Frequently Asked Questions: Packet Tracer 5.

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Last up dated J ul y 10, 2008

Q. What is Packet Tracer 5.0?

A . P ac k et Tr ac er ( P T) 5 .0 i s a c omp r eh ensi v e, netw or k i ng tec h nol og y teac h i ng and l ear ni ng
p r og r am th at of f er s a uni q ue c omb i nati on of r eal i sti c si mul ati on and v i sual i z ati on exp er i enc es,
assessment and ac ti v i ty auth or i ng c ap ab i l i ti es, and op p or tuni ti es f or mul ti user c ol l ab or ati on
and c omp eti ti on. I nnov ati v e f eatur es of th e P T 5 .0 sof tw ar e w i l l h el p students and teac h er s
c ol l ab or ate, sol v e p r ob l ems, and l ear n c onc ep ts i n an eng ag i ng and dy nami c soc i al
env i r onment. S ome of th e b enef i ts of P ac k et Tr ac er 5 .0 ar e as f ol l ow s:

● P r ov i des a r eal i sti c si mul ati on and v i sual i z ati on l ear ni ng env i r onment th at sup p l ements
c l assr oom eq ui p ment
● E nab l es mul ti user , r eal -ti me c ol l ab or ati on and c omp eti ti on f or dy nami c l ear ni ng
● E nab l es auth or i ng and l oc al i z ati on of str uc tur ed l ear ni ng ac ti v i ti es suc h as l ab s,
demonstr ati ons, q ui z z es, exams, and g ames
● E mp ow er s students to exp l or e c onc ep ts, c onduc t exp er i ments, and test th ei r under standi ng
● A l l ow s students and teac h er s to desi g n, b ui l d, c onf i g ur e, and tr oub l esh oot netw or k s usi ng
v i r tual eq ui p ment
● S up p or ts a v ar i ety of teac h i ng and l ear ni ng task s suc h as l ec tur es, g r oup and i ndi v i dual
l ab s, h omew or k , and c omp eti ti ons
Q. What’s n ew in Packet Tracer 5.0?
A . P ac k et Tr ac er 5 .0 mak es teac h i ng and l ear ni ng netw or k i ng tec h nol og y easi er th r oug h a
numb er of new f eatur es:

Ad d itio n al p l atf o rm su p p o rt: P ac k et Tr ac er 5 .0 r uns on an exp anded l i st of p l atf or ms,

i nc l udi ng W i ndow s ( W i ndow s X P , W i ndow s 2000, V i sta H ome B asi c , and V i sta H ome
P r emi um) and Li nux ( U b untu and F edor a) .

Ad d itio n al p ro to co l su p p o rt: P ac k et Tr ac er 5 .0 sup p or ts an exp anded l i st of p r otoc ol s to

r ef l ec t c ur r ent netw or k i ng tr ends i n g ov er nment and i ndustr y , i nc l udi ng I P v 6 , mul ti -ar ea O S P F ,
r oute r edi str i b uti on, R S TP , S S H , and mul ti l ay er sw i tc h i ng . P T 5 .0 al so i nc l udes mor e p r otoc ol
sup p or t f or teac h i ng C C N A -l ev el c onc ep ts and deep er model i ng of p r otoc ol s.

M u l tiu ser f u n ctio n al ity : P ac k et Tr ac er 5 .0 i s a p eer -to-p eer , netw or k -c ap ab l e ap p l i c ati on th at

enab l es soc i al l ear ni ng . Th e mul ti user f unc ti onal i ty sup p or ts c ol l ab or ati on, c omp eti ti on, r emote
i nstr uc tor -student i nter ac ti on, soc i al netw or k i ng , and g ami ng .

Q. H o w d o I o b tain Packet Tracer 5.0?

A . P T 5 .0 i s av ai l ab l e f r ee of c h ar g e to al l N etw or k i ng A c ademy i nstr uc tor s, students, and al umni .
Th e sof tw ar e c an b e dow nl oaded f r om th e P ac k et Tr ac er r esour c e p ag e on A c ademy
C onnec ti on. To ac c ess th i s p ag e, l og i n to A c ademy C onnec ti on and c l i c k th e Packet Tracer
g r ap h i c on th e l ef t of th e p ag e, th en sel ec t th e ap p r op r i ate dow nl oad p ac k ag e f or y our needs.

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 Q. I s Packet Tracer 4 .1 1 stil l av ail ab l e?
A . P ac k et Tr ac er 5 .0 h as sup er seded P T 4 .11 and i s th e onl y v er si on of P ac k et Tr ac er th at i s
c ur r entl y av ai l ab l e f or dow nl oad f r om A c ademy C onnec ti on.

Q. D o I n eed to u p g rad e to Packet Tracer 5.0 im m ed iatel y ?

A . P ac k et Tr ac er 5 .0 i s a maj or new r el ease th at i nc l udes numer ous f unc ti ons th at ar e not
av ai l ab l e i n P T 4 .11. A l th oug h th er e ar e no c ur r i c ul a r eq ui r ements th at mak e i t nec essar y to
mov e to P T 5 .0, y ou may w ant to up g r ade to th e new v er si on to tak e adv antag e of th e many
i mp r ov ements and new f eatur es i nc l uded i n th i s r el ease.

Q. C an I u se activ ities created in a p rio r v ersio n o f Packet Tracer w ith PT 5.0?

A . Y es. P ac k et Tr ac er 5 .0 sup p or ts ac ti v i ti es auth or ed i n P T 4 .0, 4 .01, 4 .1, and 4 .11. A l l ac ti v i ti es
i nc l uded i n th e C C N A Di sc ov er y and C C N A E xp l or ati on c ur r i c ul a ar e al so f ul l y c omp ati b l e w i th
P ac k et Tr ac er 5 .0.

Q. C an I u se a n ew activ ity created in PT 5.0 w ith a p rio r v ersio n o f Packet Tracer?

A . N o. A c ti v i ti es auth or ed i n P ac k et Tr ac er 5 .0 c an onl y b e used w i th th e 5 .0 sof tw ar e. P ac k et
Tr ac er 4 .0, 4 .01, 4 .1, and 4 .11 c annot l oad P T 5 .0 data f i l es; th ey w i l l op en as b l ank ac ti v i ti es.

Q. What hap p en s if I ’m stil l u sin g an o l d er 4 .x v ersio n o f Packet Tracer an d hav e an issu e?

A . I f y ou ar e sti l l usi ng P T 4 .0, 4 .01, 4 .1, or 4 .11 and enc ounter an i ssue, p l ease dow nl oad and
i nstal l P ac k et Tr ac er 5 .0. M ost k now n i ssues i n th e 4 .x v er si ons of P ac k et Tr ac er h av e b een
f i xed i n th e new 5 .0 r el ease. I f th e i ssue p er si sts i n th e l atest v er si on, p l ease c ontac t th e
G l ob al S up p or t desk f or assi stanc e. To ac c ess th e S up p or t Desk , l og i n to A c ademy
C onnec ti on and c l i c k H el p at th e top of th e p ag e, th en sel ec t Acad em y S u p p o rt.

Q. C an stu d en ts an d in stru cto rs in stal l Packet Tracer 5.0 o n their ho m e co m p u ters o r

p erso n al l ap to p s?
A . Y es. P ac k et Tr ac er c an b e f r eel y di str i b uted to any N etw or k i ng A c ademy i nstr uc tor , student, or
al umni . Th i s enab l es students to use P ac k et Tr ac er on th ei r h ome c omp uter s or on any
c omp uter outsi de of c l ass f or h omew or k , p r ac ti c e, and exp l or ator y l ear ni ng .

Q. O n w hat p l atf o rm s can I in stal l an d ru n Packet Tracer 5.0?

A . P ac k et Tr ac er 5 .0 i s c omp ati b l e w i th th e f ol l ow i ng p l atf or ms: W i ndow s ( W i dow s X P , W i ndow s
2000, V i sta H ome B asi c , and V i sta H ome P r emi um) and Li nux ( U b untu and F edor a) .

Q. What are the sy stem req u irem en ts f o r Packet Tracer 5.0?

A . To suc c essf ul l y i nstal l and r un P T 5 .0, th e f ol l ow i ng mi ni mum p r er eq ui si tes must b e met:

● C P U : I ntel P enti um 3 00 M H z or eq ui v al ent

● O S : M i c r osof t W i ndow s 2000, W i ndow s X P , V i sta H ome B asi c , V i sta H ome P r emi um,
F edor a 7 , or U b untu 7 .10
● R A M :9 6 M B
● S tor ag e: 25 0 M B of f r ee di sk sp ac e
● S c r een r esol uti on: 8 00 x 6 00 or h i g h er
● M ac r omedi a F l ash P l ay er 6 .0 or h i g h er
● Lang uag e f onts sup p or ti ng U ni c ode enc odi ng ( i f v i ew i ng i n l ang uag es oth er th an E ng l i sh )
● Latest v i deo c ar d dr i v er s and op er ati ng sy stem up dates
F or m axim u m p er f or manc e w h en r unni ng P T 5 .0, th e f ol l ow i ng c ap ab i l i ti es ar e r ec ommended:

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 ● C P U : I ntel P enti um I I 5 00 M H z or b etter
● O S : M i c r osof t W i ndow s X P
● R A M : 25 6 M B or mor e
● S tor ag e: 3 00 M B of f r ee di sk sp ac e
● S c r een r esol uti on: 1024 x 7 6 8
● S ound c ar d and sp eak er s
● I nter net c onnec ti on: 5 6 K di al -up or f aster ( i f usi ng th e mul ti user f eatur e)
Q. What p ro to co l s can b e m o d el ed u sin g Packet Tracer 5.0?
A . P T 5 .0 sup p or ts th e f ol l ow i ng p r otoc ol s:

● H TTP , Tel net, S S H , TF TP , DH C P , and DN S

● TC P and U DP ; I P v 4 , I P v 6 , I C M P v 4 , and I C M P v 6
● R I P , E I G R P , mul ti -ar ea O S P F , stati c r outi ng , and r oute r edi str i b uti on
● E th er net/ 8 02.3 , 8 02.11, H DLC , F r ame R el ay , and P P P
● A R P , C DP , S TP , R S TP , 8 02.1q , V TP , DTP , and P A g P
Q. Are there an y activ ities av ail ab l e that d em o n strate the n ew p ro to co l s o r o ther n ew
f eatu res in Packet Tracer 5.0?
A . S up p l emental P T 5 .0 ac ti v i ti es th at c omp l ement th e C C N A Di sc ov er y and C C N A E xp l or ati on
c ur r i c ul a ar e av ai l ab l e f or dow nl oad f r om th e P ac k et Tr ac er r esour c e p ag e, i nc l udi ng ac ti v i ti es
demonstr ati ng O S P F , I P v 6 , S S H , R S TP , S p anni ng Tr ee, V LA N s, and F r ame R el ay .

Q. Wil l n ew Packet Tracer 5.0 activ ities b e in cl u d ed in the C C N A cu rricu l a?

A . N ew P T5 .0 ac ti v i ti es th at c omp l ement th e C C N A Di sc ov er y and C C N A E xp l or ati on c ur r i c ul a
w i l l b e i nteg r ated i nto th e c our se mater i al s dur i ng th e next mi nor r ev i si on of eac h c ur r i c ul um.
W e w i l l p r ov i de mor e i nf or mati on w h en i t i s av ai l ab l e.

Q. Why isn ’t I G R P av ail ab l e in Packet Tracer 5.0?

A . I G R P i s a p r otoc ol th at i s b ei ng p h ased out on C i sc o eq ui p ment and i s b ei ng r ep l ac ed b y
E I G R P . Th e v er si on of th e I O S th at P T 5 .0 emul ates does not c ontai n I G R P .

Q. What can I create u sin g the Activ ity Wiz ard ?

A . Th e A c ti v i ty W i z ar d al l ow s user s to set up sc enar i os usi ng text, b asi c netw or k top ol og i es, and
p r edef i ned p ac k ets. U ser s c an c r eate c ustomi z ed netw or k sc enar i os and add i nstr uc ti onal text.
Th e A c ti v i ty W i z ar d al so i nc l udes g r adi ng and f eedb ac k c ap ab i l i ti es. I nstr uc tor s c an use th e
A c ti v i ty W i z ar d to c r eate an unl i mi ted numb er of g ui ded and exp l or ator y l ear ni ng exp er i enc es
th at p r ov i de i mmedi ate f eedb ac k to students. Th ese ac ti v i ti es c an al so b e sav ed and sh ar ed
w i th oth er i nstr uc tor s i n th e N etw or k i ng A c ademy c ommuni ty .

Q. Why w o n ’t the Packet Tracer tu to rial s l au n ch so I can v iew them ?

A . I f y our b r ow ser h as a p op -up b l oc k er enab l ed, i t may p r ev ent th e tutor i al s f r om l aunc h i ng .
Di sab l e al l p op -up b l oc k er s to v i ew th e tutor i al s.

Q. Why can ’t I set u p a w irel ess co n n ectio n to an o ther co p y o f Packet Tracer u sin g the
m u l tiu ser f u n ctio n al ity ?
A . W i r el ess c onnec ti v i ty uses a di stanc e p ar ameter set w i th i n eac h i nstanc e of P ac k et Tr ac er to
estab l i sh c onnec ti v i ty . I n a mul ti user c onnec ti on, th e di stanc e p ar ameter c annot b e sp ec i f i ed,
so a w i r el ess c onnec ti on i s not p ossi b l e.

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 Q. Why isn ’t the m u l tiu ser f u n ctio n al ity su p p o rted in the Activ ity Wiz ard ?
A . Th er e i s c ur r entl y no w ay to p ass ev al uati on data ac r oss a netw or k b etw een mul ti p l e i nstanc es
of P ac k et Tr ac er b ec ause of th e w ay th at P ac k et Tr ac er ev al uates th e netw or k s i n an ac ti v i ty .

Q. Why can ’t I create a cu sto m d ev ice in the L in u x U b u n tu v ersio n o f Packet Tracer?

A . I n or der to c r eate a c ustom dev i c e, th e P ac k et Tr ac er ap p l i c ati on needs to b e ab l e to w r i te to
th e P T/ temp l ate f ol der . I n U b untu, P ac k et Tr ac er must b e i nstal l ed at th e r oot l ev el , and th en
r un as r oot, i n or der to suc c essf ul l y w r i te to th i s f ol der .

Q. Where can I g et hel p w ith issu es rel ated to d o w n l o ad in g o r in stal l in g Packet Tracer 5.0?
A . F or g ener al assi stanc e, c ontac t th e G l ob al S up p or t Desk . To ac c ess th e S up p or t Desk , l og i n
to A c ademy C onnec ti on and c l i c k H el p at th e top of th e p ag e, th en sel ec t Acad em y S u p p o rt.

Q. Where sho u l d I rep o rt b u g s in the Packet Tracer p ro g ram o r Packet Tracer activ ities in
the C C N A cu rricu l a?
A . P l ease r ep or t b ug s and er r or s th r oug h th e C ur r i c ul um and A ssessment Q ual i ty S up p or t si te.
To ac c ess th i s si te, l og i n to A c ademy C onnec ti on and c l i c k H el p at th e top of th e p ag e, th en
sel ec t C u rricu l u m an d Assessm en t Q u al ity S u p p o rt. S el ec t th e C o n tact C u rricu l u m Team
tab , p r ov i de as muc h detai l as p ossi b l e, and th en c l i c k S u b m it.

Q. Where can I g o to d iscu ss u sin g Packet Tracer in the cl assro o m , ask o ther in stru cto rs
f o r id eas an d f eed b ack, o r share Packet Tracer activ ities that I ’v e d ev el o p ed ?
A . To c ol l ab or ate w i th oth er i nstr uc tor s, j oi n th e P ac k et Tr ac er c ommuni ty di sc ussi on. To ac c ess
th e di sc ussi on b oar d, l og i n to A c ademy C onnec ti on and c l i c k F o ru m s & C hat under
R esour c es, th en sel ec t I n stru cto r C o m m u n ity , th en Packet Tracer.

C o p y r ig h t © 2 0 0 8 C is c o S y s te m s , In c . A ll r ig h ts r e s e r v e d . C is c o , th e C is c o lo g o , C is c o S y s t e m s , C C N A , a n d N e t w o r k in g A c a d e m y a r e r e g is te r e d tr a d e m a r k s o r
tr a d e m a r k s o f C is c o S y s t e m s , In c . a n d / o r its a ffilia te s in th e U n ite d S ta t e s a n d c e r t a in o th e r c o u n t r ie s . A ll o t h e r tr a d e m a r k s m e n tio n e d in th is d o c u m e n t a r e th e
p r o p e r t y o f t h e ir r e s p e c tiv e o w n e r s . T h e u s e o f th e w o r d p a r t n e r d o e s n o t im p ly a p a r tn e r s h ip r e la tio n s h ip b e t w e e n C is c o a n d a n y o t h e r c o m p a n y . ( 0 8 0 2 R )

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