Practical 2: Creating a Basic Home LAN

• Create a basic home network topology
• Connect wired and wireless devices to the network
• Understand the function of different network components

Add the following devices to your Packet Tracer workspace:

• Network Attached Storage (NAS) device
• Network Printer
• Desktop Computer
• Laptop Computer
• Tablet (iPad)
• Smartphone (Android phone)
• Switch
• Wireless Router (SOHO device)
• Cable Modem
• Cloud (representing the Internet)

Open Packet Tracer, create a new file, and add the user devices.

1. Click on the End Devices category in the bottom panel.
2. Add a Desktop Computer to your workspace.
3. Add a Laptop Computer.
4. Add a Tablet device (label it iPad).
5. Add a Smartphone device (label it Android Phone).

Now add the equipment that ties the network together.

1. Click on the Network Devices category.
2. Add a Switch (2960) to your workspace.
3. Add a Home Router from the wireless devices subcategory.
4. Add a Cable Modem from WAN Emulation.

1. From End Devices, add a Server-PT and label it Network Attached Storage (NAS) Server.
2. Add a Printer and label it Network Printer.

1. From WAN Emulation or Network Devices, add a Cloud-PT and label it Internet.

Arrange devices logically so the diagram is easy to read:

1. Desktop & Laptop → top-left
2. Switch → below them
3. NAS Server & Printer → bottom-left
4. Wireless Router → right of the Switch
5. Tablet & Smartphone → top-right
6. Cable Modem → right of the Wireless Router
7. Cloud / Internet → far right

Use the Connections panel (lightning bolt icon) to cable everything together.

Copper Straight-Through

1. Select Copper Straight-Through.
2. Connect Desktop Computer → Switch
3. Connect Laptop → Switch
4. Connect NAS Server → Switch
5. Connect Network Printer → Switch

Copper Cross-Over

1. Select Copper Cross-Over.
2. Connect Wireless Router → Cable Modem
3. Connect Switch → Wireless Router

Coaxial Cable

1. Select Coaxial.
2. Connect Cable Modem → Cloud / Internet

1. Click on the Wireless Router to open its configuration panel.
2. Make sure the device is turned ON.
3. Close the panel.
4. Dotted lines should appear connecting the Tablet and Smartphone to the Router.

Check that your network matches this summary:

• Wired devices (Desktop, Laptop, NAS, Printer) → Switch — solid lines
• Switch → Wireless Router — dashed line
• Wireless devices (Tablet, Smartphone) → Wireless Router — dotted lines
• Wireless Router → Cable Modem — dashed line
• Cable Modem → Internet / Cloud — blue line

Now let’s verify that devices can actually communicate by using command-line tools inside Packet Tracer.

Check IP Addresses

1. Wait until all link indicators turn green (this may take 30–60 seconds).
2. Click on the Desktop Computer to open its configuration panel.
3. Go to the Desktop tab → click Command Prompt.
4. Type the following command and press Enter:

   ipconfig

5. Note down the IPv4 Address shown (e.g. 192.168.0.x).

Ping Another Device

1. Open the Laptop → Desktop tab → Command Prompt.
2. Run ipconfig to find the Laptop’s IP address.
3. Go back to the Desktop Computer’s Command Prompt.
4. Ping the Laptop using its IP address:

   ping 192.168.0.x

   Replace 192.168.0.x with the actual IP you noted from the Laptop.
5. You should see replies like:

   Reply from 192.168.0.x: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=128
   Reply from 192.168.0.x: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=128
   Reply from 192.168.0.x: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=128
   Reply from 192.168.0.x: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=128

1. Rearrange devices if needed so the diagram is clean and readable.
2. Double-check every connection listed in Step 8.

Your completed home network should contain:

• A wired segment — Desktop, Laptop, NAS, and Printer connected to a Switch
• A wireless segment — Tablet and Smartphone connected to the Wireless Router
• An Internet connection through the Cable Modem