INTRO

This lab is not pre-built. Build this entire lab in Packet Tracer. No templates ——you are responsible for the full topology and configuration. Prove it works by testing connectivity and validating every requirement. If you haven’t installed it yet or don’t know how to use Packet Tracer, go to: https://fromzerotoccna.com/packet-tracer/

1. LAB OBJECTIVES

Students will practice basic Cisco logging and interface event monitoring.

Objectives:

• Understand how Cisco devices generate log messages.
• Configure a router interface and observe operational events.
• Use Cisco IOS logging commands to review system messages.
• Identify link and protocol state changes using logs.
• Interpret severity levels in Cisco syslog messages.

2. DEVICE DETAILS

Device	Role
R1	Router
ACCESS-SW1	Access Switch
Host-A	Client PC

3. NETWORK TOPOLOGY

Device A	Interface	Device B	Interface	Cable Type
Host-A	NIC	ACCESS-SW1	Fa0/1	Copper Straight-Through
ACCESS-SW1	Fa0/24	R1	G0/0	Copper Straight-Through

4. TOPOLOGY DIAGRAM

5. IP ADDRESSING TABLE

Device	Interface	IP Address	Subnet Mask	Default Gateway
R1	G0/0	192.168.1.1	255.255.255.0	N/A
Host-A	NIC	192.168.1.10	255.255.255.0	192.168.1.1

6. DEVICE CONFIGURATION

R1 Configuration

enable
configure terminal

hostname R1

interface g0/0
ip address 192.168.1.1 255.255.255.0
no shutdown
exit

end
write memory

PC Configuration (Host-A)

Configure manually in Packet Tracer.

IP Address: 192.168.1.10
Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway: 192.168.1.1

7. VERIFICATION

Verify connectivity between the PC and router.

Test Connectivity

From the PC:

ping 192.168.1.1

Expected result:

Successful replies confirming Layer-3 connectivity.

Verify Router Interfaces

show ip interface brief

Expected output:

• GigabitEthernet0/0 should be up/up.
• The interface should display IP 192.168.1.1.

Verify Logging Messages

show logging

Typical output messages include:

%LINK-3-UPDOWN: Interface GigabitEthernet0/0, changed state to up %LINEPROTO-5-UPDOWN: Line protocol on Interface GigabitEthernet0/0, changed state to up

Explanation:

Field	Meaning
LINK	Physical interface status
LINEPROTO	Layer-2/Layer-3 protocol state
Severity Level	Indicates importance of the event

Severity numbers range from 0 (Emergency) to 7 (Debugging).

8. GENERATING INTERFACE EVENTS

Administrators often generate or observe logs when interfaces change state.

Enter interface configuration mode:

configure terminal
interface g0/0

Shut down the interface:

shutdown

Wait a few seconds and bring it back up:

no shutdown

Exit configuration mode and check logs again:

show logging

Expected new messages:

%LINK-5-CHANGED: Interface GigabitEthernet0/0, changed state to administratively down %LINK-3-UPDOWN: Interface GigabitEthernet0/0, changed state to down %LINEPROTO-5-UPDOWN: Line protocol changed state to down

These messages confirm that Cisco IOS records interface events automatically.

9. TROUBLESHOOTING CHALLENGE

Scenario

A network administrator reports that Host-A cannot reach the router. The network topology is already deployed, but users report intermittent connectivity. Your task is to determine why communication between Host-A and R1 fails. Students should investigate using the following commands:

ping
show ip interface brief
show logging
show running-config

Monitoring Interface Events with Cisco Logging

Cisco Packet Tracer Simulation

Download the Lab File

This lab was created in Cisco Packet Tracer.

Download .PKT File

Requirements

• Cisco Packet Tracer installed
• Download the .pkt file
• Open the file in Packet Tracer

Lab Objectives

• Configure IP addressing
• Connect routers and switches
• Test connectivity with ping
• Analyze the topology

Focus on:

• Interface operational status
• Logging events
• IP configuration
• Link state changes

Do not assume the configuration is correct. Verify every step.

10. INSTRUCTOR NOTES

The lab contains intentional configuration issues. Students must identify and correct them.

Problem 1 — Interface Shutdown

Interface:

GigabitEthernet0/0

Problem:

The interface may be administratively down.

Incorrect state example:

GigabitEthernet0/0 administratively down

Fix:

configure terminal
interface g0/0
no shutdown

Problem 2 — Incorrect Default Gateway on Host

Host-A may have the wrong gateway.

Incorrect:

192.168.1.254

Correct configuration:

Default Gateway: 192.168.1.1

Problem 3 — Logging Not Reviewed

Students must check logs to identify events.

Key command:

show logging

Expected message indicating interface issue:

%LINK-3-UPDOWN: Interface GigabitEthernet0/0, changed state to down

This message indicates that the physical interface lost connectivity.

NOTE: This lab introduces the foundational concepts of Cisco logging, syslog severity levels, and interface state monitoring, which are essential troubleshooting skills for CCNA-level network engineers.