How do you configure an IP on a Cisco Router? - Computers - Hardware

Homes, businesses, educational institutions and government departments all find networks essential for their day to day business functions. Hardware from Cisco Systems, the premier company in the world for internet networking is efficient, secure, integrated and suitable for a variety of uses. So, after having made the choice to purchase a Cisco Systems router, how do you configure the IP (Internet Protocol)?

The IP address of a computer or device is the method used to identify it so that the network can send messages to the specific destination. It is made up of four numbers, each of which are separated by a full stop. For example, 1.161.13.243 could be used as an IP address.

You can configure a Cisco router using autoinstall, setup or other tools such as ClickStart, which has a web-interface, or ConfigMaker. These tools may be simple to use and intuitive but can lack in flexibility. In order to configure an IP address on your Cisco router via the command line interface you must perform the following steps.

Firstly, ensure that your terminal is connected to the router. Then log in to the router through the terminal using your password or username and password, depending on which method you have access to.

At this point you will be in User Mode and will be unable to change the configuration. In order to do so you will have to access Privileged Mode by completing the following steps.

Type enable into the command line interface and press return.Type the password for privileged mode and then press return.

Now enter configuration mode by typing config and then pressing return.

The interfaces on a Cisco router are named in the format media type slot number/port number. For example the third port of an Ethernet interface installed in the second slot would be named Ethernet 2/3. If you are using a router that does not have slots, the naming format is media type port number, so the third port of an Ethernet interface would be named Ethernet 3

To configure an IP address now type the name of your interface into the command line interface and press return. EG for the third port of an Ethernet interface installed in the second slot type ethernet 2/3 followed by return.

Decide on the IP address you wish to assign and where 0.0.0.0 is referred to here, replace it with your IP address.

Then type ip address 0.0.0.0, 255.255.255.0 and press return.Type no shutdown followed by return.Type ctrl-Z and press return.

The no shutdown command prevents the interface from being administratively down even when it has been correctly installed and configured.

Type ip routing and press returnThen type ctrl-Z

This ensures that IP routing is enabled.

Type copy running-config startup-config and press return.

This saves your configuration so that it will not be lost if the router is turned off.

If you need to revert to this configuration in the future, enter the configuration mode and type copy startup-config running-config and press return.

access point vs router