CCNA 200-301 v1.1 with Labs, Quizzes, Practice Exams

Set up your CCNA lab environment using EVE-NG on Windows 11 with VMware Workstation Player, upload an iOS image, and build and power up labs.

Set up a lab in eve-ng by installing vmware workstation player, importing the eve-ng ova, and configuring file transfer and ssh access with putty and filezilla.

Boot the eve-ng lab, adjust VM processor settings, and start the guest. Connect via ssh and the web ui to upload Cisco ios images and build the emulation.

Set up and run a Cisco lab in EVE-NG, configure console connections, perform Wireshark captures, install Win client pack with Nmap and Wireshark, and compare emulation with Packet Tracer.

Discover the fundamentals of networking, covering design, management, maintenance, and troubleshooting of enterprise networks, with key concepts like protocols, tcp/ip, arpanet, and the modern internet.

Explore enterprise network components, including switches, routers, firewalls, wireless access points, and wireless lan controllers, and understand layer 2/3 forwarding, routing concepts, and endpoints.

Explore the hardware components of a Cisco router and switch—cpu, rom, ram, nvram, and flash—and the boot process that loads iOS to bring up the running configuration.

Explore network architectures from LAN to MAN, campus networks, and topologies like three-tier, collapsed core, and spine-and-leaf, with emphasis on access, distribution, and core layers.

Understand the differences between traditional and controller-based networks, where the control plane centralizes policy and routing while the data plane remains on individual devices.

Master the OSI model from physical to application, learn MAC addressing, frames, encapsulation, and compare TCP and UDP for end-to-end connectivity.

Explore IPv4 fundamentals, including 32-bit addresses, dotted decimal notation, octets, binary conversion, and how subnet masks define network and host portions.

Discover how private IP addresses are translated to public IP addresses via NAT, how provider edge ACL filters ranges, and the class A, B, and C ranges used in networks.

Subnet, why we subnet, and how to perform subnetting for class C hosts, using binary, subnet masks, net IDs and broadcast addresses, with practice for CCNA learners.

Master easy IPv4 subnetting across class C, B, and A networks, determine host requirements, apply masks, and calculate network ranges, increments, and usable IPs.

Explore IPv6 addressing concepts aligned with CCNA objectives, including 128-bit hex-based addresses, hextets, and prefix length. Learn about IPv6 address types - unicast, multicast, and anycast - and why broadcast is not used.

Explore IPv6 addressing rules, including omitting leading zeros and compressing continuous zero segments with a single double colon. Learn about prefix length /64, interface ID, and basic IPv6 header differences.

Explore IPv6 address types and prefixes, including global unicast and link local, learn to assign IPv6 to interfaces, enable IPv6 routing, and recognize multicast and anycast on Cisco IOS.

Discover how the modified EUI-64 format creates a unique IPv6 interface id from a mac address by inserting fffe and inverting the seventh bit for a global unicast address.

Dive into the transport layer basics of TCP and UDP, explaining reliability, connection-oriented delivery, three-way handshake, ports, and how apps like streaming and web rely on these protocols.

Deep dive into Cisco iOS and CLI basics, including terminal emulation with PuTTY or SecureCRT, SSH/Telnet access, console out-of-band access, and Cisco CLI modes and command structure.

Create a reliable baseline configuration for Cisco devices by applying housekeeping commands—hostnames, enable secret, password encryption, banners, local credentials—and use a VS code template for SSH with RSA keys.

Explain layer one as the physical layer that encodes and transmits frames over copper, fiber, and Wi-Fi, detailing bandwidth, throughput, EMI, and copper cabling standards (UTP, STP, RJ-45, 802.3).

Explore layer one basics: ethernet errors such as input errors and CRC, runts, jumbo frames, and duplex collisions, plus fiber single-mode and multimode, transceivers, and wireless CID and 802.11 standards.

Demonstrate ethernet fundamentals across the data link and physical layers, explain the LLC and mac sublayers, and describe how frames, mac addresses, and fcs enable frame forwarding and error detection.

Explore layer two fundamentals, including mac broadcast domains and collision domains, and compare csma/cd and csma/ca, with full and half duplex, and the role of mdi/auto mdix in cabling.

Explore layer 2 switching fundamentals on a Cisco switch, learning how the CAM and MAC address table forwards frames, including store-and-forward and cut-through methods.

Bridge switching fundamentals by demonstrating the MAC address table, broadcast MAC address, and ARP in a live lab; observe layer 3 to 2 mapping, ping, and Wireshark captures.

Explore how vlan tags, a four-byte 802.1q tag, create logical traffic separation, covering vlan IDs, native vlan, and hands-on configuration of access, voice, and vlans.

Walk through the vlan lab: create vlan ten (engineering) and vlan twenty (marketing), assign ports, verify with show commands, and use a git lab baseline for consistency.

Master trunking concepts for inter-VLAN communication across switches using 802.1Q (and Cisco ISL), configure static or dynamic trunks, manage DTP negotiation, and verify with show interfaces trunk.

Explore an advanced vlan lab walkthrough: create and name vlans ten, twenty, thirty, and forty on Cisco iOS switches, assign ports, and verify with show vlan brief.

A hands-on basic trunking lab walkthrough demonstrates creating a static 802.1Q trunk between switches, configuring VLAN ten, verifying trunk status, and testing inter-VLAN reachability with packet captures.

Demonstrates advanced trunking techniques, including static and dynamic trunks, DTP negotiation, VLAN pruning, and Wireshark captures to compare 802.1Q and ISIL behavior across switches.

Learn how CDP and LLDP enable neighbor discovery, propagate voice VLAN info for IP phones, and filter TLVs; configure globally or per interface, and verify with show commands.

Explore a CCNA lab walkthrough that configures CDP and LLDP globally, disables multi-vendor discovery on endpoints, enables LDP port description TLVs, and verifies results with show commands and Wireshark.

Delve into the spanning tree protocol fundamentals, including root bridge election, bridge priority, port costs, and the root and designated port roles, with lab insights on portfast and root guard.

Explore how the spanning tree protocol prevents broadcast storms and switching loops, uses bpdu frames and root bridge concepts, and evolves from 802.1D to per-VLAN and rapid spanning tree.

Explore how the spanning tree protocol selects the root bridge from bridge IDs, using a 64-bit ID with a 12-bit VLAN extension and the lowest MAC address.

Analyze spanning tree tiebreakers for equal-cost paths to the root bridge and how port IDs and MAC addresses determine forwarding versus blocking ports, with portfast and bpdu handling.

Perform a hands-on spanning-tree lab to configure VLANs and trunks, enable RSTP, verify with show commands, and apply baseline configs from GitLab.

Explore how etherchannel bundles multiple physical interfaces into a single port channel to boost bandwidth, using lacp, pagp, or static modes with layer two or layer three load balancing.

Explore layer 2 etherchannel lab using lacp and pagp on catalyst switches, aligning with ccna exam objectives. Learn negotiation protocols, baselines, trunking, and troubleshoot with wireshark captures.

Explore layer 3 etherchannel on multi-layer switches by turning interfaces into routed ports, configuring a port channel with LACP, and verifying IP reachability.

The address resolution protocol maps IP addresses to MAC addresses by broadcasting ARP requests and replies, builds an ARP table for default gateways, DHCP, and Wireshark labs.

Explore arp in real time through a hands-on lab: assign static IPs, observe arp requests and replies, and watch layer 3 to layer 2 mappings during dhcp discovery.

Explore inter-VLAN routing that enables VLANs to communicate through layer 3, using router on a stick with dot1Q tagging subinterfaces or switch virtual interfaces on multilayer switches.

Configure router-on-a-stick inter-VLAN routing using subinterfaces and 802.1Q trunks, set up SVIs for switch management, and verify VLAN reachability and SSH across devices.

Master inter-VLAN routing with a multi-layer switch by creating SVIs for VLANs 10, 20, and 30 and enabling IP routing to achieve layer 3 reachability.

Explore layer 3 routing concepts, including how routers use the routing table to forward traffic, focusing on static routing, OSPF for IPv4/IPv6, and first-hop redundancy protocols like HSRP and VRRP.

Explore how IP routing moves packets from source to destination, examining IPv4 and IPv6, the router's role, and how routing tables shape forwarding decisions.

Explore routing protocols and their categories, comparing IGP and EGP, and examining static, dynamic, link-state (OSPF/ISIS) and distance-vector (RIP) approaches, metrics, and administrative distance.

Explore how routers choose next hops for destination packets using routing table rules, including specificity, administrative distance, and lowest metric, with ospf, rip, and ercp as examples.

Master static routing by configuring routes from R1 to R2 to reach remote networks, using next-hop and exit interface methods, and verify reachability with ping tests across the labs.

Learn static routes in CCNA, including default, floating, host routes, and stub networks. Compare static and dynamic routing, and verify configurations with show ip route.

Master advanced static routing concepts: floating, default, and host routes, through a hub-and-spoke lab that demonstrates load balancing, a default route, and primary/secondary paths.

Explore how ospf operates as the main routing protocol, including single-area configuration and ospf metrics. Learn the ospf rules, network types, packets, and configuration essentials.

Explore open shortest path first, a vendor neutral link state routing protocol. Learn how OSPF forms neighbors with hello packets, elects a DR/BDR, and floods LSAs for convergence across areas.

Understand OSPF concepts including network types, DR/BDR election, backbone area, and router ID selection. Learn how adjacency forms, LSAs flood, and topology converges into a routing table.

Configure OSPF on two routers to enable dynamic routing, advertise networks, and achieve full convergence in area zero, then verify neighbors, interfaces, and learned routes.

deepens CCNA OSPF labs with a multi-router broadcast network using loopback addresses, DR/BDR elections, and tuned hello and hold timers, plus auto cost reference bandwidth for accurate routing costs.

Explore first hop redundancy protocols and how HSRP creates an active and standby gateway using a shared virtual IP and MAC to ensure seamless failover.

Configure a simple hsrp lab with two routers on a shared ethernet segment to provide a virtual gateway using hsrp version two, group 420, and a virtual ip of 192.168.1.3.

Explore how NAT converts private IPv4 addresses to public addresses, explains inside versus outside local and global terms, and reviews static, dynamic, and port address translation.

Learn how static, dynamic, and port address translation (PAT) map private to public IPs, using pools, ACLs, and port numbers to conserve addresses.

Master PAT with overload by defining inside addresses, using access lists, and designating an outside interface; verify with show ip nat translations and troubleshoot using nat statistics and clear commands.

Explore static nat through a hands-on lab, configure a static nat translation, verify with show ip nat translations and wireshark, and learn why static nat is not scalable.

Learn to configure pat on Cisco routers to enable inside networks to access the internet via nat overload, using an inside addresses ACL and verify with show ip nat translations.

Explore how the network time protocol synchronizes clocks across devices, using stratum levels from zero to fifteen. Configure NTP on Cisco IOS as master or client and verify with commands.

Configure NTP in a two-router CCNA lab: make R1 an NTP client to a public server, then an NTP master for R2 with MD5 authentication, and verify NTP status.

Learn how DHCP automatically assigns IPv4 addresses, the Dora operation, and how to configure DHCP relay on iOS with IP helper addresses, plus options like 150, 66, and 67.

Explores DHCP on Cisco IOS and walks through a lab that configures DHCP pools, option 150 for voice, and verifies VLAN, IP addressing, and DNS settings.

Configure a DHCP relay with an IP helper address on the default gateway to forward DHCP Discover to a DHCP server across two VLANs, with per-subnet pools and static routes.

Learn how the domain name system maps domain names to IP addresses, from local caches and host files to root and top-level domain servers, plus key records and resolving commands.

Perform a hands-on Cisco iOS DNS lab covering fully qualified domain names, domain name settings, name servers, host records, and SSH access using FQDN.

Learn how SNMP supports network monitoring via the network management server, SNMP agents, and MIBs, including get, get next, get bulk, set, traps, informs, and version basics.

Compare SNMP versions from v1/v2 with community strings and no encryption to v3’s authentication, integrity, and encryption using views, groups, and users; configure read-only and read-write access, traps, and informs.

Learn to configure snmp version 3 with auth-priv and version 2 on Cisco IOS, integrate with PRTG, and perform a lab walkthrough with Wireshark.

Explore syslog on iOS, from eight severity levels and UDP port 514 to local logging buffers and remote syslog servers, including configuration and verification workflows.

Master the fundamentals of quality of service (QoS) for IP networks, focusing on classification, marking, queuing, congestion, policing, and shaping. Explore the three QoS models and the planning-to-configuration flow.

Explore quality of service (QoS) concepts, from classifying data to prioritizing mission-critical traffic like voice, video, and Microsoft Teams, through marking, queuing, shaping, and policing.

Compare best effort, integrated services, and Diffserv QoS models, and learn how Diffserv classifies, marks, queues, shapes, and polices traffic across an enterprise network.

Learn to classify and mark qos traffic using class maps, layer 2 cos, and layer 3 dscp, with ip precedence, af and cs values, plus per-hop behavior and trust boundaries.

Master QoS queuing, shaping, and marking to manage congestion with class-based weighted fair queuing and low latency queuing, plus tail drop prevention with random early detection.

Master qos configuration on Cisco iOS using the MQC, including class maps, policy maps, and af markings. Validate with a Wireshark capture and ip precedence checks.

Explore FTP and TFTP basics, including ports, reliability, security, and active and passive modes, then back up and upgrade IOS on Cisco devices with FTP or TFTP.

Execute an FTP lab to transfer iOS from flash to an FTP server, verify with a Wireshark capture of control and data ports, and review FTP syntax.

Learn to use a TFTP server to back up and pull a router IOS by copying flash to the TFTP server, using UDP port 69 and 512-bit data blocks.

Learn how ssh establishes secure remote access over untrusted networks using public key and symmetric encryption, and how to configure ssh on Cisco devices with rsa keys and local login.

Configure the ssh lab on the iOS cli by setting ip addressing, generating rsa keys, and enabling ssh version 2 to compare ssh and telnet in the lab.

Explore wireless principles, architectures, and security within the CCNA 200-301 objectives, covering SSID, non-overlapping channels, RF basics, WLC labs, and GUI configuration.

Learn the fundamentals of wireless networks, including basic service set and basic service area, wireless LAN terminology, RF and antenna types, and deployment modes from autonomous to cloud-based.

Explore radio frequency fundamentals, including RF wave propagation, frequency–wavelength relation, amplitude, interference, path loss, reflection, noise, and modulation, across 2.4, 5, and 6 GHz wifi bands.

Learn how Wi-Fi power is measured in milliwatts and decibels per milliwatt (dBm), and how power affects range, interference, SNR, and regulatory compliance in access points.

Explore antenna fundamentals for wifi networks, including the horizontal and vertical planes, site surveys with heat maps, and how omnidirectional and directional antennas affect coverage and EIRP.

Learn how 802.11 frames enable a wireless client to associate with an access point, covering management, control, and data frames, csma ca with rts/cts and ack, and four-address frame format.

Explore 802.11 wifi standards from b to ax, their frequency ranges and data rates, and learn autonomous, lightweight, and cloud-based AP deployments with Capwap and WLC architectures.

Plan and deploy a wireless LAN for small to midsize businesses by mapping VLANs and SSIDs, then configure a Cisco WLC via CLI and GUI.

Learn how to perform initial configuration of a Cisco 2504 wireless LAN controller, including the redundant port, service port, in-band and out-of-band management, distribution system ports, and console CLI access.

Perform the Cisco WLC initial configuration via CLI, clearing settings, configuring name, admin credentials, management VLAN ten IP, NTP, and DHCP bridging, then enable web mode for GUI access.

Explore deploying a virtual wireless LAN controller in EVE-NG for CCNA learners, using Packet Tracer for wireless labs, and overviewing ESXi virtualization, VLANs, CAPWAP, and AP connectivity.

Explore core network security concepts, including the CIA triad of confidentiality, integrity, and availability, plus threats, vulnerabilities, exploits, and mitigations for CCNA preparation.

Explore core cyber security fundamentals, including threats, vulnerabilities, and exploits, and learn defense-in-depth strategies, malware and phishing prevention, patching, access control, and incident response.

Explore security program elements, from user awareness and data handling to physical access controls like badges, biometrics, and surveillance, and learn how defense in depth supports enterprise protection.

Learn how to secure Cisco iOS access by configuring console authentication, local credentials, and privilege-level protections, including enable secret and password encryption for out-of-band management.

Secure local Cisco iOS access with a hands-on lab that configures enable secret, login local, and console port authentication, plus verification via do show run and do show users all.

Explore enterprise password policies, including length, complexity, expiration, and reuse, and learn how administrative security teams implement two-factor or multi-factor authentication, account lockouts, and recovery options.

Explore access control lists, including standard, extended, and named ACLs, and learn where to apply them for traffic filtering. Verify ACL configuration with show commands and prepare for hands-on labs.

Learn to configure standard ACLs on Cisco devices, apply them to interfaces and vty lines, and filter by source IP to block specific VLAN traffic, including icmp and ssh.

Learn to configure extended and named ACLs filtering by port and protocol, placing them near source to allow ssh from engineering VLAN to R2 and block telnet and http.

Discover layer two security with DHCP snooping, dynamic ARP inspection, and port security. Learn how trusted and untrusted ports mitigate rogue DHCP servers and DHCP starvation using binding tables.

Demonstrates a dhcp snooping lab with Wireshark captures, enabling dhcp snooping on switches, configuring trusted and untrusted ports, and inspecting option 82 and the dhcp snooping binding table.

Learn how dynamic ARP inspection stops ARP poisoning by validating layer three to layer two mappings with the DHCP snooping binding table on untrusted ports.

Enable and verify dynamic ARP inspection on VLANs to protect layer two from ARP poisoning, using the DHCP snooping binding table and trusted ports.

Learn how layer 2 port security uses mac filtering to prevent cam flooding and rogue devices on access ports, with sticky mac and shutdown violation mode.

Master layer 2 port security on a Cisco switch through a hands-on lab, using sticky mac addresses to lock a port to a device and explore violations, resets, and configurations.

Explore the AAA framework—authentication, authorization, and accounting—and how TACACS+ and Radius enable secure network access, policy enforcement, and RBAC in enterprise environments.

Explore wireless security fundamentals, including open authentication, WEP, and extensible authentication protocols (EAP) with 802.1X; learn encryption methods and integrity checks for WPA standards.

Explore EAP methods and encryption evolutions, from LEAP and PEAP to EAP-TLS, and compare WPA/WPA2/WPA3, highlighting mutual authentication, TLS tunnels, and enterprise versus personal modes.