Verification & Packet Tracer Assembly Guide: PTL-0008

Lab ID: PTL-0008
Lab Title: Cisco IOS Navigation and Initial Device Configuration
Category: network-fundamentals
Difficulty: Beginner

1. Physical & Packet Tracer Assembly Manifest#

To construct this activity in Cisco Packet Tracer:

Device Hardware & Module Schedule#

Port-to-Port Cabling Matrix#

Step-by-Step Packet Tracer Assembly#

1. Open Cisco Packet Tracer.
2. Under Network Devices -> Switches, drag a 2960 switch onto the logical workspace. Set display name to S1.
3. Under End Devices -> End Devices, drag a PC onto the workspace. Set display name to PC-Admin.
4. Under Connections, select the light blue Console cable. Click PC-Admin and choose RS 232. Then click S1 and choose Console.
5. Under Connections, select the solid black Copper Straight-Through cable. Click PC-Admin and choose FastEthernet0. Click S1 and choose FastEthernet0/1.
6. Click PC-Admin -> Desktop tab -> IP Configuration:
   • IPv4 Address: 192.168.1.10
   • Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
   • Default Gateway: 192.168.1.1

2. Pre-Configuration & Starter State#

In the starter state (starter):

• Switch S1 is at factory default settings (Switch> prompt, unconfigured passwords, hostname Switch).
• PC-Admin is addressed and connected via both Console and Ethernet.
• Student must perform CLI navigation, set hostname to S1, configure passwords, enable secret, MOTD banner, password encryption, management SVI, and save to NVRAM.

The complete reference configuration is provided in configs/S1.txt.

3. Positive Verification Tests#

Test POS-01: Console Login Authentication#

• Action: Open PC-Admin -> Desktop -> Terminal (9600-8-N-1). Press Enter.
• Expected Terminal Output:

  User Access Verification
  
  Password: 
  S1>
  

• Criterion: Entering console password cisco unlocks User EXEC mode (S1>).

Test POS-02: Privileged EXEC Secret Authentication#

• Action: At S1>, enter enable.
• Expected Terminal Output:

  S1> enable
  Password: 
  S1#
  

• Criterion: Entering enable secret class unlocks Privileged EXEC mode (S1#).

Test POS-03: Message of the Day (MOTD) Banner Display#

• Action: Exit the console session completely (exit), then press Enter.
• Expected Terminal Output:

  Authorized Access Only! Violators will be prosecuted.
  
  User Access Verification
  
  Password: 
  

• Criterion: MOTD banner is displayed before the authentication prompt.

Test POS-04: Password Encryption in Running Configuration#

• Action: At S1#, issue show running-config | include password|secret.
• Expected Terminal Output:

  enable secret 5 $1$mERr$hx5rVt7rPNoS4wqbXKX7m0
  service password-encryption
   password 7 0822455B0A16
   password 7 0822455B0A16
  

• Criterion: Cleartext passwords (cisco) are encrypted as Cisco Type 7 hashes (0822455B0A16), and enable secret is hashed with MD5/SHA.

Test POS-05: NVRAM Startup-Config Persistence#

• Action: Execute reload on S1#. Confirm reload.
• Expected Terminal Output:

  Proceed with reload? [confirm]
  ...
  Press RETURN to get started!
  Authorized Access Only! Violators will be prosecuted.
  User Access Verification
  Password: 
  

• Criterion: Hostname S1 and all password protections persist across reboot.

4. Negative Verification Tests#

Test NEG-01: Rejection of Incorrect Enable Password#

• Action: At S1>, enter enable and type an incorrect password (e.g. wrongpass).
• Expected Terminal Output:

  S1> enable
  Password: 
  % Bad secrets
  
  Password: 
  

• Criterion: Switch rejects invalid password, logs % Bad secrets, and denies Privileged EXEC access.

Test NEG-02: Blocked Privileged Commands in User EXEC Mode#

• Action: From S1> (User EXEC), attempt to execute configure terminal.
• Expected Terminal Output:

  S1> configure terminal
      ^
  % Invalid input detected at '^' marker.
  

• Criterion: IOS command hierarchy restricts configuration commands exclusively to Privileged EXEC mode.

5. Diagnostic & Troubleshooting Reference#