Guides
Cisco lab guides
Practical, no-fluff guides to Cisco networking: step-by-step protocol configuration how-tos, and how to pick a lab platform and get hands-on. Search by protocol or topic — every guide points you at a graded lab to practice on.
Want the quick command reference instead of a walkthrough? Browse the Cisco command cheat sheets.
How to Configure Single-Area OSPF on Cisco (Step by Step)
A step-by-step guide to configuring single-area OSPFv2 on Cisco IOS: enable the process, advertise networks into area 0, and verify adjacencies.Router-on-a-Stick: Inter-VLAN Routing on Cisco (Step by Step)
Configure inter-VLAN routing with router-on-a-stick on Cisco IOS: an 802.1Q trunk to the switch and a router subinterface per VLAN, with verification.How to Configure an Extended ACL on Cisco (with Examples)
Write and apply an extended ACL on Cisco IOS: match source, destination, protocol and port, place it near the source, and verify — with a permit-web example.How to Configure a Default Route on Cisco (Gateway of Last Resort)
Configure a static default route on Cisco IOS, confirm the gateway of last resort, originate it into OSPF, and add a floating static backup.How to Configure SSH on a Cisco Router or Switch (Step by Step)
Enable SSH on a Cisco router or switch: set the domain name, generate the RSA key, add a local user, and lock the vty lines to SSHv2 — with verification.How to Configure an 802.1Q Trunk Between Cisco Switches (Step by Step)
Configure an 802.1Q trunk between Cisco switches: set trunk mode, restrict the allowed VLANs, match the native VLAN, and verify with show interfaces trunk.How to Configure Port Security on a Cisco Switch (Step by Step)
Configure port security on a Cisco switch: set the maximum MAC addresses, learn them with sticky, choose a violation mode (shutdown, restrict, or protect), and verify — plus the voice-VLAN gotcha.How to Configure EtherChannel with LACP on Cisco (Step by Step)
A step-by-step guide to configuring EtherChannel with LACP on Cisco IOS: bundle member ports, build the port-channel, and verify the bundle.How to Configure HSRP on Cisco for Gateway Redundancy (Step by Step)
Configure HSRP for gateway redundancy on Cisco IOS: set the virtual IP, priority and preempt, track an uplink with object tracking, and verify failover.How to Configure EIGRP on Cisco (Step by Step)
A step-by-step guide to configuring EIGRP on Cisco IOS: match the AS number, advertise networks with wildcard masks, disable auto-summary, and verify neighbors.How to Configure eBGP Peering on Cisco (Step by Step)
Configure eBGP peering on Cisco IOS: start BGP, define the neighbor in a different AS, advertise networks, and verify the session is Established.How to Configure NAT Overload (PAT) on Cisco (Step by Step)
Configure NAT overload (PAT) on Cisco IOS: mark inside/outside interfaces, match the inside subnet with an ACL, and enable overload so a LAN shares one IP.How to Configure a DHCP Server on a Cisco Router (Step by Step)
Step-by-step guide to configuring a Cisco IOS DHCP server: exclude addresses, build the pool, verify bindings, and relay DHCP with ip helper-address.How to Configure NTP on a Cisco Router (Step by Step)
Corrected NTP how-to guide with the Step 1 stratum-direction error fixed so it agrees with Step 2's correct statement.How to Configure a Static Route on Cisco (Step by Step)
Configure static routes on Cisco IOS correctly: next-hop vs exit-interface, administrative distance, floating static backups, and how to verify they install.How to Configure VLANs on a Cisco Switch (Step by Step)
Create, name, and assign a VLAN to an access port on a Cisco IOS switch — with the show commands to verify it and the exact fixes for ports stuck in VLAN 1.How to Configure Rapid Spanning Tree (RSTP) on Cisco (Step by Step)
Configure Rapid Spanning Tree (Rapid-PVST+) on Cisco IOS: switch to RSTP mode, set the root bridge, flag edge ports, confirm point-to-point links, and verify with show spanning-tree.How to Configure a Standard ACL on Cisco (with Examples)
Write and apply a standard ACL on Cisco IOS: match source with wildcard masks, place it close to the destination, and account for the implicit deny — with examples.How to Configure VRRP on Cisco for Gateway Redundancy (Step by Step)
Configure VRRP gateway redundancy on Cisco IOS: set the virtual IP, tune priority, preempt (on by default), verify with show vrrp, and fix failover mistakes.How to Configure CDP and LLDP on Cisco (Step by Step)
Configure CDP and LLDP on Cisco IOS: verify neighbors, enable 802.1AB for third-party gear, read detail output, and lock down discovery on untrusted ports.How to Configure Syslog on a Cisco Router (Step by Step)
Configure Cisco IOS syslog step by step: accurate timestamps, a central logging host, severity thresholds, on-box buffering, and console tuning you verify.How to Configure SNMP on a Cisco Router (v2c and v3)
Configure SNMP monitoring on Cisco IOS the right way: v2c community strings vs secure v3 authPriv (SHA/AES), trap setup, verify commands, and the security mistakes to avoid.How to Configure DHCP Snooping and Dynamic ARP Inspection (Step by Step)
Configure DHCP snooping to block rogue DHCP servers, then Dynamic ARP Inspection to stop ARP poisoning — a verified, step-by-step Cisco IOS walkthrough.How to Configure Inter-VLAN Routing with SVIs on a Layer 3 Switch (Step by Step)
Configure inter-VLAN routing on a Layer 3 switch using SVIs: enable ip routing, build VLAN gateways, verify with show ip route, and fix common gotchas.How to Subnet with VLSM (Step by Step, No Calculator)
Learn VLSM subnetting by hand for the CCNA: the host formula, largest-first allocation, and a full worked split of 192.168.1.0/24 into LANs and P2P links — no calculator needed.How to Configure IPv6 Addressing on Cisco (Step by Step)
Configure IPv6 on Cisco IOS: enable unicast-routing, assign static and EUI-64 global addresses, set link-local, and verify — plus fixes for classic mistakes.How to Configure a Loopback Interface on Cisco (Step by Step)
Configure a Cisco loopback interface step by step: assign a /32, use it as a stable OSPF/BGP router-id, advertise it into OSPF, verify up/up, and fix the common gotchas.How to Configure a Named ACL on Cisco (and Edit It by Sequence Number)
Configure a named standard or extended ACL on Cisco IOS, apply it to an interface, then insert, delete, and resequence entries by sequence number—no rebuild.How to Configure DHCP Relay (ip helper-address) on Cisco (Step by Step)
Configure DHCP relay with ip helper-address so clients lease from a DHCP server on another subnet. Step-by-step Cisco IOS setup, verification, and common fixes.How to Configure Static NAT on Cisco (One-to-One + Port Forwarding)
Configure static NAT on Cisco IOS: map an internal server to a fixed public IP, add port forwarding with static PAT, verify translations, and fix the common gotchas.How to Configure Multi-Area OSPF on Cisco (Step by Step)
Configure multi-area OSPFv2 on Cisco IOS step by step: assign areas, build the ABR, verify O IA routes, and fix the common adjacency and area-mismatch traps.How to Configure OSPF Authentication on Cisco (MD5, Step by Step)
Configure OSPF MD5 authentication on Cisco IOS step by step: interface and area-wide message-digest keys, verify a FULL adjacency, add SHA key chains, and fix stuck neighbors.How to Configure a Layer 3 (Routed) EtherChannel on Cisco (Step by Step)
Configure a Layer 3 routed EtherChannel on Cisco IOS: make members routed with no switchport, bundle with LACP, put the IP on the Port-Channel, and verify RU.How to Configure the Native VLAN on a Cisco Trunk (and Avoid Mismatches)
Set the 802.1Q native VLAN on a Cisco trunk, match it on both switch ends, verify with show interfaces trunk, and harden against VLAN-hopping attacks.How to Give a Cisco Switch a Management IP (SVI + Default Gateway)
Give a Layer 2 Cisco switch a management IP: build a management-VLAN SVI, add a default gateway for cross-subnet replies, then verify and fix the common failures.How to Restrict SSH/Telnet Access with a VTY access-class ACL (Step by Step)
Apply a standard access-class ACL to Cisco VTY lines so only a trusted management subnet can open SSH or Telnet — with config, verification, and lockout fixes.Cisco CML vs Packet Tracer: Which Should You Use to Study?
Cisco Modeling Labs runs real Cisco IOS; Packet Tracer simulates it. Here's how they differ and which to use for CCNA and CCNP hands-on practice.GNS3 vs Cisco CML: Which Lab Platform Is Right for You?
GNS3 is free and flexible; Cisco Modeling Labs is official and turnkey. A practical comparison for building Cisco lab topologies at home.How to Get Cisco CML for Free (and What the Free Tier Can Do)
Cisco offers a free tier of Cisco Modeling Labs with a limited node count. Here's how to access it and how to build real CCNA labs on free-tier images.How to Import a Lab into Cisco Modeling Labs (CML)
A step-by-step guide to importing a .yaml lab topology into Cisco Modeling Labs, starting the nodes, and connecting to the console.The Best Way to Practice CCNA Hands-On (Without Buying Gear)
You don't need a rack of routers to get real CCNA practice. Here's how to build hands-on skills with Cisco Modeling Labs and daily graded reps.EVE-NG vs Cisco CML: Which Network Emulator Should You Use?
EVE-NG or Cisco CML for your CCNA/CCNP home lab? Compare images, setup, cost, and support so you pick the network emulator that fits how you actually study.The Best Subnet Calculator (and Why You Should Still Subnet by Hand)
A good subnet calculator hands you the network, broadcast, host range, mask, and wildcard instantly — but the CCNA exam gives you none. Here's how to use both right.Cisco DevNet Sandbox: Free Cisco Labs in the Cloud
Free cloud-hosted Cisco gear for exploring APIs, Catalyst Center, and IOS-XE automation — what DevNet Sandbox does well, and where it falls short for CCNA drilling.PuTTY vs SecureCRT vs Tera Term: Terminal Emulators for Cisco Labs
Compare PuTTY, Tera Term, and SecureCRT for console and SSH access to Cisco labs — cost, serial support, scripting, and logging — so you pick the right terminal.How to Back Up and Export a Cisco Modeling Labs (CML) Lab
Export a Cisco Modeling Labs topology to a portable .yaml file, capture your node configs, and re-import or version it in git so a lab you built is never lost.Wireshark for CCNA: Capturing Packets in Your Lab
Wireshark turns your CCNA lab into a microscope. Learn where to capture in CML, how to write display filters, and which packets — OSPF, ARP, DHCP — to watch.VirtualBox for Network Labs: Free Virtualization for EVE-NG & GNS3
Oracle VirtualBox is a free, cross-platform hypervisor that can host EVE-NG or the GNS3 VM so you can run Cisco lab topologies at home. Here's where it fits — and its limits.VMware Workstation for Cisco Labs (Now Free for Personal Use)
VMware Workstation is now free for personal use and is the go-to hypervisor for running Cisco Modeling Labs, EVE-NG, and GNS3 at home. Here's how it compares to VirtualBox.Proxmox VE for Network Labs: A Free Home-Lab Server for CML, EVE-NG & GNS3
How Proxmox VE, a free bare-metal KVM hypervisor, gives you an always-on home-lab server for big CML, EVE-NG, and GNS3 topologies your laptop can't handle.The Best Home Lab Setup for CCNA (Hardware, RAM & Options)
Building a CCNA home lab? RAM is the real bottleneck. Compare running CML on your laptop, a Proxmox mini-PC, or the cloud — plus the Apple Silicon catch.Anki for CCNA: Spaced Repetition That Beats the Forgetting Curve
Use Anki's spaced repetition to lock CCNA rote facts into memory — ports, admin distances, subnet boundaries, protocol defaults — then let labs build skills.How to Download Cisco Packet Tracer for Free (via NetAcad)
Packet Tracer is free but only through Cisco's NetAcad. Here's exactly how to enroll, make an account, download, and sign in — plus when to graduate to CML.SSH to Cisco Gear from a Mac or Linux Terminal (No PuTTY Needed)
macOS and Linux ship with OpenSSH built in, so you can reach Cisco routers and switches straight from Terminal — plus fixes for legacy-cipher and host-key errors.Questions
Guides — FAQ
Are the guides free?
Yes — every guide is free to read, no account needed. They're the how-to layer around the graded labs: step-by-step Cisco IOS configuration plus lab-platform setup.
Do the guides work with Packet Tracer, or only CML?
The protocol how-tos are platform-agnostic Cisco IOS — they work in Cisco Modeling Labs, GNS3, EVE-NG, or Packet Tracer. A few setup guides are CML-specific, and each says so up front.
Which guide should I start with for the CCNA?
If you're new, start with a lab-platform setup guide (how to get CML running free), then work the protocol how-tos in study order — VLANs and subnetting first, then routing (static, OSPF), then services and security.
How are guides different from the concept explainers?
A concept explainer answers “what is X and why” in plain English; a guide is the hands-on “how to configure X on Cisco IOS,” step by step, pointing you at a graded lab to practice on.