Computer Networks

Computer Networks

Infrastructure, Systems, and Connectivity

Network ProtocolsCommunication InfrastructureOperating Systems and Server ManagementNetwork Security and EncryptionCloud Computing and Virtualization

Articles in this Section

Hands-On Lab: Cisco Discovery Protocol (CDP)

This hands-on lab uses CDP to discover directly connected Cisco devices without any prior configuration knowledge of the neighboring device, and covers disabling CDP on a specific interface for security reasons while leaving it active elsewhere.

/article/hands-on-lab-cisco-discovery-protocol-cdp

Hands-On Lab: Configuring LLDP

This hands-on lab enables LLDP, the vendor-neutral equivalent of CDP, on a Cisco device connected to non-Cisco equipment, and compares its verification output directly against CDP to highlight the similarities and differences between the two protocols.

/article/hands-on-lab-configuring-lldp

Hands-On Lab: Configuring Errdisable Recovery

This hands-on lab triggers a port security violation that places a port into err-disabled state, then configures automatic errdisable recovery so the port re-enables itself after a timeout instead of requiring manual intervention.

/article/hands-on-lab-configuring-errdisable-recovery

Hands-On Lab: Configuring Inter-VLAN Routing (Router on a Stick)

This hands-on lab configures inter-VLAN routing using a single router interface divided into subinterfaces, connecting to a switch trunk to route traffic between two VLANs through one physical link.

/article/hands-on-lab-configuring-inter-vlan-routing-router-on-a-stick

Hands-On Lab: Configuring and Allowing Inter-VLAN Routing — SVI

This hands-on lab configures inter-VLAN routing using Switch Virtual Interfaces on a Layer 3 switch, enabling IP routing directly on the switch itself and comparing this approach against the router-on-a-stick method from the previous lab.

/article/hands-on-lab-configuring-and-allowing-inter-vlan-routing-svi

Hands-On Lab: Installing a Wireless Access Point

This hands-on lab covers physically connecting and performing the initial configuration of a standalone wireless access point, including setting up an SSID, applying WPA3 security, and verifying wireless clients can associate and reach the wired network.

/article/hands-on-lab-installing-a-wireless-access-point

Hands-On Lab: Installing a Wireless LAN Controller

This hands-on lab performs the initial setup of a Wireless LAN Controller, joins a lightweight access point to it, and creates a centrally managed WLAN, demonstrating the controller-based architecture that scales far beyond standalone access points.

/article/hands-on-lab-installing-a-wireless-lan-controller

Hands-On Lab: Configuring Static Routing via Interfaces

This hands-on lab configures static routes using an outgoing interface rather than a next-hop IP address, demonstrating this approach's suitability for point-to-point links and its important limitation on multi-access networks.

/article/hands-on-lab-configuring-static-routing-via-interfaces

Hands-On Lab: Configuring Static Routing via IP Addresses

This hands-on lab configures static routes using a next-hop IP address rather than an outgoing interface, the generally preferred syntax, and compares the resulting routing table entry against the interface-based approach from the previous lab.

/article/hands-on-lab-configuring-static-routing-via-ip-addresses

Hands-On Lab: Configuring and Naming Static Routes

This hands-on lab configures static routes with descriptive names attached using the name keyword, improving documentation and making the routing table significantly easier to interpret for anyone reviewing the configuration later.

/article/hands-on-lab-configuring-and-naming-static-routes

Hands-On Lab: Configuring Default Static Routes

This hands-on lab configures a default static route on an edge router to reach the internet through an ISP connection, demonstrating how a single route can represent every otherwise-unknown destination rather than requiring individual routes for each one.

/article/hands-on-lab-configuring-default-static-routes

Hands-On Lab: Configuring IPv6 Static Routes

This hands-on lab configures static routes for IPv6 destinations between two routers, mirroring the IPv4 static routing syntax covered earlier in this series while highlighting the IPv6-specific command keyword and address format.

/article/hands-on-lab-configuring-ipv6-static-routes