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Packet Tracer Simulation Lab Guide

The document outlines a laboratory activity for a Data and Digital Communications course, focusing on using Cisco Packet Tracer in simulation mode. Students will learn to capture events, analyze packet contents, and manage device tables through a series of guided procedures. The activity culminates in a reflection on the skills acquired during the experiment.

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Tim
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11 views8 pages

Packet Tracer Simulation Lab Guide

The document outlines a laboratory activity for a Data and Digital Communications course, focusing on using Cisco Packet Tracer in simulation mode. Students will learn to capture events, analyze packet contents, and manage device tables through a series of guided procedures. The activity culminates in a reflection on the skills acquired during the experiment.

Uploaded by

Tim
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

UNIVERSITY OF THE EAST

Computer Engineering Department

UNIVERSITY OF THE EAST – CALOOCAN


COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
Computer Engineering Department

LAB ACTIVITY #3:


“ SIMULATION MODE”

NCP 2207 – Data and Digital Communications


Laboratory

Submitted To:
Dr. Joan P. Lazaro, PCpE
CpE Professor

Submitted By:
Timothy P. Villegas

Student Number:
20231131990

Date submitted:

2/20/25
UNIVERSITY OF THE EAST
Computer Engineering Department
LEARNING OUTCOMES:

At the end of the experiment, the learner should be able to:

●​ Explore Packet Tracer environment;


●​ Capture events and view animations in simulation mode;
●​ Analyze what is inside the packets in simulation mode;
●​ View device tables and resetting the network.

PROCEDURES:

Part A: Capturing Events and Viewing Animations in Simulation Mode

1. Open the previously saved file.

2. In Realtime Mode, send a simple PDU from the PC to the Server.

3. Delete the PDU by using the method learned in the previous section.

4. Switch to Simulation Mode.

5. Click Edit Filters and click All/None to uncheck all fields. Then click ICMP to only view
ICMP packets in the animation

6. Add a simple PDU from the PC to the Server. Notice that the newly created PDU is
added to the User Created PDU List. This packet has been captured as the first event in
the event list and a new packet icon (envelope) appears in the workspace. The eye icon
to the left of the event list indicates that this packet is currently displayed.

7. Click the Capture/Forward button once. This simulates a network sniffing program,
capturing the next event that occurs on the network. Note that after clicking
Capture/Forward, the packet in the workspace moves from one device to another (this
is the ICMP echo request message from the PC to the Server). Another event is added
in the event list – this reflects the change in the workspace. The first time through an
animation, the meaning of the Capture/Forward is capture; after resetting the simulation,
the meaning is forward.

8. Adjust the speed of the animation by dragging the Play Speed slider to the right
making it go faster. Dragging the speed slider in the opposite direction (to the left) will
slow down the animation.
UNIVERSITY OF THE EAST
Computer Engineering Department
9. Click the Capture/Forward button a second time. This captures the next network
event (this is the echo reply from the Server to the PC, shown as successful with a
green check mark on the envelope).

10. Click Capture/Forward button again. The Server has already sent an echo reply to
the PC therefore, there are no more ICMP events left to capture.

Part B: Looking Inside Packets in Simulation Mode

1. Continuing from the last activity, click Reset Simulation. This clears the entries in the
event list except for the original packet.

2. Select the packet envelope on the workspace to show the PDU Information window
like the one shown in the screenshot below. This window contains the OSI Model tab,
which shows how the packet is processed at each layer of the OSI model by the current
device. Close this window, noting that this packet is indicated in

the event list by the eye icon. The whole row in the event list is also highlighted. Clicking
on the color square in the Info column is equivalent to clicking directly on the packet
envelope (try it!).
UNIVERSITY OF THE EAST
Computer Engineering Department

3. Use the Next Layer and Previous Layer buttons to see details of the packet
processing at the relevant OSI layers. Note that only the Out Layers can be viewed in
the case of this original echo request message.

4. Click on the Outbound PDU Details tab. This tab shows exactly what makes up the
PDU headers. It is organized into header type and the individual fields in each header.

5. Close the PDU Information window. Click on Capture/Forward button once.

6. Click on the packet in the workspace again to open the PDU Information window.
Notice that this time, information regarding both the In Layers and Out Layers can be
viewed.

7. Click on the Inbound PDU Details tab. This shows the details of the inbound echo
request packet from the PC to the Server. The Outbound PDU Details tab, shows
similar information, but for the echo reply packet from the Server to the PC.

8. Click on Reset Simulation again. Now click on Auto Capture/Play. The echo request
and echo reply are automatically captured. Click on the Back Button to rewind the
animation one step at a time. Now click on the Capture/Forward button to forward the
UNIVERSITY OF THE EAST
Computer Engineering Department
packet through the animation. Note the change in the event list and the workspace.
Remember that at any time, a PDU Information Window can be opened by clicking
directly on the envelope on the workspace, or by clicking the Info column in the Event
List.

9. Click on the Back Button twice to rewind the animation. Now click Auto Capture/Play
and the packet animation will automatically occur.

Part C: Viewing Device Tables and Resetting the Network

1. Open the ARP Tables for both devices by clicking them with the Inspect tool. The
ARP tables always appear on the same spot. Reposition them to make them both
visible. You can also resize the tables for better viewing.

2. In Realtime Mode, send a simple PDU from the PC to the Server. Notice that the ARP
tables are filled in automatically, as shown here:
UNIVERSITY OF THE EAST
Computer Engineering Department

3. Delete the PDU using the method covered in the previous sections. Notice that the
entries in the ARP tables are NOT cleared. ARP entries for both devices have already
been learned. Deleting the user created PDUs does not reset events what has already
occurred in the network.

4. Click Power Cycle Devices. ARP tables are cleared because the Power Cycle
Devices button turns the devices off and back on again therefore, losing temporary
information like the ARP table entries.

5. Go to Simulation Mode. In the event list filters, make sure that ICMP and ARP are
checked so that you can view ICMP and ARP packets in the animation

6. Create a new simple PDU from the Server to the PC

7. Notice that since the devices were power cycled earlier, the ARP tables are empty.
ARP request packets need to be issued before the ICMP ping packets, so that the
devices in the network can learn about each other. Click on Auto Capture/Play to watch
the animation.
UNIVERSITY OF THE EAST
Computer Engineering Department
8. Click Reset Simulation. Notice that even though the event list is cleared (except for
the user created PDU), the ARP tables remain full. Click Auto Capture/Play. This time,
since the ARP tables are full, there are no new ARP packets issued.

9. Click Power Cycle Devices. Doing so will empty the tables. Notice that new ARP
request packets appear automatically in the event list.

SCREENSHOTS:

(A set of screenshots of the experiment showing how you do the above steps. Make
sure that your screenshots will show the important outputs intended in the given
experiment. Limit your screenshots from 10 to 15.)

​
​
UNIVERSITY OF THE EAST
Computer Engineering Department

REFLECTION:​
By exploring cisco packet tracer, I have learned how to capture events in
simulation mode, analyze what is inside the packets, and view device
tables and lastly, resetting the network.​
​

Common questions

Powered by AI

Simulation mode is significant in network testing for its ability to animate packet flow and allow detailed inspection of network events. This mode enables the viewing of packet progress between devices, capturing each network interaction and providing a visual representation of protocols in action, such as ICMP. It enhances learning by allowing users to see the actual packet exchange process, analyze specific details like OSI layers and PDU information, and appreciate the temporal dynamics of network communication, vital for network engineering education .

Manipulating simulation speed allows users to slow down or speed up the packet animation, affecting how network events are analyzed. Slowing down provides detailed observation of each packet's journey and interactions, useful for educational purposes and complex analysis, while speeding up can quickly show the overall behavior dynamics. This feature teaches timing effects in network protocols, aids in understanding time-sensitive processes, and improves user understanding of both rapid and detailed network analysis .

ARP tables update automatically in Realtime Mode when a simple PDU is sent from a PC to a server, capturing device address associations. However, these tables do not clear when PDUs are deleted, as they retain learned entries. To reset ARP tables, using the 'Power Cycle Devices' function clears temporary data, including ARP entries, restarting address learning processes. This resetting is crucial for simulations requiring a clean state to analyze network initialization behavior and ARP operation in device communication without residual data influence .

Clearing the event list is important because it removes previous captures, ensuring current operations reflect an accurate state by excluding past events. This reset operation is crucial for troubleshooting and accurate scenario reproduction, preventing previous network states from influencing new simulations. It impacts subsequent operations by providing a clean slate, essential for unbiased analysis and repeatability in scenario testing, thus maintaining simulation integrity .

The OSI Model tab in a network simulator aids understanding by showing how a packet is processed at each layer of the OSI model. It includes features such as 'Next Layer' and 'Previous Layer' buttons to navigate through the OSI layers, focusing on the Out Layers for original messages. This tab highlights details of PDU headers across different layers, organized by header type and individual fields, enabling users to analyze the construction and traversal of packets through the network. The Outbound PDU Details tab shows header specifics, further assisting in detailed protocol analysis .

To capture and view animations in simulation mode, one must first open the saved simulation file and switch from Realtime Mode to Simulation Mode. In Simulation Mode, click 'Edit Filters' and select the packet types to view, such as ICMP. Adding a simple PDU from a PC to a server captures this event in the event list, with an envelope icon indicating a displayed packet. By using the 'Capture/Forward' button, you simulate capturing network events, allowing the packet to move between devices as it would in real-time, illustrating the process of a network sniffing program. Adjusting the animation speed provides control over viewing the packet flow. These steps help users understand the sequence and behavior of packets within a network, facilitating analysis of network events .

In network simulation, the ARP protocol resolves addresses by updating tables with device pairings, essential for enabling communication before ICMP or other higher-level protocols function. During simulation scenarios, issuing ARP requests prepares the network by ensuring devices recognize each other's addresses. Upon resetting simulations, ARP tables maintain entries unless explicitly cleared, influencing future network operations by altering initial communication steps, underscoring ARP's foundational role in network stability and initialization analysis .

Power cycling differs from a simple simulation reset as it turns devices off and back on, clearing all temporary data, including ARP tables, whereas a simulation reset only clears the event list. Power cycling forces the network to relearn device addresses, impacting ARP table initialization, while a simulation reset retains learned ARP entries, affecting only network event sequences. These differences emphasize varied approaches to resetting network states, influencing initial device communications and table configurations .

Inspecting both inbound and outbound PDU details involves opening the PDU Information window twice and checking the respective tabs. Initially, outbound details are visible, revealing PDU header information from the PC to the server. After resetting and forwarding, inbound details can be accessed, showing the reverse journey. This inspection aids in understanding by dissecting communication pathways, protocol usage, and header data construction and interpretation throughout the network, deepening understanding of packet delivery mechanisms and network layer functions .

Auto capture/play and manual capture/forward differ mainly in control and automation. Auto capture/play automates the capturing and forwarding of packets, allowing for uninterrupted animation, ideal for observing the entire sequence without intervention. In contrast, manual capture/forward requires user interaction for each step, offering precise control over packet flow and step-by-step inspection. The former is beneficial for observing overall network behavior, while the latter provides in-depth analysis potential, beneficial for detailed educational and diagnostic purposes in network simulations .

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