
Discover how to create and configure practical networking labs using free and affordable simulators. Practice routing protocols with emulators like packet tracer and CML, without expensive live equipment.
Learn how to navigate the networking lab course by building each lab from scratch, configuring routers, switches, PCs, and servers, and developing muscle memory through practice with Packet Tracer labs.
Meet Lazaro de Dios, a Cisco and Microsoft instructor with over 20 years in networking who emphasizes hands-on labs, explains the why, and guides you toward certifications and interview readiness.
Pursue certifications as a must for IT professionals, offering a structured path from Network+ and Security+ to CCNA and CCNP, with options in Linux, CyberOps, and Security+.
Learn practical lab creation and configuration with compact three-to-four router networks, focusing on layer 3 switches, VLANs, ACLs, and essential routing protocols to build real-world skills from scratch.
Explore Packet Tracer, a free network simulator supporting multiple versions, enabling you to build labs with switches, routers, servers, and wireless devices, practicing BGP, ACLs, and VLANs.
Master GNS3 to create networking labs by purchasing iOS images, using VMware, and building multi-vendor topologies for realistic labs. Configure devices, enable virtualization, and capture traffic with Wireshark for analysis.
Explore the Rolls-Royce of emulators, CML2, with VMware and Linux-based images, licensing, and lab construction; learn to build and connect devices, label topology, and run labs from scratch.
Create practical networking labs with packet tracer, GNS3, and CML, using VMware for images, and build layer two and layer three scenarios with BGP, IS-IS, VRRP, and IPv4/IPv6.
Learn to build a basic soho topology in packet tracer with a router and layer 3 switches, configure 192.168.1.0/24, dns, banners, and basic security.
Extend a small home-office topology by adding an FTP and web server, configuring VLANs, IP addressing, DNS, and trunked subinterfaces to demonstrate SOHO networking lab practices.
Build a mid-level topology with two routers and four switches, configure port-channel links and IP schemes, and enable routing with RIP v2 plus static and default routes.
Configure a mid-level topology by implementing boundary-aware spanning-tree with root-bridge elections, VLANs and trunking, and enforce port security with sticky MAC addresses and violation handling.
Explore a compact packet tracer lab that uses VLANs and layer 3 routing across switches, running RIP and OSPF with route redistribution to achieve end-to-end connectivity.
Practice iBGP peering in a lab using Genesis 3 and packet tracer emulators, configuring three routers, IP schemes, and BGP neighbors, and examining BGP summary outputs.
Build and configure a basic MPLS lab across four routers, enabling IGP, assigning loopback and interface IPs, and enabling LDP to observe MPLS forwarding and penultimate hop popping.
Learn to configure distributed isis in a small lab, using level one in area one, net address, and system id, with packet tracer and Genesis three practice.
Configure secure login in cml by creating usernames with privilege levels and encrypted secrets using algorithm types like script or sha256, and set enable password on ios images.
Configure OSPFv3 for IPv6 in a small lab, setting router IDs and area zero on interfaces, then verify with ping and show ipv6 ospf.
Compare three network simulators through labs, detailing the use of Packet Tracer and Genesis three for certification prep (Network+ and CCNA) and affordable practice.
Finish the course and keep learning by subscribing to Glob eNet, an e-learning platform with webinars, handouts, and downloadable RSI model and TCP/IP model resources to deepen IT knowledge.
This course will guide you in your journey to becoming a functional Network Engineer. This course will show the pros and cons of simulators/emulators you can use, how big should I make a lab or is complexity more important.
This course will walk you through setting up a lab for layer 2 and layer 3 configurations, whether you are connecting 2 computers on the same segment or routing across a network using various routing protocols.
Most importantly, my goal is to remove the inconsistencies and confusion or possibly fears that you may have about creating a lab using a simulator or using “real world” equipment.
When you are done with this course, I will be taking through a full length of concepts that you need to keep expanding your networking career. The fundamental concepts are an invaluable comprehension you can take away from the course.
The course will begin by explaining the Packet Tracer, GNS3, EVEng, and CML2. Then we will continue the journey with the basics of creating a simple network and take it all the way to using routing protocols and other tools that will be at your disposal to make an efficient, redundant network that adheres to the newer standards.