The CCNA 200-301 exam includes the same VLAN and VLAN trunking concepts, configuration, and verification found in the CCNA exams for most of their history. However, this version of the exam chooses to ignore VLAN Trunking Protocol (VTP) – a choice that I personally like. The chapter and examples keep somewhat centered, with topics on creating and verifying VLANs on each switch, and with configuring VLAN trunks to connect multiple switches.
The big idea is pretty simple: Repeat the Examples in the Official Cert Guide as part of your lab practice for CCNA using Packet Tracer.
The details require some reading. To get your head around what kind of content is here in the blog for these labs, read:
Chapter Intro: A brief description of the topics in that chapter of the book.
Download Link: Links to a ZIP; the ZIP holds all the .PKT files for this chapter.
Table of PKT files, by Example: A table that lists each example in the chapter, with the files supplied for each. Also lists a note about whether the PKT topology matches the book example exactly or not.
Tips: When we build the files, we come across items that we think might confuse you when trying the examples with PT. We write those notes in this section!
Chapter 8 of the CCNA 200-301 Official Cert Guide, Volume 1 focuses on Virtual LANs. VLANs allow a network engineer to separate the ports on a switch into multiple LAN broadcast domains – VLANs. By definition, in a layer 2 switch, a broadcast frame arriving in a port in one VLAN will be flooding out the ports in that VLAN, but purposefully not forwarded out ports belonging to other VLANs. VLANs give engineers a way to logically (aka virtually) break the switch into multiple logical switches.
The chapter’s examples focus on two main topics: VLANs and VLAN trunks. As usual, some examples detail configuration, while others focus on verification. The early part of the chapter focuses on VLAN configuration and verification, while the latter part of the chapter focuses on VLAN trunks.
When building the content for this post, we review the examples in the book and decide whether it makes sense to supply a Packet Tracer (.pkt) file to match the example. If we choose to support an example by supplying a matching .pkt file, the .pkt file includes a topology that matches the example as much as possible. It also includes the device configurations as they should exist at the beginning of the example.
In some cases, the .pkt file shows two instances of the lab topology – one above and one below. We include two such topologies when the book example includes configuration commands, for these purposes:
| Example | .PKT Includes Initial State of Example? |
.PKT Also Includes Ending State of Example? |
Exact Match of Interface IDs? |
| 8-1 | Yes | No | Yes |
| 8-2 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 8-3 | Yes | No | Yes |
| 8-4 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 8-5 | Yes | No | Yes |
| 8-6 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 8-7 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 8-8 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 8-9 | Yes | No | Yes |
| 8-10 | Use 8-9 | No | Yes |
| 8-11 | Not Supplied | Not Supplied | N/A |
| 8-12 | Not Supplied | Not Supplied | N/A |
| 8-13 | Not Supplied | Not Supplied | N/A |
This example works as intended in Packet Tracer. However, we added some description commands to the interfaces as notes for you, so the output in PT will list those description commands, while the example text in the book does not.
The output of the show vlan id 2 in real gear includes both access ports in that VLAN plus any VLAN trunks that allow the VLAN’s traffic. PT instead lists only the access ports in that VLAN. As a result, in this case, the example includes trunk port G0/1 in the output, while PT does not.
PT does not support the show interfaces interface-id trunk command, a command that is shown in the example. Consider instead using the show interfaces interface-id switchport command.
Thank you Sir.
I found this via twitter btw. You can plug your blog more often then even more people will find your work.
I have downloaded the file but when i login packet tracer this error appears .
Page not found
The requested page “/portal/saml_login%3FReturnTo%3Dptlogincomplete” could not be found.
Sounds like a Packet Tracer software install problem to me. It could be that you might be using a version earlier than PT 7.3? If so, install PT 7.3 (do not uninstall), and see if that helps. that might fix your problem.
Wendell
What is the password to config the switch?
Hi Hubert. If you haven’t yet found it in the link to the series intro in the “New to Packet Tracer Labs” section at the top, the passwords are all set to “cisco”. Other details in that post as well.
The lab should ask you what you need to do and give instructions
Hi Wendell, I am struggling to find instructions of for tasks that needs to be done on devices/interfaces.
Hi Eugene,
Look at the top of the post, to the heading that begins “Confused?” There’s you’ll see a link to the blog post that tells you how to use the posts in this series. Take a look there and ask again if that doesn’t tell you what you need to know.
Wendell
Hello Wendell,
On Page 182, Vol 1, Paragraph 2;
Quote “SW1 sends the broadcast out port Fa0/4 (because that port is in VLAN 20) and …”
PC21 is in VLAN20 so when it sends out a broadcast, i thought it goes over SW1 out port Fa0/3, not port Fa0/4 as you mention in the book. Port Fa0/4 on SW1 is associated with PC 22, not PC 21.
Please help clarify,
George
Hi George,
Breaking it down:
PC21 sends a frame.
The frame arrives in SW1’s F0/3 port.
SW1, per its config, knows that port is an access port in VLAN 20. Therefore the frame is considered to be in VLAN 20.
the frame was a broadcast, so SW1 floods the frame in VLAN 20.
The flooding on SW1 causes:
a) a copy to be sent out port F0/4 because it is another access port in VLAN 20
b) out G0/1, a trunk port that allows VLAN 20
SW1 does not forward the frame out F0/3, because the frame arrived in F0/3.
Hope this helps,
Wendell
Hi Wendell,
I already downloaded the 8 Pkt file but then no instructions or tasks on it. How to start? thanks… Jaime
Hello Jaime
The Packet Tracer Labs are based on the book and the web page for the lab. They basically give you a hands on option for learning from the examples in the book.
This is the CCNA 200301 Volume 1 Ch 08 Lab page:
https://blog.certskills.com/cgptl-301-v1-ch08/
Hello!
i do not find the global configuration command “shutdown” in the CLI. I want to shutdown a VLAN in the switch.
Why could it be?
Thank you.!
Hi Frederico,
It’s probably just the case that Cisco Packet Tracer does not support the commands. If you’re using the books, and you see the global shutdown and no shutdown commands in Example 8-11, those work on real Cisco IOS switches. But I believe Packet Tracer does not support those commands – which is one reason we didn’t supply .pkt files for that example.
Wendell
Hello,
I was trying command ‘show interfaces F0/4 trunk’ but it gives me Invalid input detected at ‘^’ marker. the ^ is under ‘t’ as trunk.
Any idea?
Many thanks
Hi Chester.
PT does not support the command you mention with the “trunk” keyword. Real switches do.
FYI, if you look in the tips section, you’ll find my notes about any known issues, like this one (listed with the example 8-10 tips). FYI.