Learning by Doing: CISCO Certified Network ... - SCN Research

6. Well the next step should be very obvious…press RETURN to get started. You
should see a bunch of messages flashing and scrolling down the hyperterminal
session. When it stops, press enter, you should see something like this:
00:00:51: %SYS-5-RESTART: System restarted --
Cisco Internetwork Operating System Software
IOS (tm) C2600 Software (C2600-DS-M), Version 12.0(13), RELEASE
SOFTWARE (fc1)
Copyright (c) 1986-2000 by cisco Systems, Inc.
Compiled Wed 06-Sep-00 02:30 by linda
Router>
This is known as the “user” prompt. You can tell the router prompt is in the user
mode because the name (also known as the “host name”) of the router is followed
by a carat “>”. This mode allows anyone to see a very limited amount of
information about the status of the router. At this prompt you will not be able to
change the programming of the router.
7. To see what options are available for us at the user prompt we can “ask” our
router for help. Computer devices are like that…if we get stuck, then we can ask
it for help. On your workstation if you want some help then you can use your
pull-down menus or even use the task bar help option (Start>help). Routers are
helpful too. The phrase “easy when you know how” really applies. To get help
you should start with the generic “help.” Then press enter.
router>help
You should see something like this:
Help may be requested at any point in a command by entering a question
mark '?'. If nothing matches, the help list will be empty and you must
backup until entering a '?' shows the available options.
Two styles of help are provided:
1. Full help is available when you are ready to enter a command argument
(e.g. 'show ?') and describes each possible argument.
2. Partial help is provided when an abbreviated argument is entered and
you want to know what arguments match the input (e.g. 'show pr?'.)
Router>
8. Ok…so that didn’t give you much. Most computers or network systems the
command “help” works very well. So remember it and use it when appropriate.
There is a better way to get help using the question mark. Try typing this (and
press enter):
router>?
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