Laboratory Activity No.

3: Diagnostic and Troubleshooting Commands Using Cisco Packet

Tracer

Objective

To enable students to apply various diagnostic and troubleshooting commands on a simulated

network in Cisco Packet Tracer, analyze the output, and document their observations in a lab
notebook.

Activity Overview

• Network Topology: A small network with routers, switches, and PCs.

• Devices:

o Router 1 (R1): Cisco 2911

o Router 2 (R2): Cisco 2911

o Switch 1 (S1): Cisco 2960

o Switch 2 (S2): Cisco 2960

o PCs: PC1, PC2, and PC3

o Connections:

▪ R1 G0/0 → S1 F0/1

▪ R1 G0/1 → R2 G0/1

▪ R2 G0/0 → S2 F0/1

▪ S1 F0/2 → PC1

▪ S1 F0/3 → PC2

▪ S2 F0/2 → PC3

Setup Instructions

1. Create the Network in Packet Tracer:

o Add the specified devices to the workspace.

o Connect the devices using appropriate cables:

▪ Use straight-through cables for router-to-switch and PC-to-switch

connections.

▪ Use crossover cables for router-to-router connections.

o Assign IP addresses:

▪ R1 G0/0: 192.168.1.1/24

▪ R1 G0/1: 10.0.0.1/30

▪ R2 G0/1: 10.0.0.2/30

▪ R2 G0/0: 192.168.2.1/24

▪ PC1: 192.168.1.2/24

▪ PC2: 192.168.1.3/24
 ▪ PC3: 192.168.2.2/24

2. Enable Routing:

o On R1 and R2, configure static routes or dynamic routing (e.g., OSPF) to ensure
end-to-end connectivity.

3. Verify Connectivity:

o Ping between devices to ensure proper communication.

o Save the topology before starting the diagnostic activity.

Instructions for Students

1. Task 1: Basic Connectivity Check with ping

o Test connectivity from PC1 to PC3.

o Open the command prompt on PC1 and type:

ping 192.168.2.2
o

o Record the output in your lab notebook.

o Observation: Note if the ping is successful or if packets are dropped. If the ping
fails, identify possible causes (e.g., misconfigured routes or IPs).

2. Task 2: Path Discovery with traceroute

o On R1, discover the path to PC3:

traceroute 192.168.2.2
o

o Record the list of hops displayed in the output.

o Observation: Verify that the path follows R1 → R2 → PC3. Identify any unreachable
hops.

3. Task 3: ARP Verification with show ip arp

o On R1, display the ARP table:

show ip arp
o

o Record the table output and identify the MAC addresses associated with IPs in your
network.

o Observation: Ensure the ARP table contains correct mappings for devices.
Investigate missing or incorrect entries.

4. Task 4: Device Information with show version

o On R1, check the IOS version and uptime:

show version
 o

o Record the IOS version, uptime, and device model.

o Observation: Ensure the device has the correct IOS version as specified in the lab.

5. Task 5: Interface Statistics with show interfaces

o On R2, display detailed statistics for interface G0/0:

show interfaces G0/0

o

o Record packet counts, errors, and status.

o Observation: Identify issues such as packet drops or interface errors.

6. Task 6: Interface Overview with show ip interface brief

o On R1, display all interfaces:

show ip interface brief

o

o Record the status and IP addresses of each interface.

o Observation: Verify that interfaces are up and have correct IP assignments.

7. Task 7: Protocol Status with show protocols

o On R2, display protocol details:

show protocols
o

o Record the status of each protocol and IP configuration.

o Observation: Confirm that protocols (e.g., OSPF) are active on the correct
interfaces.

8. Task 8: Network Discovery with show cdp neighbors

o On S1, list directly connected devices:

show cdp neighbors

o

o Record the device IDs, interfaces, and ports.

o Observation: Confirm the physical topology matches the logical design.

9. Task 9: MAC Address Table with show mac address-table

o On S2, display the MAC address table:

show mac address-table

o
 o Record the MAC addresses and associated ports.

o Observation: Identify which port each PC is connected to.

10. Task 10: Routing Table with show ip route

o On R1, display the routing table:

show ip route
o

o Record all routes and next-hop information.

o Observation: Ensure the routing table contains routes to all networks.

11. Task 11: Configuration Check with show running-config

o On R1, display the running configuration:

show running-config
o

o Record relevant sections (e.g., IP configurations, static routes).

o Observation: Confirm that the configuration matches the lab requirements.

12. Task 12: Access Control Lists with show access-lists

o On R2, check ACLs:

show access-lists
o

o Record any active ACLs and their rules.

o Observation: Ensure that ACLs allow legitimate traffic and block unauthorized
access.

13. Task 13: Debugging ICMP with debug ip icmp

o On R1, enable ICMP debugging:

debug ip icmp
o

o Ping from PC1 to PC3 and observe the output.

o Use undebug all to stop debugging:

undebug all
o

o Observation: Verify ICMP packets are sent and received correctly.

14. Task 14: Log Analysis with show logging

o On R1, view system logs:

 show logging
o

o Record relevant log entries.

o Observation: Identify errors or unusual activity in the logs.

Submission Requirements

• A lab report containing:

o Output for each command.

o Observations and analysis of the results.

o Troubleshooting steps taken for any identified issues.

Grading Criteria

• Accuracy: Correct implementation of commands and analysis.

• Completeness: All outputs and observations documented.

• Clarity: Clear, well-organized lab notebook entries.