Sukkur Institute of Business Administration University

Department of Computer Systems Engineering

CSE-222: Computer Communication and Networks LAB

Lab # 02: Introduction to Packet Tracer and Configuration of

DNS Servers

Instructor: Engr. Umair Ayaz Kamangar

Lab Report Rubrics Total
(Add the points in each column, then add across the bottom row to find the total Marks
score)
S.N Criterion 0.5 0.25 0.125
o
1 Accuracy  Desired output  Minor  Critical
mistakes mistakes
2 Timing  Submitted within the  1 day late  More than
given time 1 day late

Submission Profile

Name: Urooj Marvi Submission date (dd/mm/yy):

Enrollment ID: 133-21-0014 Receiving authority name and signature:

Comments: __________________________________________________________________________

Instructor Signature

Note: Submit this lab hand-out in the next lab with attached solved activities and exercises

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Lab Learning Objectives:

After completing this session, student should be able to:

 Configure services and support
 Configure DNS and HTTP on a server
 Configure DNS support on a PC
 Verify Connectivity in Realtime Mode
 View how DNS and HTTP work together using Simulation Mode 

Lab Hardware and Software Required:

1. PC
2. Packet Tracer
Background Theory:
Packet Tracer is a proprietary tool of Cisco. It is used to create & simulate network virtually.
It gives same environment virtually as it exists physically. So what you do need to do and
work same on all virtually provided devices as you are working with them physically. This is
the beauty of this tool. This tool is widely used in CCNA training.
This tool gives all type of network devices require to create one real time working network
and also provide same interface as if you are working on real device.
Packet Tracer 5.0 is a standalone, simulation-based learning environment for networking
novices to design, configure, and troubleshoot computer networks at a CCNA-level of
complexity. Packet Tracer supports student and instructor creation of simulations,
visualizations, and animations of networking phenomena. Like any simulation, Packet Tracer
5.0 relies on a simplified model of networking devices and protocols. Real computer
networks remain the benchmark for understanding network behavior and developing
networking skills. Packet Tracer was created to help address the "digital divide" in
networking education, where many students and teachers lack access to equipment,
bandwidth, and interactive modes of learning networking.
Interface Overview
When you open Packet Tracer 5.0, by default you will be presented with the following
interface:

This bar provides the File, Edit, Options, View, Tools,

Extensions, and Help menus. You will find basic commands
1 Menu Bar such as Open, Save, Print, and Preferences in these menus. You
will also be able to access the Activity Wizard from the
Extensions menu.
This bar provides shortcut icons to the File and Edit menu
commands. This bar also provides buttons for Zoom, the drawing
Palette, and the Device Template Manager. On the right, you
2 Main Tool Bar
will also find the Network Information button, which you can
use to enter a description for the current network (or any text you
wish to include).
3 Common Tools Bar This bar provides access to these commonly used workspace

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 tools: Select, Move Layout, Place Note, Delete, Inspect, Add
Simple PDU, and Add Complex PDU. See "Workspace Basics"
for more information.
You can toggle between the Physical Workspace and the Logical
Workspace with the tabs on this bar. In Logical Workspace, this
bar also allows you to navigate through levels of a cluster, create
Logical/Physical a new New Cluster, Move Object, Set Tiled Background, and
4 Workspace and
Viewport. In Physical Workspace, this bar allows you to navigate
Navigation Bar
through physical locations, create a New City, create a New
Building, create a New Closet, Move Object, apply Grid to the
background, Set Background, and go to the Working Closet.
This area is where you will create your network, watch
5 Workspace
simulations, and view many kinds of information and statistics.
You can toggle between Realtime Mode and Simulation Mode
with the tabs on this bar. This bar also provides buttons to Power
Realtime/Simulation Cycle Devices as well as the Play Control buttons and the Event
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Bar List toggle button in Simulation Mode. Also, it contains a clock
that displays the relative Time in Realtime Mode and Simulation
Mode.
This box is where you choose devices and connections to put into
Network the workspace. It contains the Device-Type Selection Box and
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Component Box
the Device-Specific Selection Box.
This box contains the type of devices and connections available in
Device-Type Packet Tracer 5.0. The Device-Specific Selection Box will
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Selection Box
change depending on which type of device you choose.
Device-Specific This box is where you choose specifically which devices you
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Selection Box want to put in your network and which connections to make.
This window manages the packets you put in the network during
User Created Packet simulation scenarios. See the "Simulation Mode" section for more
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Window*
details.

You can freely resize the User Created Packet Window (UCPW) by placing the cursor near
the left edge of the window (it will turn into a "resize" cursor) and then drag the cursor left or
right. You can hide the window from view by dragging the edge all the way to the right.
When the UCPW is hidden, you can bring it back by placing the cursor on the edge (notice
when the resize cursor appears) and then dragging the edge back.

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 Fig: 2.1: Packet Tracer Interface
Lab Example:

In this activity, you will configure a Server to provide DNS services and to host a web page,
configure a PC to use DNS services, and view how DNS and HTTP work together.

Fig: 2.2: PC and Server in Packet Tracer

DNS
To change public (external) IP addresses from numeric to a domain format, the DNS
(Domain Name System) service is used. Hence, there is no need to remember the addresses
e.g. in the 62.121.130.38 format, but just a much more friendly www.dipolnet.com instead.
Translation of numeric to domain is performed by an appropriate DNS server to which the
computer sends a translate request. After receiving a response with a numeric address,
connection is established with the appropriate computer.

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 1. What is the IP of www.dipolnet.com (query to the DNS 8.8.8.8 server)?
2. www.dipolnet.com 62.121.130.38
3. Hello, 62.121.130.38! Send me your website
4. Here is my website

Overview of a communication procedure between the client and server using DNS addresses

Task 1: Configure services and support

Step 1. Configure DNS on the Server
 Click the Server the server configuration window opens.
 Click the Config tab the Global Settings appear.
 Click the button on the left for DNS. Verify the service is On.
 Set the Domain Name to www.example.com and the IP Address to 192.168.1.254.
 Click the Add button. Additional domain names can be added in this fashion.
Step 2. Configure HTTP on the Server
 Click the button to select HTTP.
 Turn the service On.

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 The Default Page Content window contains the page that is displayed when a web page
is requested from the server. This page is in HTML format. This page can be changed if
you would like to customize it.
 Close the server configuration window.
Step 3. Configure DNS support on the PC labeled Client
 Click the PC Client the PC configuration window opens.
 Click the Config tab. The Global Settings appear.
 Set the DNS Server to 192.168.1.254, the IP address on the Server.
 Close the PC configuration window.

Task 2: Verify Connectivity in Realtime Mode

Step 1. Ping the server using the URL
 Select the PC and click the Desktop tab.
 Click the Command Prompt button. A Command Prompt window opens.
 Type ping www.example.com (the URL of the Server) and press Enter.
 After the ping succeeds, close the Command Prompt window.
Step 2. From the PC, Open a Web Page
 From the PC desktop, click the Web Browser button. A simulated web browser
opens.
 Type www.example.com (the URL of the Server) into the URL box and click
the Go button. A web page should appear.
 Close the PC configuration window.

Task 3: View how DNS and HTTP work Together using Simulation Mode

Step 1. From the PC, ping the Server using the URL

 Enter Simulation mode.
 Click the PC Client the PC configuration window opens.
 Click the Desktop tab.
 Click the Command Prompt button a Command Prompt window opens.
 Type ping www.example.com (the URL of the Server) and press Enter.
 Minimize the simulated Command Prompt window.
 Use Capture/Forward to view the DNS and ICMP packets on the network. Each
time you click the Capture/Forward button, the packet transfer process will proceed.
 During this process, you can click the colored square in the Info column to open the
PDU information and view encapsulation and device processing details.
 Close the Command Prompt window; click the Reset Simulation button.
Step 2. From the PC, open a web page on the Server using the URL
 Click the Web Browser button a simulated web browser opens.
 Type www.example.com (the URL of the Server) into the URL box and click the Go
button.

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  Minimize the simulated browser window.
 Use Capture/Forward to examine the DNS and HTTP packets.
 For each packet in the event list, click the colored square in the Info column to open
the PDU information and view encapsulation and device processing details. 

Lab Exercises:

Task-1. Repeat Lab activity again with addition of multiple URL in DNS server.

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Task-2. Connect Four PCs with DNS server and Ping different URLs set up in DNS server
through these PCs

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