Cisco Packet Tracer Setup Guide
The Cisco Packet Tracer software allows you to simulate some of the lab equipment (routers, switches, PCs, servers) away from the lab environment. It is not a substitute for working on real equipment and it does not always respond or work exactly like the real equipment so it's important that you do your labs and practice on real equipment.
Packet Tracer is also used in some of the online assessments in the Cisco Networking Academy courses and you will need to have it installed for those exams. Please make sure you have installed and tested the Packet Tracer software as described below before taking the assessments.
Downloading and running Cisco Packet Tracer requires a Cisco NetSpace login. Once logged in to NetSpace you can find the download by clicking the "Resources" link and then "Download Packet Tracer" or by clicking this link. Versions of PT are available for Windows, macOS, and Linux. Limited versions of PT are also available for Android and iOS from their respective app stores. Note that the mobile versions will not work for PT Assessment Activities and have some limited functionality.
Packet Tracer Assessment Activities
Packet Tracer is also used in some of the online assessments and portions of assessments in the Cisco Networking Academy courses and you will need to have it installed for those exams. Starting with version 7.2.2 Packet Tracer no longer requires Java for use with assessments which has greatly simplified things.
Testing and Launching a PT Assessment Activity
TBD. Version 7.2.2 of PT has changed how PT Assessments work and we're waiting to write new instructions.
Use the PT Environment checker to verify that your system is ready to launch Packet Tracer activities. To access the Perform Packet Tracer Skills Assessment Environment Check, please follow the steps provided below:
- Log in to Cisco NetSpace.
- From the Cisco NetSpace home page, click the desired course link found under the 'Learn' tab.
- From the course home page, click on the link 'Student Resources' located below the 'Launch Course' link.
- Click on the 'Perform Packet Tracer Skills Assessment Environment Check'.
Alternatively you can launch the Packet Tracer Skills Assessment Environment Check directly.
Note that the environment check does take a few minutes to complete.
Troubleshooting Packet Tracer Assessment Activities
- Make sure that you have the latest version of Packet Tracer installed