Cisco lab guides
Every guide in CCNA exam order. Open a domain to study it, or search to jump straight to a protocol.
Not sure where to begin? The CCNA study hub explains what each domain covers and in what order. Want the quick command reference instead of a walkthrough? Browse the Cisco command cheat sheets.
1 Network Fundamentals · 4 guides
Addressing and the subnet math every later topic is built on. Start here if you are new.
Subnetting & IP Addressing
Master IPv4/IPv6 addressing and subnet by hand — the skill the whole exam rests on.
- How to Subnet with VLSM (No Calculator)Subnet by hand for the exam: the host formula and largest-first allocation.
- How to Configure IPv6 Addressing on CiscoEnable unicast-routing, assign static and EUI-64 addresses, and verify link-local.
- How to Configure a Loopback Interface on CiscoA /32 that never goes down: a stable router-id for OSPF and BGP.
- The Best Subnet Calculator (and Why You Should Still Subnet by Hand)Which calculator to use, and why the exam still demands hand subnetting.
2 Network Access · 9 guides
Switching: VLANs, trunks, spanning tree and link bundling — how one campus network stays separated and loop-free.
VLANs, Trunking & Inter-VLAN Routing
Segment the LAN, carry VLANs across trunks, and route between them.
- How to Configure VLANs on a Cisco SwitchCreate, name, and assign a VLAN to an access port — with verification.
- How to Configure an 802.1Q Trunk Between Cisco SwitchesSet trunk mode, restrict the allowed VLANs, match the native VLAN, verify.
- How to Configure the Native VLAN on a Cisco Trunk (and Avoid Mismatches)Match the native VLAN on both trunk ends and stop VLAN hopping.
- Router-on-a-Stick: Inter-VLAN Routing on CiscoRoute between VLANs with one trunk and a router subinterface per VLAN.
- How to Configure Inter-VLAN Routing with SVIs on a Layer 3 SwitchRoute between VLANs on a Layer 3 switch using SVIs instead of a router.
- How to Give a Cisco Switch a Management IP (SVI + Default Gateway)Give a switch an SVI and default gateway so you can SSH in.
Spanning Tree (STP)
Keep a redundant switched network loop-free — root bridges, port roles, and edge protection.
EtherChannel
Bundle links into one logical channel — more bandwidth, faster failover.
3 IP Connectivity · 7 guides
Routing: how a packet gets from one network to another, by hand first and then dynamically with OSPF.
Static & Default Routing
Steer traffic by hand — static routes, default routes, and floating backups.
OSPF
From a first adjacency to multi-area design — the CCNA's flagship routing protocol.
- How to Configure Single-Area OSPF on CiscoEnable OSPFv2, advertise networks into area 0, and verify the adjacency.
- How to Configure Multi-Area OSPF on CiscoSplit OSPF into areas, build the ABR, and read the O IA routes.
- How to Configure OSPF Authentication on Cisco (MD5)Add MD5 keys to OSPF and get the adjacency back to FULL.
EIGRP
Cisco's advanced distance-vector protocol — neighbors, metrics, and the topology table.
4 IP Services · 10 guides
The services a working network runs on — addressing hosts, translating addresses, keeping time, staying reachable.
NAT & PAT
Translate private addresses to public — static NAT and PAT overload.
DHCP
Hand out addresses automatically — server pools and cross-subnet relay.
First-Hop Redundancy (HSRP & VRRP)
Give hosts a resilient default gateway that survives a router failure.
Network Services & Management
Keep the network observable — time, discovery, logging, and monitoring.
- How to Configure NTP on a Cisco RouterPoint a router at an NTP server, authenticate it, and verify sync.
- How to Configure CDP and LLDP on CiscoDiscover neighbors with CDP and LLDP, and lock discovery down on untrusted ports.
- How to Configure Syslog on a Cisco RouterSend logs to a central host with accurate timestamps and severity thresholds.
- How to Configure SNMP on a Cisco Router (v2c and v3)v2c communities versus secure v3 authPriv, trap setup, and verification.
5 Security Fundamentals · 8 guides
Filtering traffic and locking down the devices themselves.
Access Control Lists (ACLs)
Filter traffic by source, destination, and port — standard, extended, and named.
- How to Configure a Standard ACL on Cisco (with Examples)Filter on source address only — wildcard masks, placement, and the implicit deny.
- How to Configure an Extended ACL on Cisco (with Examples)Filter by source, destination, protocol and port — and where to apply it.
- How to Configure a Named ACL on Cisco (and Edit It by Sequence Number)Name your ACLs, then insert and delete entries by sequence number.
- How to Restrict SSH/Telnet Access with a VTY access-class ACLUse a VTY access-class ACL so only your management subnet can log in.
Device Security & SSH
Lock down management access and harden the switch edge.
- How to Configure SSH on a Cisco Router or SwitchDomain name, RSA key, local user, and vty lines locked to SSHv2.
- SSH to Cisco Gear from a Mac or Linux Terminal (No PuTTY Needed)Reach Cisco gear from Terminal with built-in OpenSSH — plus legacy-cipher fixes.
- How to Configure Port Security on a Cisco SwitchLimit MAC addresses per port, learn them sticky, and pick a violation mode.
- How to Configure DHCP Snooping and Dynamic ARP InspectionBlock rogue DHCP servers, then stop ARP poisoning with Dynamic ARP Inspection.
Set up your lab first · 17
Pick a lab platform, get it running, and choose a terminal — none of the topics above are much use until you have something to configure.
- Cisco CML vs Packet Tracer: Real IOS vs SimulatedSimulated IOS versus the real thing — which tool fits CCNA and CCNP study.
- GNS3 vs Cisco CML: DIY and Free vs Official and EasyBoth run real IOS: GNS3 is free but DIY, CML is official and turnkey.
- Packet Tracer vs GNS3: Free Simulator vs Real ImagesTwo free tools: Packet Tracer trades away fidelity, GNS3 trades away setup time.
- How to Get Cisco CML Free: Download, Install, 5-Node LimitGet the free 5-node CML tier: download, install, and lab inside the limit.
- How to Import a Lab into Cisco Modeling Labs (CML)Import a .yaml topology, boot the nodes, and fix nodes that will not start.
- The Best Way to Practice CCNA Hands-On (Without Buying Gear)Build real CCNA skills without buying gear — virtual labs and daily graded reps.
- EVE-NG vs Cisco CML: Which Network Emulator Should You Use?Community emulator versus Cisco's official one — images, setup, cost, and support.
- Cisco DevNet Sandbox: Free Cisco Labs in the CloudFree cloud Cisco gear for API and automation practice — not CCNA drilling.
- PuTTY vs Tera Term vs SecureCRT for Cisco Serial & SSHSerial console, SSH, logging and scripting compared — and which to install first.
- How to Back Up and Export a Cisco Modeling Labs (CML) LabExport a CML topology to portable .yaml — and why you extract configs first.
- Wireshark for CCNA: Capturing Packets in Your LabWhere to capture in your lab, how to filter, and which packets matter.
- VirtualBox for Network Labs: Free Virtualization for EVE-NG & GNS3The free hypervisor that hosts EVE-NG or GNS3 at home — and its limits.
- VMware Workstation for Cisco Labs (Now Free for Personal Use)The free-for-personal-use hypervisor CML expects, compared against VirtualBox.
- Proxmox VE for Network Labs: A Free Home-Lab Server for CML, EVE-NG & GNS3A free bare-metal hypervisor for always-on labs bigger than your laptop.
- The Best Home Lab Setup for CCNA (Hardware, RAM & Options)RAM is the bottleneck: laptop, mini-PC, or cloud — plus the Apple Silicon catch.
- Anki for CCNA: Spaced Repetition That Beats the Forgetting CurveSpaced repetition for the rote facts labs will not teach: ports, distances, defaults.
- How to Download Cisco Packet Tracer for Free (via NetAcad)Enroll in NetAcad, download Packet Tracer free, and know when to leave it.
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.