Does proficiency in PT or Gns3 helpful in CCENT / CCNA

hassantalal785

Well if Cisco is not using PT or Gns3 in their exams but their own software for testing in simulations , so is it important to learn Gns3 or PT in depth.I know one has to learn these software for practicing and creating network topologies but still should we learn these software exclusively or just enough to do labs.

oli356

Your thinking about this way too much!!!

You use these programs to design and build labs (test stuff).. As for the software there isn't much to learn really, PT has simulation mode where you can see packets travel across the screen and stuff, i have never used it though..

I don't think GNS3 can do any of that as its emulation not simulation software. They both have simple GUIs so using them is easy.

hassantalal785

Actually how should i prepare my self for the simulations questions . One understand concepts of routing and switching but i am really confused how to prepare for my labs exactly . A detailed insight into preparing labs would be much appreciated.

georgemc

hassantalal785 wrote: »

Actually how should i prepare my self for the simulations questions . One understand concepts of routing and switching but i am really confused how to prepare for my labs exactly . A detailed insight into preparing labs would be much appreciated.

Try this:

https://learningnetwork.cisco.com/community/certifications/ccna/icnd1?tab=3

Scroll to the bottom and click on "Exam Interface Tutorial" under "Examples of Exam Environment".

spd3432

Settle on either GNS3 or PT (if you're not going to use real hardware). Watch some youtube videos on how to use them, then search this forum for free CCNA labs. Set up the labs in whichever program you chose. That will get you used to using the CLI (or something close to it - PT), or at least enough of it to be able to pass the exams.

GNS3 doesn't do switches. I believe most people who are using it are connecting switches (real hardware) into GNS3 using either the serial port (possibly USB these days with a converter) or their wired NIC. I don't use it so never bothered getting that deep.

oli356

The link above looked fine. I just made up 'random' IP addresses and assigned them to routers and then configured them with RIP V2 and static routes etc. Though for my exam the show commands were more important as I never had a configuration question (of course, you could do though).

So make sure you know the config commands and show commands, also what mode you need to be in (user, privileged exec ..)

NetworkVeteran

One understand concepts of routing and switching but i am really confused how to prepare for my labs exactly . A detailed insight into preparing labs would be much appreciated.

You should practice the IOS configuration and show commands described in your CCNA textbook. From the perspective of learning (for your exams and career) it doesn't matter whether you use IOS on physical hardware or on emulated hardware (GNS3). Use whatever you find the most convenient.

If you have never configured routers and switches, it's unlikely you understand the concepts as well as you think you do. Certainly, there is a reason that in many careers one needs both hands-on experience as well as book-learning in order to perform their job role at an adequate professional level.

Add to that, CCNA books barely scratch the surface of routing and switching.

GNS3 doesn't do switches. I believe most people who are using it are connecting switches (real hardware) into GNS3 using either the serial port (possibly USB these days with a converter) or their wired NIC. I don't use it so never bothered getting that deep.

GNS3 indeed does switches. Not perfectly. Not ideally. But it does! That said, I would use GNS3 for routers and then rent or buy real switches as needed. At the CCNA/CCNP/CCIP-level, connecting GNS and real Catalysts together is unnecessary. That's getting into CCIE territory.

elderkai

GNS3 can add the NM16-SW on routers, but it cannot emulate a switch IOS at all. Would be very handy if it did, though.

alxx

You need to lab , if you want to learn and get skills to make you employable in networking
and packet tracer and gsn3 are ways to get started.

Labbing isn't a bid deal. Its just a way of learning and getting familiar with the commands you need to configure and troubleshoot routers and switches.

Get yourself a few different lab guides, work through them.

gsn3 video
CBT Nuggets

You can get 2950's (switches) from $10

JockVSJock

elderkai wrote: »

GNS3 can add the NM16-SW on routers, but it cannot emulate a switch IOS at all. Would be very handy if it did, though.

Yes, you are right. I've added that module into one of the Router Versions (can't remember at this time, because I'm taking a break from Cisco) and I got the capability to run pcs from that module, but I can't run Cisco Switch commands.

NetworkVeteran

JockVSJock wrote: »

Yes, you are right. I've added that module into one of the Router Versions (can't remember at this time, because I'm taking a break from Cisco) and I got the capability to run pcs from that module, but I can't run Cisco Switch commands.

The EtherSwitch Module supports many switch commands. If you have trouble figuring out how to run switch commands on it, post here, and someone will surely help.

There are definite limitations, so it wouldn't be my first choice for CCNA or CCNP-SWITCH, but it's great that it's there, and wonderful for CCNA/CCNP Switch-Router interaction scenarios.

I used it successfully to pass my CCNP TSHOOT awhile ago.

R1(config)#int f0/0
R1(config)#! <

---

This is a router port
R1(config-if)#switchport
^
% Invalid input detected at '^' marker.

R1(config-if)#int f2/0
R1(config)#! <

---

This is an EtherSwitch port
R1(config-if)#switchport
R1(config-if)#end

R1#show int f2/0 switchport
Name: Fa2/0
Switchport: Enabled
Administrative Mode: static access
Operational Mode: static access
Administrative Trunking Encapsulation: dot1q
Operational Trunking Encapsulation: native
Negotiation of Trunking: Disabled
Access Mode VLAN: 1 (default)
Trunking Native Mode VLAN: 1 (default)
Trunking VLANs Enabled: ALL
Trunking VLANs Active: 1
Protected: false
Priority for untagged frames: 0
Override vlan tag priority: FALSE
Voice VLAN: none
Appliance trust: none

R1#show vtp status
VTP Version : 2
Configuration Revision : 0
Maximum VLANs supported locally : 36
Number of existing VLANs : 5
VTP Operating Mode : Server
VTP Domain Name : Veteran
VTP Pruning Mode : Disabled
VTP V2 Mode : Disabled
VTP Traps Generation : Disabled
MD5 digest : 0x59 0x28 0xBB 0x11 0x59 0x81 0xC0 0x2D
Configuration last modified by 0.0.0.0 at 0-0-00 00:00:00
Local updater ID is 1.1.1.1 on interface Lo0 (first interface found)

JockVSJock

NetworkVeteran wrote: »

The EtherSwitch Module supports many switch commands. If you have trouble figuring out how to run switch commands on it, post here, and someone will surely help.

Ok, thanks.