130 essential CCNA commands

130 basic commands you must know.

CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate) is one of the most recognized and respected certifications in the field of computer networking. This certification is offered by Cisco Systems, one of the largest technology companies in the world. CCNA is a basic-level certification that validates the skills necessary to install, configure, operate, and troubleshoot networks.

One of the main areas covered by CCNA is the configuration of Cisco routers and switches. Candidates need to know how to configure and troubleshoot basic network tasks, including IP addressing, VLANs, routing protocols, NAT, and ACLs. Candidates also need to understand the basics of network security and be able to implement simple security solutions.

In addition, CCNA candidates must be familiar with the fundamentals of networking technologies, such as LANs, WANs, Ethernet, TCP/IP, and wireless. They also need to know how to troubleshoot networks using tools such as ping, traceroute, and telnet.

To help candidates prepare for the CCNA exam, Cisco provides a set of essential commands that are frequently used in Cisco network management. These commands include configuration commands such as <config>, <interface>, <ip address>, and troubleshooting commands such as <ping>, <traceroute>, and <show>.

Below are listed the 130 essential commands for CCNA:

1. enable - access privileged mode
2. configure terminal - access global configuration mode
3. interface - select an interface for configuration
4. ip address - configure an IP address on an interface
5. no shutdown - activate an interface
6. hostname - set the name of the router or switch
7. banner motd - display a warning message on the login screen
8. show ip interface brief - display a summary list of interfaces and their status
9. show interfaces - display detailed information about a specific interface
10. show running-config - display the current configuration of the device
11. show startup-config - display the saved configuration on the device
12. copy running-config startup-config - save the current configuration on the device
13. ping - test connectivity with another device on the network
14. traceroute - display the path a packet takes through the network
15. telnet - access a remote device
16. ssh - securely access a remote device
17. password - set a password for privileged mode
18. username - set a username and password for remote access
19. enable secret - set an encrypted password for privileged mode
20. line vty - configure remote access for a virtual line
21. access-list - create an access control list to filter network traffic
22. show access-lists - display the current configuration of access control lists
23. standard access-list - create a standard access control list
24. extended access-list - create an extended access control list
25. permit - allow traffic in the access control list
26. deny - block traffic in the access control list
27. interface vlan - configure a virtual network interface
28. ip default-gateway - set the default gateway for the device
29. show ip route - display the routing table of the device
30. ip route - configure a static route
31. ospf - configure an OSPF routing protocol
32. router ospf - access the OSPF protocol configuration mode
33. network - define a network for OSPF
34. show ip ospf interface - display information about OSPF interfaces
35. show ip ospf neighbor - display information about OSPF neighbors
36. default-information originate - propagate a default route in the OSPF network
37. dhcp - configure a DHCP server
38. ip dhcp pool - create a DHCP address pool
39. ip dhcp excluded-address - exclude addresses from the DHCP pool
40. clock rate - set the clock rate of a serial interface
41. bandwidth - set the bandwidth of an interface
42. show cdp neighbors - display information about neighboring devices using the CDP protocol
43. no cdp run - disable the CDP protocol
44. spanning-tree - configure the Spanning Tree protocol
45. show spanning-tree - display information about the Spanning Tree protocol
46. vlan - create a VLAN
47. switchport access vlan - assign a VLAN to a switch port
48. switchport mode access - configure a switch port to operate in access mode
49. switchport mode trunk - configure a switch port to operate in trunk mode
50. show vlan - display information about VLANs configured on the switch
51. clear mac address-table - clear the MAC address table on the switch
52. interface range - select a range of interfaces for configuration
53. banner exec - display a warning message on the login screen in executive mode
54. exec-timeout - set the timeout for user inactivity in executive mode
55. copy tftp - copy an IOS image from TFTP to the device
56. reload - restart the device
57. exit - exit the current configuration mode
58. end - exit configuration mode and return to executive mode
59. show version - display information about the hardware and software on the device
60. debug - enable debugging for a specific feature
61. undebug - disable debugging
62. show debugging - display information about enabled debugging
63. clear - clear a specific resource, such as the ARP table or Telnet connection
64. show controllers - display information about the controller of an interface
65. clock timezone - set the time zone of the device
66. ntp server - configure an NTP server
67. show ntp associations - display information about the NTP servers synchronized by the device
68. ip nat inside - set an interface as an internal interface for network address translation (NAT)
69. ip nat outside - set an interface as an external interface for NAT
70. ip nat pool - create an IP address pool for NAT
71. ip nat inside source - configure the source of IP address translation for NAT
72. ip route-cache - enable route cache on an interface
73. ip route-cache flow - enable flow cache on an interface
74. show ip route-cache - display information about the route and flow cache
75. debug ip packet - debug IP packets
76. debug ip nat - debug NAT.
77. debug spanning-tree - debug the Spanning Tree protocol
78. debug dhcp - debug the DHCP protocol
79. debug ospf adj - debug the OSPF adjacency protocol
80. ping - send ICMP packets to test connectivity to an IP address
81. traceroute - display the path a packet takes to reach a destination, showing all intermediate routers
82. show interface - display information about a specific interface
83. show ip interface - display information about the interface status and associated IP settings
84. show ip route - display the device's IP routing table
85. show ip arp - display the device's ARP table
86. show running-config - display the current device configuration
87. show startup-config - display the saved device configuration
88. copy running-config startup-config - save the current configuration to permanent memory on the device
89. configure terminal - enter global configuration mode
90. interface - select an interface for configuration
91. ip address - assign an IP address to an interface
92. no shutdown - enable an interface
93. shutdown - disable an interface
94. hostname - set the device's name
95. enable secret - set an encrypted privilege password
96. username - create a user account with a password
97. enable - enter privilege exec mode
98. disable - return to user exec mode
99. line vty - select a virtual terminal line for configuration
100. password - set a password for Telnet or SSH access
101. login - enable login authentication on a terminal line
102. exec-timeout - set the timeout for user inactivity in user exec mode
103. logging - configure system logging options
104. access-list - create an access control list (ACL)
105. permit - allow traffic matching an ACL
106. deny - deny traffic matching an ACL
107. show access-lists - display the configured ACLs on the device
108. debug ip icmp - debug ICMP packets
109. debug ip routing - debug the routing process
110. debug ip ssh - debug the SSH protocol
111. debug ip packet detail - debug IP packets with additional details
112. debug interface - debug a specific interface
113. clear line - clear a terminal line
114. clear interface - clear error counters on an interface
115. clear arp-cache - clear the device's ARP table
116. clear ip route * - clear the device's routing table
117. reload in - schedule a device restart at a specific time
118. copy running-config tftp - backup the current device configuration to a TFTP server
119. show tech-support - display detailed technical information about the device and its configuration.
120. show vlan - display information about the VLANs configured on the device, including the interfaces associated with each VLAN.
121. show cdp neighbors - display information about neighboring devices connected to a specific interface using the Cisco Discovery Protocol (CDP)
122. show interfaces status - display the status of all interfaces on the device, including whether they are up or down
123. show interfaces description - display the descriptions of interfaces configured on the device
124. show mac address-table - display the device's MAC address table, which maps MAC addresses to network interfaces
125. show version - display information about the device's operating system and hardware version
126. show running-config interface - display the current configuration of a specific interface
127. show startup-config interface - display the saved configuration of a specific interface
128. ip default-gateway - configure the default gateway for the device
129. ip route - add a static route to the device's routing table
130. spanning-tree vlan - display information about the Spanning Tree protocol for a specific VLAN, including the root status of the tree.

If you are interested in becoming a Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA), you may wonder how to start your journey towards this certification. Fortunately, Cisco provides many resources to help aspiring network professionals learn and prepare for the CCNA exam. In this article, we will explore how you can use Cisco's website and simulators to learn CCNA and how to obtain the certification.

First, it is essential to visit Cisco's website and explore the resources available for learning CCNA. Cisco offers various types of training, such as e-learning, instructor-led training, and self-study materials. You can choose the type of training that best suits your needs and preferences.

Once you have selected your training type, you can start using Cisco's simulators to practice and reinforce your knowledge. Cisco provides Packet Tracer, a network simulation tool that allows you to create and configure virtual networks. You can use Packet Tracer to practice different network configurations, troubleshoot issues, and prepare for the CCNA exam.

After you have gained enough knowledge and practice, you can take the CCNA exam to obtain the certification. The exam consists of multiple-choice questions that assess your ability to install, configure, operate, and troubleshoot networks. The exam is usually administered by Pearson VUE, a global testing company, at their testing centers.

To prepare for the CCNA exam, you can use the resources available on Cisco's website, such as study guides, practice exams, and the CCNA certification exam topics. It is essential to have a good understanding of the exam topics and practice using Cisco's simulators to build your confidence and competence.

Once you pass the CCNA exam, you will receive your certification, which will demonstrate your knowledge and skills in computer networking. CCNA certification is recognized globally and can help you advance your career as a network professional. You can also continue to advance your skills and knowledge by pursuing higher-level Cisco certifications, such as CCNP and CCIE.

In other words, learning CCNA using Cisco's website and simulators is a great way to prepare for the certification exam. By exploring the available resources, practicing using the simulators, and taking the exam, you can obtain CCNA certification and advance your career as a network professional.

In summary, CCNA is an important certification for networking professionals who want to validate their skills and knowledge in computer networking. CCNA candidates need to have a solid understanding of fundamental networking concepts and be familiar with Cisco networking technologies. In addition, it is important to have knowledge of the essential commands that are frequently used in configuring and troubleshooting Cisco networks. With CCNA certification and these basic commands, networking professionals can help keep networks running efficiently and securely.

By Gustavo Lautenschlaeger

Telecommunications Engineer