52 hands-on Routing scenarios you build in your own Cisco Modeling Labs instance and grade against the answer key. Routing configuration and troubleshooting practice for CCNA and CCNP.
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Configure a classic hub-and-spoke EIGRP domain where the single-homed branch (R2) is made an EIGRP stub, limiting query scope while still advertising its LAN. Validate that R1 flags R2 as a stub neighbor, routes still exchange, and query behavior is scoped appropriately.
Bring up EIGRP in AS 100 between two routers over a /30 transit and advertise a single LAN. Verify the first adjacency forms and that R2 learns R1's LAN via EIGRP. Includes realistic end hosts on a shared LAN for path testing.
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Build a 3-router EIGRP domain where R1 reaches R3’s loopback over two paths (direct and via R2). You will tune interface delay so the indirect path becomes the successor and the direct path remains a feasible successor, then enable variance to install both unequal-cost paths in R1’s routing table. Two Alpine hosts validate end-to-end reachability while router show commands confirm unequal-cost load sharing.
Build a two-router, two-LAN EIGRP domain and practice precise wildcard-masked network statements so only the intended interfaces participate. R1 has an extra LAN on Ethernet0/2 (172.16.99.0/24) that must be excluded from EIGRP. Validate with show commands and end-host pings that the correct LANs are exchanged and the excluded LAN is not advertised.
Build and verify EIGRP on a small routed topology while marking the user-facing LAN interface as passive. You will advertise the LAN into EIGRP without forming an adjacency on that segment, preventing rogue neighbors and reducing control-plane noise. Focus on deterministic EIGRP configuration, wildcard-based network inclusion, and verification using show commands.
Harden EIGRP adjacencies with MD5 authentication between two iol-xe routers over a /30 transit, then validate that only trusted peers form neighbors. You will configure a key chain, bind it to the transit interface, and enable EIGRP (AS 100) to exchange two user LANs. Verification includes neighbor state, key chain presence, and end-to-end host reachability.
Troubleshoot classic static routing and connectivity issues in a 3-router, 2-site network. Faults seeded include a missing return route, wrong next-hop/mask, and a missing/misconfigured default route. Learners must identify and correct Layer 3 faults to restore end-to-end reachability between branch clients.
Implement two HSRP groups on a single VLAN so each router is Active for one group and Standby for the other. Two hosts split default gateways across the two virtual IPs for deterministic load-sharing with redundancy.
Build a routed LACP EtherChannel (Port-channel 8) between two iol-xe routers and route real inter-LAN traffic using static routes. Two parallel physical links (Ethernet0/0 and Ethernet0/1) on each router are bundled into a single Layer-3 Port-channel with a /30 transit. Each router serves a local /24 LAN with an alpine host. Validate that Po8 is up/up, static routes are present, and end-to-end host pings succeed across the aggregated uplink.
Build a Layer-3 EtherChannel between two IOS XE routers using LACP active/active. Two parallel router links are bundled into Port-channel5, which carries a /30 transit. R2 hosts a loopback; R1 installs a static route to reach it. Validate that the Port-channel holds the IP (members do not), that the bundle is up and uses both links, and that pings across the /30 and to the loopback succeed. Emphasis: deterministic EtherChannel configuration and Layer-3 port-channel practices.
Hands-on static routing lab in a small branch–WAN–branch triangle. You will configure recursive, directly-attached, and fully-specified static routes to enable end-to-end reachability between two hosts across three routers. You will learn how next-hop resolution works, how it appears in show ip route, and how to troubleshoot when static routes don’t resolve or forward as expected.
Deploy router-on-a-stick inter-VLAN routing across a compact branch topology with a distribution and access switch, a hardened 802.1Q trunk, and two user VLANs. Configure VLANs and access/trunk ports, build router subinterfaces, verify end-to-end user reachability, and troubleshoot trunk/native-VLAN/subinterface mismatches.
Deploy a 5-node OSPFv2 lab featuring a redundant area 0 triangle (R1–R2–R3) and an ABR (R3) connecting to area 1 with branch networks on R4. A client on R1’s area 0 LAN validates reachability to branch loopback networks summarized by the ABR. You will set explicit router-ids from Loopback0, use passive-interface default, advertise R4’s loopbacks as /24s using ip ospf network point-to-point, and summarize area 1 into a /23 on the ABR. Verify FULL adjacencies, a single O IA summary on R1, and end-to-end connectivity. Troubleshoot an introduced area mismatch and interface/addressing issues.
Deploy IP addressing and bidirectional static routing across a three-router topology to connect two branch LANs through an HQ hop. Practice verification from end hosts, analyze routing tables, and troubleshoot asymmetric reachability.
Beginner CCNA lab focusing on IPv4 addressing and basic Layer 3 verification on a small branch network. You will assign IP addresses to router interfaces, confirm end-host default gateways, and verify connected reachability using host-based pings. You will also learn to read 'show ip interface brief' and 'show ip route' to confirm operational state before any routing beyond directly-connected networks is configured.
Configure a default route on a branch edge router and a return static route on an upstream core router to enable full bidirectional connectivity between a stub branch LAN and a core server LAN. Verify the S* default route, gateway of last resort, and end-to-end reachability from real hosts. Troubleshoot missing default or return paths.
Hands-on IPv6 static and default routing across a 3-router, 2-LAN topology with end-user hosts. You will enable IPv6 unicast routing, apply IPv6 addressing, configure hub-and-spoke static and default routes, and validate bidirectional host reachability. The guide provides scenario context, step-by-step tasks with the why behind each action, and targeted troubleshooting.
Build a small HQ–WAN–Branch triangle with two independent WAN paths. Configure equal-cost static routes on both edge routers so traffic to the opposite site’s LAN installs with two next-hops and is load-shared by CEF. Verify end-to-end reachability from real hosts, observe per-flow load sharing on the routers, and compare behavior to a floating static of higher administrative distance.
Hands-on CCNA static routing lab: build a small hub-and-spoke with two stub routers and a hub router. Configure default routes on the spokes and specific static routes on the hub so two user LANs reach each other end-to-end. Validate from real hosts and practice first-hop and return-path troubleshooting.
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Build a 3-router triangle with two end-to-end paths between Branch A and the Data Center. Stand up OSPF area 0, create an ECMP condition, then intentionally steer traffic using ip ospf cost. Verify from the end hosts and troubleshoot common OSPF control-plane mismatches.
Build a 5-node CML lab to design OSPFv2 across two areas with an ABR that summarizes non-backbone routes using area range. Validate adjacencies, end-to-end reachability, and that the backbone learns a single summary in place of specific inter-area routes. Intentionally introduce an area mismatch, diagnose why the adjacency does not form, and repair it.
Build and troubleshoot a compact multi-area OSPF design with a single ABR between area 0 and area 10. You will deploy OSPF, observe an adjacency failure caused by an area mismatch on one transit link, repair it, and validate that routes propagate end to end between two user LANs.
Deploy OSPFv2 with MD5 authentication on backbone links, deliberately trigger and diagnose an area mismatch adjacency failure, then fix it and restore end-to-end reachability between two branch hosts in a compact three-router topology.
Advanced CCNP OSPFv2 multi-area capstone. Build a three-router line topology with area 10 at the branch, area 0 at the core, and MD5 authentication on the area 0 transit. Advertise all loopbacks and a branch user LAN. Validate end-to-end reachability from the branch host to every router loopback and the core LAN. Includes realistic enterprise management and verification flows.
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