Working on Cisco packet tracer CLI and how it is different than real routers CLI?
CLI in packet tracer mimic the CLI of the real router however packet tracer does not support all the command available in the real IOS so we will have fewer commands that are available in packet tracer.
To access the CLI in real Cisco devices, we have to connect with the device either with a rollover cable using the console connection or we can telnet into the device if VTY lines are configured on the device however In packet tracer, we can directly click on the device and then go to the CLI interface as shown in the below image.
Cisco packet tracer CLI commands
We can use the same commands that we use in real Cisco devices to configure them. E.g. ‘Enable’ command allows us to enter into privileged mode and the ‘configure terminal’ command allows us to switch to Global configuration mode.
How to clear CLI in packet tracer?
There is no command and option available in IOS to clear the CLI like the one in the windows command prompt.
How to unlock the CLI tab in packet tracer?
Tabs cannot be unlocked as they are locked on purpose by the creator. In packet tracer, instructors can create a .pka file for assessment so they can block the tab due to certain assessment requirements like we should not use the CLI of the device by clicking directly on the device however we should find an alternative way to configure or access that device.
Most of the CLI commands are the same for all Cisco devices however there are specific commands for each device according to their capability or functionality e.g. the switch will have different commands while the router will have some different commands.
It’s very easy to use CLI on Cisco devices. The best part is that IOS and commands work the same way on both routers and switches so if we learn how to use the CLI on switches then we can use the CLI of other devices as well.
While using the command line interface, we can use the question mark to see the list of available commands so it also reduces the learning part as we can get available help anytime if we forgot the command.
If you want to learn the CLI of Cisco IOS then instead of buying a real router, we can practice with packet tracer software.
