Navigating a Cisco device

User Mode

The first privilege mode you enter when you successfully access a Cisco device is the user mode. This mode allows you to execute a limited set of commands, mostly monitoring and troubleshooting commands.

The prompt for user mode is:

Router>

Privileged Mode (Enable Mode)

To access more advanced commands and configuration options, you need to enter privileged mode (also called enable mode). You can enter this mode by typing enable at the user mode prompt.

Router> enable
Router#

Notice how the prompt changes from > to # to indicate you are now in privileged mode.

From privileged mode, you can view the device configuration, monitor the device, and access global configuration mode.

Global Configuration Mode

To make changes to the device configuration, you need to enter global configuration mode. From privileged mode, type configure terminal or conf t for short.

Router# configure terminal
Router(config)#

The prompt changes to (config)# to show you are in global configuration mode. From here, you can configure global settings and access sub-configuration modes.

Sub-Configuration Modes

Many configuration tasks require you to enter specific sub-configuration modes. For example, to configure an interface:

Router(config)# interface GigabitEthernet0/1
Router(config-if)#

The prompt changes to (config-if)# to show you are configuring an interface.

Exiting Modes

To exit from any configuration mode back to the previous mode, use the exit command:

Router(config-if)# exit
Router(config)# exit
Router#

To quickly return to privileged mode from any configuration mode, use end or press Ctrl+Z:

Router(config-if)# end
Router#

Getting Help

Cisco devices provide extensive help systems. You can use ? to get help:

• Type ? to see all available commands at the current prompt
• Type a partial command followed by ? to see completion options
• Type a command followed by ? to see the available parameters for that command

Router# ?
Router# sh?
Router# show ?

Command Shortcuts

Cisco IOS supports command abbreviation. You can type just enough characters to uniquely identify a command:

Router# show running-config
Router# sh run

Both commands above do the same thing. The second example uses abbreviations for both show (sh) and running-config (run).

Tab Completion

You can use the Tab key to complete commands and parameters. Start typing a command and press Tab to complete it:

Router# conf[Tab]
Router# configure