Packet Tracer Introduction

Packet Tracer Introduction

Packet Tracer is a simulator provided by CISCO’S learning academy Netacad. Packet Tracer is a program used to illustrate at a basic level how networks work.

It shows that how devices talk with each other through packets and how devices behave in a network. It is helpful software a candidate who wants is going to take CCNA (CISCO CERTIFIED NETWORK ASSOCIATE) Exam.

We will see how it looks and what it can perform. Let’s have a look after successfully installed on any machine.

Packet Tracer

This is the first screen which you will see after installation. It has many sections as you can see. I will describe only few sections because explaining all sections will cause a very long tutorial and less interesting tutorial.

Packet Tracer

1. This is said to be device type selection box which is shaded with red color. Now as you can see that there are two circles inside the main circle which is shaded with black color. On the left side circle, there is a box which contains different types of devices like Pc’s, laptops, switches, routers and many other devices. On the right circle you will see different types of particular device models like here you can see that Routers is showing on the left side and at the right side you can see different models of routers.

Packet Tracer

2. This is the vertical tool bar. This bar provides access to these commonly used workspace tools like

-        Select

-        Move Layout

-        Place Note

-        Delete

-        Inspect

-        Add Simple PDU

-        Add Complex PDU

Packet Tracer

3. Real time or simulation bar. This is the bar which tells you that either you are performing simulation like real world. In real time you will not see any packets flowing. You can always toggle to simulation in which you can see PDU’s flowing and you can view colorful packets moving around the network.

Packet Tracer

4. Workspace: This is the main area where you perform all your work like putting devices, creating networks.

Packet Tracer

5. Workspace type bar: This bar also has two modes

1.      Logical workspace

2.      Physical workspace

You will be performing 95% of simulation in logical workspace but it does not mean that physical workspace has nothing to do. Physical workspace is the place where you can inspect the length criteria of devices and cables. It really helps when you want to know about specific cable maximum range or wireless router range.

Packet Tracer

6. This section manages the PDU’s you put in the network during simulation scenarios. You can see that whether your PDU has successfully reached to destination or not.

Packet Tracer is a simulator so it has so many things which cannot be written in a short tutorial. You can render your network or device, you can set background image in Packet Tracer. It also provide clustering the devices in which you hide your infrastructure from current viewing (don’t worry you can click at clustered area and you can access your things which you hide). We will use this technique it is quite easy but it has a very nice impact on others.

This is the just introduction of Packet Tracer that how does Packet Tracer look like and some information relating to Packet Tracer, hope you will like it.