Packet Tracer 3.2 Usage

Topology Mode: Creating a Network

Creating Devices
You can place a device in the workspace by clicking its icon in the Device Panel and then clicking on a location in the workspace. Note that a device icon will follow your mouse cursor until it gets placed in a location. If Simple Mode is off, the device configuration dialog window will pop up as soon as you have placed a device into the workspace. You can set its parameters, and close the dialog window when finished. For routers and switches, a console window will pop up, allowing the use of IOS commands for configuration. If Simple Mode is on, the dialog window does not automatically appear.

Editing Devices and Port Configurations
You can edit a device any time simply by clicking on it. Its configuration dialog window will appear, and you can set any parameter as desired. This configuration dialog allows port by port configuration. Some devices can have up to 10 ports, and each can be individually configured. An existing port can be removed by clicking the port's slot, then select "Remove" from the drop down menu. If Simple Mode is off, routers and switches will have a console window that allows you to make non-physical configurations using Cisco IOS. However, if Console Mode is on, the console configuration for routers and switches can only be accessed via a PC console connection. See below for details.

Depending on the device, certain ports will be available by default upon creation of the device. New ports can be added by clicking on the empty port's slot and choosing a port type. Note that a port must be removed before changing its type. There is also a port status indicator below the port. The console port in routers and switches and the RS-232 port in PCs are static and cannot be removed.

Making Connections
You can make a network connection between two devices by clicking on the "Connect" icon in the Topology Panel. A connect icon will follow the mouse cursor, and you can subsequently click on the desired devices. With Simple Mode off, when you click on the "Connect" icon, you must first manually choose what type of connection it will be. Then, when you click on the first device, you must select the port from the drop down menu, and finally when you click on the 2nd device, you will have to select a port for that device also. Only free ports are available as choices. When the connection is completed, a green link light on the port will indicate that the connection is valid (layer-2 wise), and a red link light will indicate an invalid connection. To replace a connection, the link must be removed before reusing the port for another connection. In Simple mode, the connection type and ports are automatically chosen, so you can click on devices immediately after selecting the "Connect" icon.

> > Connection Types | Description
> > Copper Straight-through | The standard Ethernet media for connecting between devices that reside on different layers (i.e. hub to router, switch to PC, router to hub, etc). It can be connected to the following port types: 10Mbps Copper (Ethernet), 100Mbps Copper (Fast Ethernet), and 1000Mbps Copper (Gigabit Ethernet).
> > Copper Cross-over | The Ethernet media for connecting between devices that reside on the same layer (i.e. hub to hub, PC to PC, PC to printer, etc). It can be connected to the following port types: 10Mbps Copper (Ethernet), 100Mbps Copper (Fast Ethernet), and 1000Mbps Copper (Gigabit Ethernet).
> > Serial DCE & DTE | Serial connections are WAN connections, and can only be connected between serial ports. Note that you must enable clocking on the DCE side to bring up the line protocol. The DTE clocking is optional. You can tell which end of the connection is the DCE side by the small "clock" icon next to the port.
> > Fiber | Fiber media is used to make connections between fiber ports (100 Mbps or 1000 Mbps)
> > Wireless | Wireless connections can only be made between PCs and access points. Multiple PCs can connect to the same access point via wireless.
> > Phone | Phone line connections can only be made between PCs and Clouds, via their modem ports.
> > Console | Console connections can be made between PCs and routers or PCs and switches. Certain conditions must be met for the console session from the PC to work. The speed on both sides of the connection must be the same, the data bits must be 7 for both or 8 for both, the parity must be the same, the stop bits must be 1 or 2 (but they do not have to be the same), and the flow control can be anything for either side.

Working With the Workspace

| You can remove a device or a connection from the workspace by clicking on the "Remove" icon in the Device Panel. An eraser icon will follow the mouse cursor, and you can then click on any existing device or connection to remove it. Note that if you remove a device, any connections associated with it will be automatically removed as well.
| You can cancel the action of adding a device, removing a device, or making a connection by clicking on the Cancel button in the lower right corner of the workspace. Alternatively, you can use the Esc key.
| You can record notes and descriptions about any network by pressing the information button in the upper right hand corner of the screen, then typing text into the pop-up text box.
| You can double-click an icon in the Topology Panel to "hold down" an action. After double-clicking a Device Panel icon, you can continually create devices of the same type, quickly make connections one after another, or quickly remove devices one after another. When you are done, press the Cancel button to "release" the action and return to normal operations.
| You can zoom in and out of the network by turning on the "Zoom Radar" from the "Options" menu. Zooming in will give you a better view of each of the devices, and zooming out will allow you to work with a larger workspace. You can edit the network at any zoom level. You can also go to different parts of the workspace by clicking and dragging the smaller "viewable section" of the zoom radar. You can hide the zoom radar at any time by deselecting it from the "Options" menu. Alternatively, you can use the Page Up and Page Dn keys to quickly zoom in and out.
| You can select any device by clicking on its icon in the work space. You can also use the mouse cursor to draw a selection area to select multiple devices. (Click and hold the left mouse button, then drag the cursor to draw the selection rectangle). Once the desired devices are selected, you can delete them, or move them to a new location with the mouse. All connections are preserved in the move operation.