IOS have also been upgraded to version 15.1. Compared with the earlier versions, which applied only to CCNA practice, this new version can start supporting the CCNP experiments.

Let me tell you more about the utilization of tool. First we need to get familiar with the tool’s interface. Selecting the connection devices in the lower left area of ​​the tool, there are many kinds of hardware: from left to right and top to bottom as routers, switches, hubs, wireless devices, equipment connection, terminal equipment, wide area network emulation, and Custom Made Equipments.

I want to highlight the connection cable here. With the click of a mouse on the connection icon, you will see the various types of cable on the right, follow the Automatically Choose Cable Type (automatic cable selection, omnipotent, is generally not recommended, unless you really do not know what cable between devices are used). You will also see: console cable, straight through, cross-over cable, fiber optic, telephone lines, coaxial cable, DCE, and DTE.

Second, when you need to choose the virtual devices, just click the device and drag it to the area you want it to be. Select the right cable type and then point on the line interface of the device, choose the correct interface, and then point to another device, and choose the right interface as well.

Third, the lower right corner of the tool is in real-time mode and simulation mode. The real-time mode is just as the name implies, that you can operate the network that looks real in the actual world. For example, two hosts connected via a cross-over twisted-pair and they are at the same subnet, then when the host A Pings host B, it can be done instantly, this is the real-time mode. Talking about the simulation mode, for example the Host A ICMP message will not appear at command line of host A, but the software can instantly simulate this process, in order to be easily understand by any layperson.

An interesting flash animation of how to achieve this process can be seen if you simply click on the Auto Capture under simulation mode, it is very straightforward. The vivid Flash animation shows the ins and outs of network packets. I think this is one of biggest advantages of the software. While you click the Simulate mode, the event list will be a pop up. It shows the detailed information on the current captured data packets, including hold duration, the source device, the destination device, and protocol type and protocol details.

In General, Packet Tracer offers many typical network equipments for our experiment purpose. They have very different functions in the various network environments. I want to keep using this tool to understand my network course during this semester. Hopefully you also can be enjoyed with the tool and find it’s useful in your academic learning.

Software Download:

https://www.netacad.com/web/about-us/cisco-packet-tracer

Shunming Liu is a member of computer technology senior seminar course and planning on a career in network engineering.