C H A P TER

Cisco IOS Basic Skills

This chapter describes what you need to know before you begin configuring your router with
Cisco IOS software (the software that runs your router).
This chapter contains the following sections:

Configuring the Router from a PC

Getting Help
Understanding Command Modes
Entering Configuration Mode
Using Commands
Saving Configuration Changes
Using Debug Commands

Understanding these concepts saves you time when you are configuring your router. If you have
never used the Cisco IOS software or need a refresher, take a few minutes to read this chapter before
you proceed to the next chapter.
If you are already familiar with the Cisco IOS software, you can proceed to the configuration chapter
that is appropriate for your network.

Configuring the Router from a PC

If you are configuring your router from a PC (not a dumb terminal), you need a type of
communications software called terminal emulation software. The PC uses this software to send
commands to your router. Table 2-1 lists some common names for this software, based on the type
of PC you are using.

Table 2-1

Terminal Emulation Software

PC Operating System

Software

Windows 95, Windows NT

HyperTerminal (included with Windows software)

Windows 3.1

Terminal (included with Windows software)

Macintosh

ProComm, VersaTerm (supplied separately)

Cisco IOS Basic Skills 2-1

Understanding Command Modes

You can use the terminal emulation to change settings for the type of device that is connected to the
PC, in this case a router. Configure the software to the following settings, so that your PC can
communicate with your router:

9600 baud
8 data bits
No parity
1 stop bit
No flow control

You can now configure your router using your PC.

Understanding Command Modes

This section describes the Cisco IOS command mode structure. Each command mode supports
specific Cisco IOS commands. For example, the interface type_number command is used only
when in global configuration mode.
You use the following Cisco IOS command modes when configuring the scenarios described in this
document:

User EXEC
Privileged EXEC
Global configuration
Interface configuration
Router configuration
Line configuration

Note Throughout the examples in this guide, there are steps for verifying your router configuration
by using different Cisco IOS commands. If you plan to use these verification steps, you must
understand how to change from one command mode to another, as summarized in Table 2-2.

Table 2-2 lists the command modes that are used in this guide, how to access each mode, the prompt
you see in that mode, and how to exit that mode. The examples in the table use the host name 1700.

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Understanding Command Modes

Table 2-2

Command Modes Summary

Mode

Access Method

Prompt

Exit Method

About This Mode1

User EXEC

Begin a session with your

router.

1700>

Enter the logout command.

A subset of the commands

available in this mode. Use
this mode to
Change terminal settings.
Perform basic tests.
Display system
information.

Privileged
EXEC

Enter the enable command

while in user EXEC mode.

1700#

To exit to user EXEC mode,

enter the disable command.
To enter global
configuration mode, enter
the configure command.

Use this mode to

Configure your router
operating parameters.
Perform the verification
steps shown in this guide.
You should configure your
router with an enable
password to prevent anyone
from making unauthorized
changes to the router
configuration.

Global
configuration

Enter the configure command

while in privileged EXEC
mode.

1700(config)#

To exit to privileged EXEC

mode, enter the exit or end
command, or press Ctrl-Z.

Use this mode to configure

parameters that apply to your
router as a whole.

To enter interface
configuration mode, enter
the interface command.
Interface
configuration

Router
configuration

Line
configuration

Enter the interface command

(with a specific interface)
while in the global
configuration mode.

1700(config-if)#

To exit to global
configuration mode, enter
the end command.
To exit to privileged EXEC
mode, enter the exit
command, or press Ctrl-Z.

Enter your router command

followed by the appropriate
keyword while in global
configuration mode.

1700(config-router)#

Specify a line with the

line vty command while in
the global configuration
mode.

1700(config-line)#

Use this mode to configure

parameters for the various
LAN and WAN interfaces of
your router, including the
Ethernet interface.
Serial interface.

To enter subinterface
configuration mode, specify
a subinterface with the
interface command.

ISDN interface.

To exit to global
configuration mode, enter
the end command.

Use this mode to configure an

IP routing protocol.

To exit to privileged EXEC

mode, enter the exit
command, or press Ctrl-Z.
To exit to global
configuration mode, enter
the exit command.

Use this mode to configure

parameters for the terminal
line.

To enter privileged EXEC

mode, enter the end
command, or press Ctrl-Z.

1. For any of the modes, you can see a comprehensive list of the available commands by entering a question mark (?) at the prompt.

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Getting Help

Getting Help
You can use the question mark (?) and arrow keys to help you enter commands. Here are some ways to get help
while in any command mode:
1 Enter a question mark to list the commands that are available in the current mode. You can restrict the list to

all commands starting with a specific letter by entering that letter, followed by a question mark (no space):
Router (config-if)# s?
shutdown
snapshot
snmp
standby

2 Enter a command, a space, and a question mark to list the available keywords (and a short definition of the

keywords) that can be used with the command:

Router (config-if)# snapshot ?
client Enable client control of Snapshot routing
server Send routing updates out this link when updates are received

3 Enter a command, a keyword, a space, and a question mark to list the range of values (and a short definition of

the values) that you can enter with the command:

Router (config-if)# snapshot client ?
<5-1000> duration, in minutes, of each active period

4 Enter a few known characters to have the router complete the command. In this example, the command is show

hosts:
Router> sh ho
Default domain is not set
Name/address lookup uses domain service
Name servers are 255.255.255.25

5 To redisplay a command you previously entered, press the up arrow key. You can continue to press the up arrow

key for more commands. The commands are shown in the reverse order that they were entered.

Enable Secret and Enable Passwords

Because many privileged-level EXEC commands are used to set operating parameters, you should
password-protect these commands to prevent unauthorized use.
You use two commands to do this:

enable secret password (a very secure, encrypted password)

enable password (a less secure, unencrypted password)

You must enter an enable secret password to gain access to privileged EXEC mode commands.
For maximum security, the passwords should be different. If you enter the same password for both
during the setup process, your router accepts the passwords, but warns you that they should be
different.
An enable secret password can contain from 1 to 25 uppercase and lowercase alphanumeric
characters. An enable password can contain any number of uppercase and lowercase alphanumeric
characters. In both cases, a number cannot be the first character. Spaces are also valid password
characters; for example, two words is a valid password. Leading spaces are ignored; trailing spaces
are recognized.

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Entering Configuration Mode

If you lose or forget your enable password, refer to the Troubleshooting appendix in the
Cisco 1700 Router Hardware Installation Guide that came with your router.

Entering Configuration Mode

To make any configuration changes to your router, you must be in configuration mode. This section
describes how to enter configuration mode while using a terminal or PC that is connected to your
router CONSOLE port.
To enter configuration mode:
Step 1

After your router boots up, answer no when the following question displays:
Would you like to enter the initial configuration dialog [yes]: no

Step 2

If you have configured your router with an enable password, enter the enable command,
and enter the enable password when you are prompted for it.
The enable password does not show on the screen when you enter it. This example shows
how to enter configuration mode on a Cisco 1700 router:
1603> enable
Password: <enable_password>
Router#

Enable mode is indicated by the # in the prompt. You can now make changes to your
router configuration.
Step 3

Enter the configure terminal command to enter configuration mode, indicated by the
(config)# in the prompt:
Router# configure terminal
Router (config)#

You can now make changes to your router configuration.

Using Commands
This section provides some tips about entering Cisco IOS commands at the command-line
interface (CLI).

Abbreviating Commands
You only have to enter enough characters for the router to recognize the command as unique. This
example show how to enter the show configuration command:
1603# show conf
Using 385 out of 7506 bytes
!
version 11.2
no service udp-small-servers
no service tcp-small-servers
.
.
.

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Saving Configuration Changes

Command-Line Error Messages

Table 2-3 lists some error messages that you might encounter while using the CLI to configure your
router.
Table 2-3

Common CLI Error Messages

Error Message
% Ambiguous command:

"show con"

Meaning

How to Get Help

You did not enter enough characters for

your router to recognize the command.

Re-enter the command followed by a

question mark (?) with no space between
the command and the question mark.
The possible keywords that you can enter
with the command are displayed.

% Incomplete command.

You did not enter all of the keywords or

values required by this command.

Re-enter the command followed by a

question mark (?) with no space between
the command and the question mark.
The possible keywords that you can enter
with the command are displayed.

% Invalid input detected at ^ marker.

You entered the command incorrectly.

The error occurred where the caret mark
(^) appears.

Enter a question mark (?) to display all of

the commands that are available in this
command mode.

Undoing Commands
If you want to disable a feature or undo a command you entered, you can enter the keyword no before
most commands, for example, no ip routing.

Saving Configuration Changes

You need to enter the copy running-config startup-config command to save your configuration
changes to nonvolatile random-access memory (NVRAM) so that they are not lost if there is a
system reload or power outage. This example shows how use this command to save your changes:
Router# copy running-config startup-config
Building configuration...

It might take a minute or two to save the configuration to NVRAM. After the configuration has been
saved, the following appears:
[OK]
Router#

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Using Debug Commands

Using Debug Commands

Debug command are provided for most of the configurations in this document. You can use the
debug commands to troubleshoot any configuration problems that you might be having on your
network. Debug commands provide extensive, informative displays to help you interpret any
possible problems.
Table 2-4 contains important information about debug commands.
Caution Debugging is assigned a high priority in your router CPU process, and it can render your router

unusable. For this reason, use debug commands only to troubleshoot specific problems.The best time to use
debug commands is during periods of low network traffic and few users to decrease the likelihood that the
debug command processing overhead affects network users.
Table 2-4

Important Information About Debug Commands

What

Information

Additional documentation

You can find additional information and documentation about the debug commands in the Debug
Command Reference document on the Cisco IOS software documentation CD-ROM that came with your
router.
If you are not sure where to find this document on the CD-ROM, use the Search function in the
Verity Mosaic browser that comes with the CD-ROM.

Disabling debugging

To turn off any debugging, enter the undebug all command.

Telnet sessions

If you want to use debug commands during a Telnet session with your router, you must first enter the
terminal monitor command.

Where to Go Next
Now that you have learned some Cisco IOS software basics, you can begin to configure your router.
Remember that

You can use the question mark (?) and arrow keys to help you enter commands.

If you want to disable a feature, enter the keyword no before the command, for example, no ip
routing.

You need to save your configuration changes to NVRAM so that they are not lost if there is a
system reload or power outage.

Each command mode restricts you to a set of commands. If you are having difficulty entering a
command, check the prompt, and then enter the question mark (?) for a list of available
commands. You might be in the wrong command mode or using the wrong syntax.

Proceed to any one of the configuration chapters to begin configuring your router.

Cisco IOS Basic Skills 2-7

Where to Go Next

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