Chapter One

Introduction to network device and

configuration
 Introduction

How a network operates?

• The network operates by connecting computers
and peripherals using switches, routers, and
access points.

• These devices are the essential networking basics

that allow the various pieces of equipment
connected to your network to communicate with
one another, as well as with other networks.
 Cont..
Switches:
• Switches are used to connect multiple devices on
the same network within a building or campus. For
example, a switch can connect your computers,
printers, and servers, creating a network of shared
resources.

• The switch, one aspect of your networking basics,

would serve as a controller, allowing the various
devices to share information and talk to each
other.
 Cont..

Routers:
• Routers are used to connect multiple networks
together.
– For example, you would use a router to connect your
networked computers to the Internet and thereby
share an Internet connection among many users.

• The router will act as a dispatcher, choosing the

best route for your information to travel so that you
receive it quickly.

• They connect your business to the outside world,

protect your information from security threats, and
 Cables and Connection

• Without configuration Routing device is a driverless

car. It is expensive, adorable but without driver it is
useless.

• Configuration guides it to take proper action.

Routing device does not have any display
interface. You have to connect it with PC, tablet ,
laptop or other device in order to configure it.

• We do have different option for connecting

different network devices, basically Router,
Switches, Hub, Server, PC (and other end devices)
 Router Interfaces

• A router supports many interface among those

Serial, Ethernet and console are the must have
interface. Every router has at least these
interfaces.

 Serial Interface

• Serial interface connects router with WAN

network.
• In WAN network, communication takes place
between two types of device, i.e. DTE and DCE.
 Cont..

o DTE : DTE is an end device. It stands for Data

Terminal Equipment. It ends communication
line. It converts data in signal and vice versa.
o DCE : DCE stands for Data Communication
Equipment. It provides a path for
communication.

Note:
 DCE: Provides clock rate
 DTE: Receives the clock rate
 Clock Rate (bit/sec): Speed of data
 Cont..

• In job environment, when you connect serial cable to the

serial interface of router, most probably other end of cable
would be connected to CSU/DSU device. A CSU/DSU
(Channel Service Unit/Data Service Unit) device connects
router with digital circuit (Wan Network). By default all
Cisco routers work as DTE. In this situation clocking is
provided by CSU/DSU device.

• In lab environment, we usually connect two routers back

to back using serial interface. As we know that all routers
are configured by default as DTE device. We have to
change one serial interface as DCE. Serial cable decides
which end would be DCE or DTE. It is usually marked on
 Cont..

Serial DCE, DTE cable

 Ethernet interface

• Ethernet interface is used to connect local

network to router, PC to switch, switch to switch,
switch to router.
• Ethernet interface uses UTP cable for connection.
UTP (Unshielded twisted pair) cable has four
pairs of wires twisted inside it.
 Cont..

• UTP cable used for:

 Ethernet connections
 Serial connections
 Console connections
 ISDN (Integrated Service Digital Network)
connections
 Modular and fixed interface connections

• Different type of connections need different type of

configuration including:
 Straight-through
 Crossover
 Rollover
 Straight-through Cable

• Straight-through cable is used to connect DTE to DCE

devices. It has same pin assignments on each end.

Side A
Side B
White Green -------------- White
Green
Green -------------- Green
White Orange -------------- White
Orange
Blue -------------- Blue
White Blue -------------- White Blue
 Cont..

• A straight-through cable
connects:
 PC to Switch
 PC to Hub
 Router to Switch
 Switch to Server
 Hub to Server
 Cross Over Cable

• In crossover cable TX and RX wires are connected at

opposite position on the end of cable.

Side A Side B
White Green -------------- White
Orange
Green --------------
Orange
White Orange -------------- White
Green
Blue -------------- Blue
White Blue -------------- White
Blue
 Cont..

• Crossover cable is used to

connects
 Two computers
 Two hubs
 A hub to a switch
 Two router interfaces
 A cable modem to a router
 Console interface
• All interfaces except console, are by default
administratively down on router and switch.
• You have to connect with device (router or switch)
via console interface to configure other interfaces
and make them active.
• Rollover ( also known as Console ) cable is used to
connect console interface with PC. In rollover
cable all wires have opposite position on each
end.

• RJ-45(Registered Jack): is a connector used to

make straight-through, crossover, and rollover
 IOS and CLI Introduction

• IOS (Internetwork Operating System) is the software

used on a network devices such as routers and
switches to manage routing, switching,
internetworking and telecommunications functions.

• The CLI is an interface, based on text. You type in

configuration commands and use show commands
to get the output from the router or switch.

• There are also GUIs (Graphical User Interface) for

the routers, switches and firewalls but the majority
of the work is done on the CLI.
 How to access the IOS CLI?

• Before we can enter any commands, we need access to

the CLI. There are three options to do so:
 Console
 Telnet
 SSH
• IOS follows a command hierarchy, with each level
offering different set of commands.
• All commands are assigned a privilege level, from 0 to
15, and can only be accessed by users with the
necessary privilege.
 Command Hierarchy

 User EXEC level: This is the level that a connected

user is allowed initially. User EXEC allows access to a
limited set of basic monitoring commands.
• A “>“ sign denotes User EXEC mode.

 Privileged EXEC level: Privileged EXEC level allows

access to all router commands including router
configuration and management commands.
• This level is usually password protected for security
reasons.
• A “#“ sign denotes privileged EXEC mode.
• The user can enter privileged EXEC mode by typing
 Cont..

 Global configuration mode: "Global configuration

mode" provides commands to change the system's
configuration. This is typically represented by
“(config)#“ sign as shown in the above example.

 Interface configuration mode: "Interface

configuration mode" provides commands to change
the configuration of a specific interface of the router.
An interface configuration mode is denoted by
“(config-in)#“.
 Summary

 A summary of Cisco IOS router command prompt is

given below:
Prompt Explanation
Router> User EXEC mode
Router# Privileged EXEC mode
Router(config)# Global configuration mode. # sign indicates
this is only accessible at privileged EXEC
mode.
Router(config-if)# Interface level configuration mode.

Router(config- Routing engine level within configuration

router)# mode.
Router(config-line)# Line level (vty, tty, async) within
configuration mode.
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