Talking about configuration, we normally begin by configuring the basic settings on our Cisco devices. Even as a network engineer, it is always a best practice to setup the networking devices with some simple configuration, which includes naming i.e. giving some recognizable names to our devices and then setting up the passwords to prevent any unauthorized access.
In this lab, we will configure the hostname of a router. Also, we will set up the ‘Privileged Mode’ Password and ‘Secret’.
By default, Cisco router is configured with the hostname as ‘router’ and switch is configured with the default hostname of ‘switch’ so we must change the default names of all the devices to make it relevant to the network diagram and this also makes it easy to understand and help us recognizing the device when we are configuring the device.
It is the best practice to give hostnames to the devices according to the location for eg if the router is situated in Newyork then we can give hostname as newyork followed by the model number [Newyork 1700] or we can give the hostname as per the role of the device for eg If router is connecting to the ISP then a good hostname can be ISP router.
Once a password is set-up, users will be prompted to type-in that password whenever they enter the Privileged Exec Mode. And if both the ‘Enable Password’ and ‘Secret’ are configured, then the users will have to access the Privileged Mode with ‘Enable Secret’ as enable secret is considered superior password.
In this lab, we will also configure the Console line password and Auxiliary line password. In order to setup the Console line and Auxiliary line passwords we have to get under the line configuration mode of both lines.
We will also edit the hostname of our device. The device’s name will instantly change when we enter the command – ‘hostname device-name’ on the Command line Interface. And to check the configured password for the privileged mode you have to exit back to the User Exec mode by simply typing Exit while on the Privileged mode. Then, you will have to type the password every time you enter into the Privileged mode.
You can check the password by initiating a Console connection once again. However, Auxiliary line password cannot be simulated in the Packet Tracer.
Check the configuration below:
Lab Tasks
- Setting router name to R1
- Set privileged mode password to cisco
- Set privileged mode secret to cisco
- Set console line password to lab
- Set auxiliary line password to ciscolab
Lab Configuration
Task 1
Router(config)#hostname R1
R1(config)#
Task 2
R1(config)#enable password cisco
Task 3
R1(config)#enable secret cisco
Task 4
R1(config)#line con 0
R1(config-line)#password lab
R1(config-line)#login
Tack 5
R1(config)#line aux 0
R1(config-line)#password ciscolab
R1(config-line)#login
