Table of contents
1. Download GNS3
GNS is an open source network simulation software, which can be downloaded from the official website or on GitHub
- GitHub：https://github.com/GNS3/gns3-gui/releases
- GNS3 official: https://www.gns3.com/
1.1 GitHub download (recommended)
1.2 Official download (example)
Visit the GNS3 official website and click【Free Download】.
Select the actual operating system OS and click 【Download】.
Since you have not logged in yet, the GNS3 website will mention that you need to log in first.
After the login is complete, the website will show that the download request has been accepted, and the GNS3 team will send the download link to the mailbox of the login account within 2 days.
Wait for half an hour, there will be a download link in the mailbox.
2. Install GNS3
Click Installer.
(1) Enter the GNS3 setting interface
(2) License agreement
Click [I Agree].
(3) Select the startup directory folder
(4) Select components
Keep the default or choose according to the actual situation.
(5) Select the installation path
(6) Select the GNS3 VM type
If the GNS3 VM component is not selected, it can be skipped.
(7) Installing
The installer depends on
Download the GNS3 VM.
Downloading the GNS3 VM is complete.
After installing other components
(8) The installation is complete
Choose whether to use Solarwinds Standard Toolset
Selecting No means skipping; selecting Yes will automatically jump to the Solarwinds website, just follow the prompts.
(9) Setup completed
Check【Start GNS3】and click 【Finish】.
3. Configure GNS3
3.1 Set up GNS3 Server
- If you downloaded the GNS3 VM, you can choose 【Run appliances in a virtual machine】.
- If you have not downloaded the GNS3 VM, select [Run appliances on my local computer].
Generally we choose Run appliances on my local computer
3.2 Setting up local server configuration
Just keep the default.
3.3 Local server status
This is the display screen every time GNS3 is turned on
3.4 Set GNS global
In order to use GNS3 better, we need to configure some global parameters.
Including GNS3 mirror configuration, project location, mirror location, Console tool, packet capture tool, etc.
Click【Edit】——>【Preferences...】.
In the [Preferences] interface, select [General], here you can configure the actual storage directories of projects, symbols, configs and custom appliances, and we can modify the paths of these directories according to actual needs.
- projects: GNS3 project storage path.
- symbols: path to store custom icons for routers, switches and other devices in GNS3.
- configs: path for storing initial configuration of routers and switches.
- custom appliances
(1) Set the images mirror position
(2) Set up the Console tool
We can customize the settings of the Console tool directory. Generally, GNS3 will come with a console connection tool, and we can modify it to a local connection tool.
Click [Edit], in the default tool path, modify it to a custom one.
(3) Set the packet capture tool
In the [Preferences] interface, select [Packet capture]
We can capture data packets in the link in GNS3, generally using Wireshark. When GNS3 is installed, Wireshark is also installed by default. Just keep the default here, or modify it to the path of other local packet capture tools.
(4) Store the image
Open the folder where the image is stored and import the prepared image. Stored here is generally the router image.
(5) Create a new router image
In the [Preferences] interface, select [Dynamips] --> [IOS routers]
- If there is an image in the folder where the image is stored, select [Existing image], and GNS3 will automatically recognize the IOS image in the folder.
- If the folder where the image is stored is empty, select [New Image] to import the image.
Set route mirror name, type
Set the default RAM of route mirroring, generally keep the default value.
Set the type and number of network interfaces in the routing scene.
E stands for Ethernet interface and T stands for serial interface. 4E means 4 Ethernet ports, 4T means 4 serial ports.
Set Idle-PC, click [Idle-PC finder], GNS3 will automatically detect local computing resources, and get the corresponding value. Just keep the default.
click OK
The route mirroring template is set. Finally click [OK].
3.5 Create a new project
Click on the folder with a yellow * in the upper left corner.
After the project is created, click the router icon on the left, and the created routing mirror will be displayed in the Routers list.
Drag the router c3640 to the middle blank.
At this point, the simulated router is created.
References
Official GNS3 documentation: Getting Started with GNS3