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Labs · Episode 01 · 8:10

Your first lab: connect two routers and route between networks

Create a personal lab, add two routers and connect their GigabitEthernet0/0 ports. Configure a /30 transit network through each router’s native terminal and verify healthy connectivity. Add separate loopback addresses, observe a real missing-route failure while transit stays healthy, then add reciprocal static routes. Compare running and startup configuration, cancel Save All once, confirm the save and reopen the same lab on the same host.

English on-screen explanations. No narration. Read the on-screen transcript.

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On-screen transcript

The English explanations shown in this video, with line wraps joined for reading. Select a time to watch that moment.

  1. Create your first lab

  2. Start in My Labs. Give this practice lab a clear name.

  3. This is a new personal lab. Its canvas starts empty.

  4. Add two routers

  5. Choose a router and set hostname R1. Add one device.

  6. Repeat the full wizard for R2. Both use the catalog ports.

  7. GigabitEthernet0/0 is the first physical port on each router.

  8. Connect matching ports

  9. Connect R1 Gi0/0 to R2 Gi0/0. A cable alone does not configure IP.

  10. Configure the transit network

  11. Open R1 Terminal. Enable enters privileged mode; configure terminal edits configuration.

  12. On R2, use 10.10.10.2 with the same /30 mask and enable the port.

  13. The first ping can lose one packet while ARP learns. Repeat the test.

  14. The transit interfaces are up/up. Test each direction using the real CLI.

  15. Reach a network beyond the cable

  16. Add one /32 loopback on each router. These addresses are outside the transit network.

  17. R1 has no route to R2’s loopback yet. This ping must fail.

  18. Add a host route through the neighboring transit address on each router.

  19. Both loopbacks now answer with 100 percent success.

  20. Save configuration and reopen

  21. Running contains your edits. Startup still has the earlier configuration.

  22. Cancel leaves startup unchanged. Save All writes every device’s running configuration.

  23. Open the same saved lab from My Labs. The lab identity stays the same.

  24. Saved configuration and connectivity are retained on this reopen.

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