"Breaking" a network to fix it

If you set up a lab and get it all working that is great, but then you want to practice your troubleshooting skills so you need to break it in order to do this. The problem with this is you already know what you broke, so kind of defeats the purpose of having to hunt down the problem and fix it.

Is there anywhere I can download some switch and/or router configs that are already "broken" so that I can practice my troubleshooting skills by fixing it?

I'm talking about real lab gear, not a simulator like Packet Tracer which has labs to do this.

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Comments

Xenz

I'm not sure if any sites offer broken text config files to put into the router/switch. I remember seeing a very limited amount, and some were outdated, GNS exercises. This requires GNS/IOS images though which can be a problem.

Your best bet is to find a friend to come over and break your network for you on live equipment. I'd be more than willing to break packet tracer or GNS networks if you'd like. Packet Tracer is good enough for ICND 2. After that it'd be down to GNS or a friend coming over to break things.

wbosher

Thanks for the offer, but I'm about to set up a home lab and am really looking forward to using the real thing.

I've used both Routersim and Packet Tracer and they got me through ICND1 no problem, but I've noticed a few bugs that pop up from time to time that are really starting to irritate me. I've had networks that for some reason didn't work as expected, spent ages trying to figure it out only to find that the config was all correct and it was a bug in the program. Restarted the simulator the next day to begin troubleshooting again and the network started working straight away...I had just wasted an hour of my life the night before.

Unfortunately I don't have anything to do with my work colleagues (the network gurus) outside of work, and none of my friends know anything about networks, let alone router configuration. Would be funny to watch though.

Xenz

Using PT 5.1 I've only noticed bugs when you try to do things outside the scope of the CCNA course. It works fairly well for everything else.

You're going to be kind of stuck then if you don't really have anyone to come over and break things for you. Only thing you could do is compile a working txt file of the config and send it off to someone to add or remove commands. Then it's up to you not to peek at the file and see if you notice the problem.

Maybe someone knows of a site that will have GNS configs.

wbosher

Of course another option is to get everything work properly then get really wasted one Friday night and let myself loose on the network!!

Will make a horrible mess (probably physically as well as logically) and won't remember a thing in the morning. When I fall into bed at 3am completely written off, I can tell my wife I was "studying" and I won't really be lying.

remyforbes777

One thing you can do is, construct your lab, then write down a series of commands that could break it. Have someone that is computer literate enough to type commands in the console , type them in. Another thing is once you get it all connected up have them move the cables around. You will know how it was connected up of course but it's still good practice.

wbosher

remyforbes777 wrote: »

One thing you can do is, construct your lab, then write down a series of commands that could break it. Have someone that is computer literate enough to type commands in the console , type them in. Another thing is once you get it all connected up have them move the cables around. You will know how it was connected up of course but it's still good practice.

That's not a bad idea.

apd123

This lab you have setup is not complex enough if it was you would have to troubleshoot as part of the build it and get it working phase you mentioned. Studying for the CCIE or working for a Cisco Partner dealing with small to medium business you will get more troubleshooting than you would like.

wbosher

I haven't even set it up yet, hoping to get the gear next week. Probably three or four 2600 series routers and a couple of 2950 switches.

I do work for a Cisco Partner dealing with small to medium business, an ISP in New Zealand with a Cisco Gold rating. However, I only work on a 1st level helpdesk so don't get exposure to the networking side of things, at least not in any hands on capacity.

apd123

If you set it up correctly you will get plenty of troubleshooting done without having to force it. Also no amount of lab time can really make up for the live stuff. Good luck with the lab just by setting it up you are way ahead of the norm.

wbosher

I would love to get some hands on experience on the "hands on" stuff, but I need CCNA (and probably CCNA voice) before I can get off of the helpdesk.

jovan88

apd123 wrote: »

If you set it up correctly you will get plenty of troubleshooting done without having to force it. Also no amount of lab time can really make up for the live stuff. Good luck with the lab just by setting it up you are way ahead of the norm.

Exactly right, you don't need someone to break the network, just build your lab and you are sure to miss something.

jason_lunde

Most of the cisco lab portfolios will have a troubleshooting lab at the end of each section. They will give you the commands to copy/paste into your devices, and then you must find out what is wrong with them. They are pretty good to work with, at least the BSCI ones were for me. Try to use their configs and do the copy/paste thing though. Because if you find yourself typing all of the commands in manually, you will normally find the problem as you go (if that even makes sense). hope this helps.

jbrad95706

Send me your gear, I'll send it back once it's broken.

shodown

apd123 wrote: »

This lab you have setup is not complex enough if it was you would have to troubleshoot as part of the build it and get it working phase you mentioned. Studying for the CCIE or working for a Cisco Partner dealing with small to medium business you will get more troubleshooting than you would like.

This is shodown and I approve this message

captobvious

jbrad95706 wrote: »

Send me your gear, I'll send it back once it's broken.

Thanks for the laugh!