GNS3 – How to build a switching lab
Posted by Josh on Thu 24 Jul 2008Categories: Cisco , Cisco Routers , Dynamips , GNS3 - [49] Comments
In this tutorial, you will learn how to build a Cisco switching lab … even though GNS3 cannot emulate a Cisco switch. I will show you how to use an NM-16ESW network module in a 3640 router to emulate a switching environment.
This tutorial is actually part one in a two part series. Part 2 will show you how to configure a “router on a stick”. Click here to see Part 2. A router on a stick is basically when a router is configured to route between two vlans with a single physical connection to the switch.
If you are interested in knowing more about the NM-16ESW module, please visit the following link. Cisco EtherSwitch Modules for the 2600/3600/3700 Series Routers
Special thanks to commenter (invalidCCIE) for digging this information up for us.
July 24th, 2008 at 10:07 pm
nice, anyway, the 3725 can emulate the NM-16ESW too right?
July 24th, 2008 at 10:11 pm
Krisna,
I believe it can. I have used a 3745.
Josh
July 25th, 2008 at 5:56 am
[...] Link Leave a Reply [...]
July 25th, 2008 at 9:40 am
[...] BlindHog – How to build a switching lab [...]
July 25th, 2008 at 12:14 pm
i use 3725 with nm-16esw with 12.4 ios, because it allows configuring vlan in global config, and is some more stable.
but it still doesn’t allows rstp, mst, dtp, normal port security, and lot, lot, lot of other features
July 27th, 2008 at 11:28 am
sorry,
can you tell me where i can find part two of the tutorial?
thanks in advance
meik
July 27th, 2008 at 2:16 pm
@invalidCCIE,
Thank you for this great information. Do you know if there full list of switching features the NM-16ESW module does not support?
Thanks again!
Josh
July 27th, 2008 at 2:39 pm
meik,
Part 2 has not been released yet. It will be posted early this week.
Josh
July 29th, 2008 at 12:57 am
[...] is part two of my gns3 switching tutorial series. In part 1, you learned how to use a 16 port network module (NM-16ESW) to simulate many features of a Cisco [...]
July 29th, 2008 at 4:37 am
[...] is part two of my gns3 switching tutorial series. In part 1, you learned how to use a 16 port network module (NM-16ESW) to simulate many features of a Cisco [...]
July 31st, 2008 at 4:12 am
@Josh
information about ESW switching module series can be found here: http://www.cisco.com/en/US/prod/collateral/routers/ps259/product_data_sheet09186a00801aca3e.html
in the end of document, there is short specifications. module supports only listed features. so any features not in list are missing.
July 31st, 2008 at 11:46 am
[...] been there yourself to read it. This is part two of my gns3 switching tutorial series. In part 1, you learned how to use a 16 port network module (NM-16ESW) to simulate many features of a Cisco [...]
August 1st, 2008 at 10:40 am
how do i config voip in gns3
August 2nd, 2008 at 9:58 pm
invalidCCIE,
Thank you very much! I will add this to the initial post.
Josh
August 2nd, 2008 at 10:00 pm
kolawole,
I have been working on plans for a voice lab using VMWare and GNS3. Look for future tutorials regarding a voice lab using GNS3.
Josh
August 3rd, 2008 at 3:01 am
i use 3600 with nm-16esw with 12.4 ios, configuring vlan in global config, and is some more stable.
but it still doesn’t allows rstp, mst, dtp, normal port security, and lot, lot, lot of other features
August 6th, 2008 at 7:53 am
getinet,
You are correct. The NM-16ESW module is missing a lot of switching features but it is really all we have at this point.
Josh
August 29th, 2008 at 10:41 pm
Hello there,
Can you please tell me which IOS version you are using in the lab? Just to be clear, I am not asking for the actual IOS, just the version you are using.
Thanks,
Julie
August 31st, 2008 at 12:38 am
c3640-ik9o3s-mz.124-18.bin
August 31st, 2008 at 8:28 pm
Josh,
Thank you very much!
September 4th, 2008 at 8:22 am
pls help me i need free c3640-ik9o3s-mz.124-18.bin where can i get this above mentioned image
October 5th, 2008 at 12:09 am
please i also need the c3640-ik9o3s-mz.124-18.bin image because the other 3600 images i got from the net rejected the vlan database command in the privilege mode.
please tell me how to get the above image
November 20th, 2008 at 7:50 pm
Very good vid, but as you stated, you simply cant do allot of goodies that you need in a 3550 or 60.
Any reason why GNS3 doesnt support a L3 Switch?
Frank
December 23rd, 2008 at 11:37 am
[...] BlindHog – How to build a switching lab | GNS3 Labs :: Cisco Router Simulator Network Topologies blindhog.net GNS3 – How to build a switching lab buralarda tutorial mevcut. incelemek [...]
January 14th, 2009 at 2:32 am
GN3/Dynamips cannot emulate a L3 Switch. The core of a L3 switch is it’s ASIC’s (Application Specific Intergrated Circuits) these provide the functionality that make a L3 switch’s performance at L3 so much better that those of a Router. Allthough a L3 switch runs an IOS image, it is the meeting of both the software (IOS) and the Hardware (ASIC’s) that provide the capabilities that the switch brings to the table. GN3 can’t emulate the ASIC’s found within a L3 switch. GN3 with dynamips at its core “simply” emulates a Mips CPU. A IOS image can then be run on this CPU and a Router instance is created.
January 14th, 2009 at 9:35 am
Dan,
Thanks for the excellent explanation!
Josh
January 25th, 2009 at 3:01 pm
thanks for this great work
best wishes to u
March 16th, 2009 at 12:43 pm
Hi,
I am trying to build a Switch using 3700 / 3600. Once I placed the router, I renamed it to SW0, when I try to add the module by default S0 has LEOPARD2FE and no other option. I am sure the Router is not on.
What to do?
March 16th, 2009 at 12:48 pm
Hi,
I am trying to build a Switch using 3700 / 3600. Once I placed the router, I renamed it to SW0, when I try to add the module by default S0 has LEOPARD2FE and no other option. I am sure the Router is not on.I AM ABLE TO ADD NM-16ESW ONLY IN S1.
What to do?
April 4th, 2009 at 9:23 pm
this is as useful as all the other lab…. great work again and again
April 11th, 2009 at 6:28 am
Dear All
could you please tell how to get c3640-ik9o3s-mz.124-18.bin IOS Image
April 18th, 2009 at 3:06 pm
i installed gns3 and i want to configure to the swtich but gns3 wont allow me to access to the swtich !!!please help me
April 19th, 2009 at 7:35 am
Noah,
Nope.
Josh
May 7th, 2009 at 4:37 am
I am having trouble with getting the NM-16ESW module to work. I am using the c3640-jk9s-mz.124-8c.bin image file. It does not react as per the video above. When you configure & save the NM-16ESW module (slot 0) for the router, it shows as configured but as soon as we connect the FE of another router to it, NM-1FE-TX appears from nowhere in slot 0 & the interface shows as connected to NM-1FE-TX & then there is no sign of NM-16ESW module. The same behaviour happens when NM-16ESW is used in other slots. As soon as another router is connected, NM-16ESW disappears & another NM appears in its place. It seems that NM-16ESW does not take the connection & we cannot control which interface we connect a link to?
Any help would be highly appreciated.
thanks,
May 7th, 2009 at 4:45 am
ok got it. One needs to start the switch (3640) before linking it up with other routers so that it doesnt guess which modules to use when you are connecting it. This solves the problem.
thanks,
May 18th, 2009 at 6:10 am
Hi,
I use c3640-ik9o3s-mz.124-18.bin image on 3600 router with NM-16ESW and I tried to add vlan with (config)# vlan 10 command but. I receive message % Invalid input detected. When I use SW1(config)#vlan ?
accounting VLAN accounting configuration
ifdescr VLAN subinterface ifDescr
appears. How can I add vlan on GNS3? I checked and there is no way I can get in vlan database.
Thanks for reply
May 29th, 2009 at 8:24 pm
Lukasz, you need get out of config mode and enter the following:
Router#vlan d
Router(vlan)#vlan 20 state active name VLAN20
VLAN 20 added:
Name: VLAN20
State ACTIVE
Router(vlan)#vtp server (or other mode)
Device mode already VTP SERVER.
Router(vlan)#vtp pass cisco
Setting device VLAN database password to cisco.
Router(vlan)#vtp dom cisco
Changing VTP domain name from IPE to cisco
Router(vlan)#exit (must enter exit for this to work)
APPLY completed.
Exiting….
hth,
R
June 2nd, 2009 at 6:58 am
Very useful. keep it up
June 5th, 2009 at 6:30 pm
I am using the NM-16ESW in a 3725 (c3725-adventerprisek9-mz.124-15.T7.bin) to create VLAN,Etherchannels, and VTP ( Server and Client).
I am using two switches (3700s). When I issue the command – “show ip interface brief”, the line protocol is down on any SVI that was created. Also VTP info is not reaching the VTP client because the line protocol is down. What may be preventing the line protocol from coming up.
June 24th, 2009 at 11:45 am
i need a project on ccna
so plz help me
my id is hikunal16@yahoo.co.in
July 18th, 2009 at 9:18 am
Even i need projects on CCNA pls..
mail me too on knoxgates@gmail.com
September 24th, 2009 at 9:16 pm
I’m planning to purchase a couple of switches, and was wondering what it would take to hook them up to my gns3 routers. Any tips or referral to where to get that kind of information is greatly appreciated.
And as always, thanks Josh for the great videos.
September 24th, 2009 at 9:49 pm
look! http://www.blindhog.net/tutorials/gns3-switching-lab/gns3-switching-lab.htm,,,,, stuff like that faded in either way makes confusing… even you tried to modify and force to break image hostname, you couldn’t break that object in to somewhat you would like to happen,, maybe that is that, that is it,, well ok you accomplish that topoly but you know, in order to make that visually clear, approachable, UI friendly for individual obj in pane i think this will go further adaptation to everyone who like this app too much..
October 15th, 2009 at 1:00 pm
I have created two valns. When I use sh vlans
it says no Virtual lans configured”.
Sh int f0/2 is not showing vlan information.
November 18th, 2009 at 1:18 am
Thank you very much josh & james. your tutorials are very helpful.
please check out my blog post on how to verify VTP between two switches connected on a trunk link using two routers as switches and vpcs for two pc’s. here is the link:
http://crazy4tips.blogspot.com/2009/11/vtp-in-gns3.html
December 18th, 2009 at 6:08 pm
i dont know how install pc in the lab and install ip to the pc
how install switch like pacte tracer and confugre it
thanks
January 9th, 2010 at 3:42 pm
Thank you very much for this very good tutorial, i didn’t GNS3 before this one, now i understand it better to start using it.
January 13th, 2010 at 10:17 pm
Cant 3600 series router be used as standard switch with commands supported on global configuration mode ?
January 18th, 2010 at 9:00 pm
HOW TO CONFIGURE ETHER CHANNEL IN GNS