How to Configure a Cisco Router

Level of difficulty: Intermediate

The process of configuring a Cisco brand router involves the invoking of the User, Privilege, Configuration, Interface, and Line modes. These various modes are utilized to allow the definition of information relative to the password, hostname, IP address along with the subnet mask, clock rate, and line configurations that will dictate the behavior of the router device. Prior to powering up the router to undertake its configuration, it is necessary to first set up a terminal emulation application to 9600 baud with eight data bits, no parity and single bit stop. This process will also be used to define the type of protocol that will be implemented across the network which will be supported by the router that will be connected to the computer system’s serial port.

Materials Needed:
- Cisco router
- Ethernet cable
- terminal emulator utility like HyperTerminal
Step 1
The initial steps to the configuration process after setting up the terminal emulation program is to power up the Cisco router and wait for the message prompt to be displayed.
Step 2
To implement basic configuration, type at the command prompt the text 'Enter Privilege Mode' followed by the 'Router > enable' command.
Step 3
When the cursor appears; type the 'Enter Configuration Mode' and the Router# configuration terminal command.
Step 4
In order to implement password protection when accessing Privilege Mode, the 'Router(config)# enable password p@ssw0rd' and the 'Router(config)#enable secret s3cr3t' commands must be issued.
Step 5
The 'Router(config)#hostname myrouter1 [Set the hostname to myrouter1]' instruction provides the user with a way of defining the Hostname or the Router Name that will be broadcasted across the network.
Step 6
The commands to configure the Ethernet port consists of the 'myrouter1(config)# inte f0/0 [Enter Ethernet Interface Mode ( f0/0 for interface1, f0/1 for interface 2)]', 'myrouter1(config-if)# ip add 192.168.0.1 255.255.255.0 [Set IP address and subnet mask]', and 'myrouter1(config-if)#no shut [Active the port]' commands. These commands will allow the smooth flow of network traffic on the defined communication portals.
Step 7
Configuration of the Serial Port makes use of the 'myrouter1(config-if)#inte s 0/0/0 [Enter Serial Interface Mode]', 'myrouter1(config-if)#ip add 192.168.20.1 255.255.255.0 [Set IP address and subnet mask]', and 'myrouter1(config-if)#no shut [Active the port]' commands.
Step 8
It is also necessary to set the bandwidth that will be used by the router. This is commonly done by using the 'myrouter1(config-if)#clock rate 1000000 [Set the bandwidth to 1Gig]' and 'myrouter1(config-if)#exit' commands.
Step 9
The Secure Console is defined by using the 'myrouter1(config)#line con 0', 'myrouter1(config-line)#password c0ns0l3', 'myrouter1(config-line)#login', and 'myrouter1(config-line)#exit' commands. These instructions will configure the access credentials that will be used to bring up this utility.
Step 10
The auxiliary password that will be used to connect any modem device to the router hardware via the remote connection console may be done by using the 'myrouter1(config)#line aux0', 'myrouter1(config-line)#password auXo', 'myrouter1(config-line)#login', and 'myrouter1(config-line)#exit' instructions.
Step 11
Securing the login process via SSH or Telnet processes is done by using Virtual Terminal Password. The commands 'myrouter1(config)#line vty 0 4', 'myrouter1(config-line)#password v1rtu@1', 'myrouter1(config-line)#login', 'myrouter1(config-line)#exit', and 'myrouter1(config)#exit' are executed within the Secure VTY line utility.
Step 12
To finish the configuration process, the settings must be saved either by using the 'myrouter1#wr me' or 'myrouter1#copy run start' commands.