GNS3 Cisco router Tech Tips 1

Using the Tab key

By using the Tab key on the keyboard, it will actually automatically filled in the key for you
Connected to Dynamips VM "R1" (ID 0, type c3725) - Console port
Press ENTER to get the prompt.
Router>en
Password:
Router#sh
Router#show run
Router#show running-config

Using Cisco Synchronous Logging command to stop SYS-5-Config message keep popping up

Each time when a config is issue, the SYS-5-CONFIG_I will appeared and it keep appearing.
Router(config)#exit
Router#copy r
*Mar 1 00:11:54.039: %SYS-5-CONFIG_I: Configured from console by consoleun start Destination filename [startup-config]?
Building configuration...
[OK]
Router#Router(config)#exit

Lab 1 - Configure a c3700 router with password

In this example, the IOS Image c3725-adventerprisek9-mz.124-15.T14 is used.

Creating a New Project (New Blank Project)

Use the New Project (New Blank Project), the project directory will be automatically created. The configuration will be saved in that folder.
If using a New Blank Topology, a location is required to save the project file which included the configuration. Therefore, using a New Project (New Blank Project) is always simple to managed the lab.

Click on the AUX does not work

Start the Router, and click the AUX button. The router is still in the initial configuration setting and required to answer the prompt with Y or N.

Click on the Console

It is best to answer no as it will required to configure, VLAN, hostname, password, etc... and there are tons of menu.

Press Enter to begin. There will be error message prompt warning that the ports is down. It should be fine.

Now use the AUX console

When using the AUX console, they would be so much disruption on the errors display message while typing the command. The reason for this is, the line between the line con 0 and vty is not synchrologize.

If the enable secret had been enabled, the router/switch will basically ignore the line con 0 password and uses the secret as enable secret is store in a higher mode as the password is encrypted.
Connected to Dynamips VM "R1" (ID 8, type c3725) - AUX port
Press ENTER to get the prompt.
Router#
Router#conf t
Enter configuration commands, one per line. End with CNTL/Z .
Router(config)#enable secret cisco1
Router(config)#line con 0
Router(config-line)#password cisco
Router(config-line)#end
Router#copy run start
Destination filename [startup-config]?
Building configuration...
[OK]
Router#

The first password that is type in is cisco but it does not work as the router had been configure with enable secret cisco1.
Connected to Dynamips VM "R1" (ID 8, type c3725) - AUX port
Press ENTER to get the prompt.
Router>en
Password:
Password:
Router#

The running config will be copy to the startup config. When the router boot up, it will get the startup config. If this is not done, whatever settings that is type or configure will not be able to startup whenever the router is switch off.
Connected to Dynamips VM "R1" (ID 8, type c3725) - Console port
Press ENTER to get the prompt.
Router#copy running-config startup-config
Destination filename [startup-config]?
Building configuration...
[OK]
Router#

Save the config

In the Project Directory folder where the New Project is stored

Inside the config folder, the R1.cfg will be there and the config is saved. Each time the router startup after a reboot or power-up, it will load the settings from the startup config.

Missing IDLE PC value after adding IOS Image

After adding IOS Image but missing the IDLE PC idle value. How to fix this?

Start the Router (R1)

Right-click the Router (R1), select Idle PC.

IDLE PC values

If there no match with no * on any of the values, tried again. Close the IDLE PC values menu. It might take about 1 min, tried again.

Tried Again, Start the IDLE PC values again

Right-Click the Router (R1) again, select Idle PC. Now... there is * appearing infront of the values..

IOS images and hypervisors menu

Select IOS images and hypervisors.

Let take a look whether the IDLE PC value had been apply

Viola! What you have done....

Enter the initial configuration dialog for router and switches when creating New Project

Remember when setting up GNS3, the Project Directory is the path where the default set of configuration is stored when a Routers or Switches is simulated.

In the menubar, click Edit, select Preferences. Check where is the OS image (IOS,Qemu, PIX etc) location. In this e.g. it is set in "C:\GNS3\images". Exit GNS3 and goto the folder.
Let browse to the location of OS image (IOS,Qemu, PIX etc) directory folder.

Locating the GNS3 Images Path Folder

When creating new project, adding a router or switch in the project, it will automatically loaded the initial router/switch based config depending on which devices. This will not Enter the initial configuration. In-order to let it Enter the initial configuration, the two baseconfig files had to ben either delete or rename.

In this case, both the files were rename to baseconfigold.txt and baseconfig_swold.txt

An error message will be prompt that "Your router will start with a blank configuration." Click OK

Okie Dokie!

Let begin setting up New Project lab with a c2600 router

The working directory related to the Save nvrams and virtual hard drives option, as it keeps a copy of the virtual flash memory and virtual nvram. This also take up quite an amount of hard disk space. The config directory related to the Save IOS startup configurations option, actually save a copy of the config in the folder but a "copy running-config startup-config" have to be issued on the Command Line (CLI) and you have to save the project.

Using New Project

Dragging Router c2600 to the screen

Drag the Router c2600 into the white blank page. Note: R1 had a router symbol.

IOS Base config error

Error message showing the baseconfig.txt is not in the config folder. In-order for the router to show blank configuration, the baseconfig.txt had to be renamed or delete.

A Tip for using blank configuration when starting new Project

In the GNS3 Image folder, the baseconfig.txt had been renamed to baseconfig2.txt which include the baseconfig_sw2.txt for switches. If the initial baseconfig.txt is not present, the router will start with a blank configuration.

Click on the R1 router and click the Start button. Alteratively, by right-clicking on the Router R1, the start option will appeared too.

When the router first startup, the AUX mode cannot be used until the initial configuration dialog is configured. Click on the Console button and select no. You had been thinking why should I click no since it can initial it configuration. Well, if Yes is selected, the configuration will prompt a lot question e.g. setting up SNMP, individual VLAN, Hostname, Password etc... it might take up to 5 minutes. Most Cisco Adminsistrators prefer to say No to this initial configuration dialog.

Enter the initial configuration dialog

Right-click on the Router, select Configure

Node configurator

Slots can be configured in the router e.g. adding a NM-1E

In the console mode, type
en (into privilleges mode)
copy run start
Copy run start is the same as typing copy running-config startup-config

Stop the devices

In the File menu, click Save and the configure will be export out.

Notice the configuration had been export out. Remember each time when you do a configuration, a copy running-config startup-config is required otherwise it will get the configuration from the startup-config.

Adding IOS Images in GNS3 0.8.X

Before we started, it is best to look take at look on hardware and modules is support on the GNS3. Take a look on this link.

On the menubar, click Edit, select IOS images and hypervisors. The IOS images and hypervisors menu will be launched.

External hypervisors

Ensure that there is at least 4 hypervisors host. In-order to created Hypervisors, set the path of Working Directory to a folder e.g. C:\GNS3\temp. Click Save button at least 4 times.

Select where is the path for the IOS image file. In this example, c2600-bin-mz.123.64f.bin is going to be used. (Hint: Google for IOS image file.)
There is no need to enter or set the settings in the platform as the image will be automatically detected by GNS3.

Select the IOS image and click Open. In this example, c3725-adventerprisek9-mz.124-15.T14.bin is used.

Click Save

The IDLE PC is automatically filled up. The RAM for this IOS is 128MB and with the Default image for this platform is ticked. If the IDLE PC is not filled up, a warning will be shown. Below is a description on how to solved this,

Warning: IDLE PC will have to be configured.

Notice the settings is auto configured. Once done, click Save or you can Find out why and how on configuring IDLE PC. Refer to the articles on "Missing IDLE PC values after adding IOS images".

Configurating and Installing Python 2.7 (Optional)

Click Finish

System Properties

Environment Variables

Set the system’s PATH variable to include directories that include Python components and packages we’ll add later. To do this:
Right-click Computer and select Properties.
In the dialog box, select Advanced System Settings.
In the next dialog, select Environment Variables.

Edit System Variable

In the User Variables section, edit the PATH statement to include this:
C:\Python27;C:\Python27\Lib\site-packages\;C:\Python27\Scripts\;

Command Prompt

Type python to verify that it is working.