I’m currently working as a DevOps engineer, but I’ve always been interested in networking. Now, I’ve finally started my learning journey.
Although I use networking concepts on a daily basis, I believe having a solid understanding of networking will not only enhance my current role but also prove valuable in many other roles.
Since Cisco is the industry standard, I’ve decided to aim for the Cisco CCNA exam as part of my studies.
While I already have some knowledge, I’m fortunate to work with colleagues who have far more experience and are mentoring me throughout this journey. Their advice? Start from the very beginning. The starting point is called Packet Tracer, a course centered on a tool that dates back to the ’90s. It has a dialog box interface—definitely a throwback to the days when UI and UX weren’t as refined as they are today.
Here’s the link to the course: Getting Started with Cisco Packet Tracer
It’s free, and all you need to do is register and download Packet Tracer.
For Linux users, after downloading, move to the folder and use the following command:
sudo dpkg -i ./Packet_Tracer822_amd64_signed.deb Since some dependent packages may be missing, you might encounter an error. If that happens, run:
sudo apt install -f If the error persists, you may need to rerun the dpkg command.
Once it’s installed, you’ll need to log in using the same account you registered for the course.
The course is straightforward and will guide you through the functionality of the software, as well as how it will be used in future assessments.
You will have to go through a few activities and an assessment. It’s quite simple—things like connecting the right cables to the correct interfaces and creating basic home networks.
The 1990 graphics
Note: The software isn’t perfect, so if you get really stuck, consider restarting the assessment. It might resolve the issue.