Lab instructions

This lab will test your ability to configure basic settings such as hostname, motd banner, encrypted passwords, and terminal options on a Cisco Catalyst 2960 switch emulated in Packet Tracer 8.1.1.

1. Use the local laptop connect to the switch console and configure the laptop with the right parameters for console access to the Cisco 2960 Catalyst switch

2. Configure Switch hostname as LOCAL-SWITCH

3. Configure the message of the day as "Unauthorized access is forbidden"

4. Configure the password for privileged mode access as "cisco". The password must be md5 encrypted

5. Configure password encryption on the switch using the global configuration command

6. Configure CONSOLE access with the following settings :
- Login enabled
- Password : ciscoconsole
- History size : 15 commands
- Timeout : 6'45''
- Synchronous logging

6. Configure TELNET access with the following settings :
- Login enabled
- Password : ciscotelnet
- History size : 15 commands
- Timeout : 8'20''
- Synchronous logging

7. Configure the IP address of the switch as 192.168.1.2/24 and it's default gateway IP (192.168.1.1).

8. Test telnet connectivity from the Remote Laptop using the telnet client.

 

Lab solution

Configure Switch hostname as LOCAL-SWITCH

Switch(config)#hostname LOCAL-SWITCH

 

Configure the message of the day as "Unauthorized access is forbidden"

Switch(config)#banner motd #
Unauthorized access is forbidden#

 

Configure the password for privileged mode access as "cisco". The password must be md5 encrypted

Switch(config)#enable secret cisco

 

Configure password encryption on the switch using the global configuration command

Password encryption is an important setting for securing switch credentials as defaut behavior is saving clear-text passwords in the running-config. Although useful to avoid naive hacking,be advised that tools have been released to crack those passwords. Use the service password-encryption command with additional security measures. 

Switch(config)#service password-encryption

 

Configure CONSOLE access [...]

Switch(config)#line con 0

Switch(config-line)#password ciscoconsole
Switch(config-line)#logging synchronous
Switch(config-line)#login
Switch(config-line)#history size 15
Switch(config-line)#exec-timeout 6 45


Configure TELNET access [...]

Switch(config)#line vty 0 15

Switch(config-line)#exec-timeout 8 20
Switch(config-line)#password ciscotelnet
Switch(config-line)#logging synchronous
Switch(config-line)#login
Switch(config-line)#history size 15


Configure the IP address of the switch as 192.168.1.2/24 and it's default gateway IP (192.168.1.1).

Switch(config)#interface Vlan1

Switch(config-if)#ip address 192.168.1.2 255.255.255.0
Switch(config-if)#ip default-gateway 192.168.1.1