How to configure Cisco router in CCNA step by step guide

In this article we would extend what you have learnt from previous article. In previous article you have learnt

• How to check running configuration in Cisco router
• How to check history
• How to check Router version
• How to check Router hardware platform
• How to know DCE or DTE port

We would use same topology which we have created in our previous article. Either create a topology as given in following image

Click inside the Router and select CLI and press Enter to get started. Setup mode start automatically if there is no startup configuration present. The answer inside the square brackets [ ], is the default answer. If this is the answer you want, just press enter. Pressing CTRL+C at any time will end the setup process, shut down all interfaces, and take you to user mode (Router>).

You cannot use setup mode to configure an entire router. It does only the basics. For example, you can only turn on either RIPv1 or Interior Gateway Routing Protocol (IGRP), but not Open Shortest Path First Protocol (OSPF) or Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol (EIGRP). You cannot create access control lists (ACL) here or enable Network Address Translation (NAT). You can assign an IP address to an interface, but not to a subinterface. All in all, setup mode is very limiting.

--- System Configuration Dialog --- Continue with configuration dialog? [yes/no]:

Write no and press enter. To get router prompt

You are now connected to Router and are in user mode prompt. The prompt is broken down into two parts, the hostname and the mode. "Router" is the Router0's hostname and ">" means you are in user mode.

Press RETURN to get started

Router>

User mode is indicated with the '>' next to the router name. in this mode you can look at settings but can not make changes.
In Privilege mode(indicated by the '#', you can do anything). To get into privilege mode the keyword is enable.

Next type the command enable to get to the privileged mode prompt.

Router > enable

Router#

To get back to the user mode, simply type disable. From the user mode type logout or exit to leave the router.

Router#disable

Router>

Router>exit

Router con0 is now available

Press RETURN to get started

press enter to get back router prompt

Router>

You are now in User mode. Type ? to view all the available commands at this prompt.

Router>?

From privilege mode you can enter in configuration mode by typing configure terminal you can exit configuration mode type exit or <CTL>+z

Router>enable

Router#config terminal

Router(config)#exit

Router#

To view all commands available from this mode type ? and press enter This will give you the list of all available commands for the router in your current mode. You can also use the question mark after you have started typing a command. For example if you want to use a show command but you do not remember which one it uses 'show ?' will output all commands that you can use with the show command.

Router#show ?

access-expression List access expression

access-lists List access lists

backup Backup status

cdp CDP information

clock Display the system clock

cls DLC user information

compress Show compression statistics

configuration Contents of Non-Volatile memory

--More--

Basic Global Configurations mode Commands

Configuring a Router Name

This command works on both routers and switches

Router(config)#hostname Lucknow Lucknow(config)#

You could choose any descriptive name for your cisco devices

Configuring Passwords

This command works on both routers and switches

Router(config)#enable password test	Sets enable password to test
Router(config)#enable secret vinita	Sets enable secret password to vinita
Router(config)#line console 0	Enters console line mode
Router(config-line)#password console	Sets console line mode password to console
Router(config-line)#login	Enables password checking at login
Router(config)#line vty 0 4	Enters vty line mode for all five vty lines
Router(config-line)#password telnet	Sets vty password to telnet
Router(config-line)#login	Enables password checking at login
Router(config)#line aux 0	Enters auxiliary line mode
Router(config-line)#password aux	Sets auxiliary line mode password to aux
Router(config-line)#login	Enables password checking at login

CAUTION: The enable secret password is encrypted by default. The enable password is not. For this reason, recommended practice is that you never use the enable password command. Use only the enable secret password command in a router or switch configuration.
You cannot set both enable secret password and enable password to the same password. Doing so defeats the use of encryption.

Configuring a Fast Ethernet Interface

Router(config)#interface fastethernet 0/0	Moves to Fast Ethernet 0/0 interface configuration mode
Router(config-if)#description Student Lab LAN	Optional descriptor of the link is locally significant
Router(config-if)#ip address 192.168.20.1 255.255.255.0	Assigns address and subnet mask to interface
Router(config-if)#no shutdown	Turns interface on

Creating a Message of the Day Banner

Router(config)#banner motd # Next Schedule metting with manager is Postponed   #

Router(config)#

The MOTD banner is displayed on all terminals and is useful for sending messages that affect all users. Use the no banner motd command to disable the MOTD banner. The MOTD banner displays before the login prompt and the login banner, if one has been created.

Creating a Login Banner

Router(config)#banner login # Unauthorized access is prohibited !

Please enter your username and password. #

Router(config)#

The login banner displays before the username and password login prompts. Use the no banner login command to disable the login banner. The MOTD banner displays before the login banner.

# is known as a delimiting character. The delimiting character must surround the banner and login message and can be any character so long as it is not a character used within the body of the message

Assigning a Local Host Name to an IP Address

Router(config)#ip host Lucknow 172.16.1.1

Assigns a host name to the IP address. After this assignment, you can use the host name rather than an IP address when trying to Telnet or ping to that address

The no ip domain-lookup Command

Router(config)#no ip domain-lookup

Router(config)#

Turns off trying to automatically resolve an unrecognized command to a local host name

Ever type in a command incorrectly and are left having to wait for a minute or two as the router tries to translate your command to a domain server of 255.255.255.255? The router is set by default to try to resolve any word that is not a command to a Domain Name System (DNS) server at address 255.255.255.255. If you are not going to set up DNS, turn off this feature to save you time as you type, especially if you are a poor typist

The logging synchronous Command

Router(config)#line console 0

Router(config-line)#exec-timeout 0 0

Router(config-line)#

Sets the time limit when the console automatically logs off. Set to 0 0 (minutes seconds) means the console never logs off.
The command exec-timeout 0 0 is great for a lab environment because the console never logs out. This is considered to be bad security and is dangerous in the real world. The default for the exec-timeout command is 10 minutes and zero (0) seconds (exec-timeout 10 0).

Saving and erasing configurations

Router(config)#exit	Bring you back in Privilege exec mode
Router#copy running-config startup-config	Saves the running configuration to local NVRAM
Router#copy running-config tftp	Saves the running configuration remotely to a TFTP server
Router#erase startup-config	Deletes the startup configuration file from NVRAM

Configuration Example: Basic Router Configuration

Click inside the Router and select CLI and press Enter to get started.

        --- System Configuration Dialog ---

Continue with configuration dialog? [yes/no]: no

Press RETURN to get started!

Router>enable

Router#configure terminal

Enter configuration commands, one per line.  End with CNTL/Z.

Router(config)#hostname R1

R1(config)#interface fastethernet 0/0

R1(config-if)#description Student Lab LAN

R1(config-if)#ip address 192.168.20.1 255.255.255.0

R1(config-if)#no shutdown

%LINK-5-CHANGED: Interface FastEthernet0/0, changed state to up

%LINEPROTO-5-UPDOWN: Line protocol on Interface FastEthernet0/0, changed state to up

R1(config-if)#exit

R1(config)#banner motd # Next Schedule metting with is postponed #

R1(config)#banner login # Unauthorized access is prohibited !

 Enter you user name and password #

R1(config)#ip host Lucknow 172.16.1.1

R1(config)#no ip domain-lookup

R1(config)#line console 0

R1(config-line)#exec-timeout 0 0

R1(config-line)#logging synchronous

R1(config-line)#password consloe

R1(config-line)#login

R1(config-line)#exit

R1(config)#line vty 0 4

R1(config-line)#password telnet

R1(config-line)#login

R1(config-line)#exit

% Unrecognized command

R1(config)#enable password test

R1(config)#enable secret vinita

R1(config)#exit

%SYS-5-CONFIG_I: Configured from console by console

R1#copy running-config startup-config

Destination filename [startup-config]?

Building configuration...

[OK]

R1#

I have uploaded a configured and tested topology in case you are unable to locate the problem spot then download this configuration file. And try to find out where have you committed mistake