Using Packet Tracer to Build a Home Network
Objectives
Part 1: Connect and Configure Devices
Part 2: Use Network Services
Background / Scenario
In this Packet Tracer (PT) activity, you will setup a home network. You will connect and configure wired and wireless devices. To make it easier for guests to connect to the network, you will also configure a guest wireless network. After the network is operational, you will configure email, transfer files, and investigate the email and domain name servers. Finally, you will explore how Packet Tracer simulates network communications.
Note: Not all tasks in this activity are graded. However, at any time you can click Check Results to see your progress towards completing the scored parts of this activity.
Part 1: Connect and Configure Devices
In the first part, you’ll learn how to set up and connect the devices in your home network so you can easily connect to the internet and other devices on your local network.
Step 1: Explore the three accessible networks in Greenville.
You have two choices for network exploration: physical mode and logical mode. Both Parts 1 and 2 can be completed in any mode, although Physical mode is advised. However, you must select Logical mode for Part 3.
Step 2: Identify the devices in the Home network.
Navigate to the Home network option on your device to see every device that is logged into your home network. You may get a list of every device connected to your network once you get there. There should be six network-connected gadgets in your home office. There shouldn’t be more than one linked computer in your bedroom. You should also notice a smartphone and a laptop linked to the network in your living room.
Step 3: Connect the router to the modem.
To connect your Home Modem to the Internet port on your Home Wireless Router, you can use a Copper Straight-Through cable. To do this, first click on the Connections icon (which looks like a lightning bolt) located in the Bottom Toolbar. From there, select the Copper Straight-Through option.
Step 4: Connect the wired hosts to the switch ports on the router.
To link up the Family PC, Home Office PC, and Home Printer to the Home Wireless Router, you’ll need a Copper Straight-Through cable for each device.
Step 5: Configure the Home Wireless Router.
Start by opening your Home Office Computer and selecting the Desktop tab. Next, locate IP Configuration and click it.
Then choose the DHCP (or dynamic host configuration protocol) option to automatically get IP addresses. The Default Gateway IP address is 192.168.0.1.
Once you have finished working in the IP Configuration window, dismiss it and launch your Web Browser. Type 192.168.0.1 into the URL area and press the Go button. Just enter “admin” for both the username and password fields when asked.
Step 6: Modify the DHCP configuration on the Home Wireless Router.
Update router settings with new IP address, max user limit of 25, and static DNS 1 address of 10.2.0.125. Save settings, then reconnect using new gateway IP of 192.168.100.1 and re-authenticate Home Office PC to access configuration interface.
C:\>ipconfig /release
IP Address......................: 0.0.0.0
Subnet Mask.....................: 0.0.0.0
Default Gateway.................: 0.0.0.0
DNS Server......................: 0.0.0.0
C:\>ipconfig /renew
IP Address......................: 192.168.100.100
Subnet Mask.....................: 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway.................: 192.168.100.1
DNS Server......................: 10.2.0.125
Step 7: Configure the Family PC for DHCP addressing.
Step 8: Configure two wireless local area networks (WLANs) for family members.
Let’s go back to your Home Office PC. If you need to, log in again to your Home Wireless Router. Then, for all three WLANs, switch the Network Mode from Disabled to Auto. Next, for the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz — 2 WLANs, make the SSID HomeNet and turn on the option for SSID Broadcast. Finally, go to the bottom of the page and click Save Settings.
Step 9: Configure a WLAN guest network.
Click to the Wireless menu and choose Guest Network to create a guest network. The network should then be renamed to Guest and the guest profile for 5 GHz -1 enabled. Disabled is the Security mode setting to pick. When finished, simply click Save Settings at the bottom of the page by scrolling down.
Step 10: Verify connectivity.
All of your gadgets ought should be able to communicate with one another and connect to the internet by this point. By putting “web.isp.net” into the address bar of any web browser on any device, you can see if they are all connected.
Part 2: Use Network Services
Step 1: Send and receive email messages.
To send an email from your Family PC, first, go to your desktop and open your email client. You can do this by clicking on the Email icon in the Family PC folder. Once the email client is open, click on the Configure Mail button to see the current email settings. After reviewing the settings, close the Configure Mail window and click on Compose to start writing a new email.
To send the email, enter your friend Tanya’s email address (tanya@mail.isp.net) in the To field, add a subject line, type your message and then click on Send.
Now, to check if Tanya has received your email, go to the Cafe section in Packet Tracer and click on the Cafe Customer laptop. Navigate to the desktop and launch the email client from there. To see whether there are any new emails, click the Receive button. The email might not arrive right away. When it happens, click the message in Tanya’s inbox to read the email.
Step 2: Upload a file to an FTP server.
To transfer a file from a Home Office PC to a Web/FTP server, first navigate to the location in Greenville and click ISP/Telco. Then, find the Web/FTP server in the Rack and click on it. Once you’re on the Services tab, select FTP and note one of the configured usernames and its associated password. Next, navigate to the Home network and click on the Home Office PC > Desktop > Command Prompt. Type in “dir” to show the files present on the PC. To connect to the Web/FTP, enter “ftp ftp.isp.net” and enter the username and password you noted earlier. After logging in successfully, the prompt changes to ftp>. Finally, enter “put 2021_prospectus.txt” to transfer the file, and then verify its presence on the server by entering “dir”.
Cisco Packet Tracer PC Command Line 1.0
C:\>ftp ftp.isp.net
Trying to connect...ftp.isp.net
Connected to ftp.isp.net
220- Welcome to PT Ftp server
Username:cisco
331- Username ok, need password
Password:
230- Logged in
(passive mode On)
ftp>put 2021_prospectus.txt
Writing file 2021_prospectus.txt to ftp.isp.net:
File transfer in progress...
[Transfer complete - 2288 bytes]
2288 bytes copied in 0.02 secs (114400 bytes/sec)
ftp>dir
Listing /ftp directory from ftp.isp.net:
0 : 2021_prospectus.txt 2288
ftp>quit
221- Service closing control connection.
C:\>Step 3: Download a file from an FTP server.
To access the Cafe, open up the command prompt on your Cafe Customer laptop. From there, connect to the FTP server and use the “get” command to download the “2021_prospectus.txt file”. Once the download is complete, type “quit” to close the FTP client. Finally, use the “dir” command to ensure that the file has been successfully saved onto your laptop’s C: drive.
Cisco Packet Tracer PC Command Line 1.0
C:\>ftp ftp.isp.net
Trying to connect...ftp.isp.net
Connected to ftp.isp.net
220- Welcome to PT Ftp server
Username:cisco
331- Username ok, need password
Password:
230- Logged in
(passive mode On)
ftp>get 2021_prospectus.txt
Reading file 2021_prospectus.txt from ftp.isp.net:
File transfer in progress...
[Transfer complete - 2288 bytes]
2288 bytes copied in 0.054 secs (42370 bytes/sec)
ftp>quit
221- Service closing control connection.
C:\>dir
Volume in drive C has no label.
Volume Serial Number is 5E12-4AF3
Directory of C:\
1/1/1970 3:0 PM 2288 2021_prospectus.txt
1/1/1970 3:0 PM 26 sampleFile.txt
2314 bytes 2 File(s)
C:\>Step 4: Investigate the Email server in the ISP/Telco network.
To get to the ISP/Telco network, click on EMAIL server and select Services > EMAIL. This is where you can see the Domain Name that’s set up for the server. You’ll also find the two email accounts that you’ve used before in this same area. Once you’re done, just close the EMAIL server window.
Step 5: Investigate DNS server in the ISP/Telcom network.
Click the DNS server choice first. Select DNS after going to Services. You’ll see that the server is already setup with six DNS entries. DNS entries connect domain names to server IP addresses. Mail server’s IP address is 10.2.0.200. Simply shut the DNS server window after you are through configuring it.
Step 6: Challenge: Configure a new email account.
Why not challenge yourself and set up a fresh email account? Don’t worry if you hit a snag — you can always check out the preconfigured examples on the servers and clients to help you along the way.
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