Information Regarding Packet Tracer (updated 12 July 2019)

Note that Packet Tracer (PT) is a Cisco Systems product. I do not have any support from
Cisco for this product; however, as getting their full support requires that NPS become a Cisco
Academy, and teach their (exact) curriculum. I spoke with a Cisco representative years ago
regarding this, and the outcome was that we could use their older version, but not receive any
kind of update/support. Since the older version we use (it is in the Week1 resources folder)
does everything we need of it; this is a workable solution. The only downside I have noticed, is
that students occasionally get a "buffer full" error when running certain simulations when using
the simulation mode of the tool. Otherwise, this tool provides a great way to put to practice the
fundamentals learned during lecture.

Please do not use a more recent/current version of PT, than the one I am providing in
the course resources folder. If you do use a later version, and I am unable to open your later
version lab project in my older version, you will have to re-do the lab in the older version! I do
not intend to maintain every version of PT so as to be ready to open any version that any
student may have installed. We will all use the older version (5.3.3) that is available in the
Sakai Week1 folder under the Resources tab.

Note that PT is designed to run on a Windows OS. Therefore, the ideal situation is for you to
bring a Windows laptop with you to Week1 of the course, and to use this laptop for all follow-on
PT labs.

Should you not have access to a Windows machine, you have two general alternative
solutions:

1. Install (if not already) a VM player (e.g., VirtualBox or VMware View) on the OS that you
have. Then obtain and install a Windows VM (ideally Windows 7 or later) on that OS (i.e., the
Windows VM becomes the "guest" OS running on your "host" MacOS. Then you simply
download the PT .exe program and run it in your Windows VM. If you do not have access
(perhaps through a license at your work place) a Windows VM, you may download a
"demoware/trialware" (90 day free usage) version from the link below… or perhaps from some
other site that you can find or may already know about (search/look around).

https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-edge/tools/vms/

2. Check out a (WinOS) laptop from the CS Department. POC for this is Loren Peitso (x3009,
(lepeitso@nps.edu, Room E-335). Though this entails the obvious issue of toting around (or
storing) an extra piece of hardware… it's the KISS (keep is simple, stupid) solution that just
works!

3. (updated 12 July 2019) You can download and install "Wine" and "Winebottler" which is a
lighter-weight "wrapper" alternative to running VMware. I have been successfully using a prior
version ("Wineskin") for years on my Mac, but I'm still running OSX 10.10 (Yosemite). Detailed
instructions for installing this older "Wineskin" is included further below (for "archival" reasons).
YOU; however, are far more likely to need the newer "Winebottler". The best guidance I can
provide for this solution, is to send you this fine YouTube video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owEZpYAq_FM
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You may ignore all the below… UNLESS you have an "older" Mac OS X for which "WineSkin"
is still the appropriate "middleware" for running Windows applications.

You can download and install "Wineskin" which is a lighter-weight "wrapper" alternative to
running VMware. I did this for my Macbook Pro (still with Yosemite 10.10.5), and so far it has
worked without problems for me. As always, your mileage may vary…

Here are detailed instructions for those of you who may want to pursue option 2 above (note
that you may achieve similar--or better--results by downloading from a different source and/or
applying slightly different configurations... there is more than one way to do this!):

Step0: Download the Packet Tracer Setup .exe file that I placed in your Sakai course folder
and put it somewhere easy to find/access. You will need this during Step15 of these
instructions.

Step1: Go here  http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/36919/wineskin-winery

Another alternative site  http://wineskin.urgesoftware.com/tiki-index.php?page=Downloads

Step2: Click on the link "Wineskin Winery 1.X (click me to download)", then give the program
time to completely download the zip file to your system (I direct all downloads to my desktop, if
your system does otherwise, make sure you know where YOUR downloads go).

Step3: Double-click the downloaded zip file (Wineskin Winery.app Version 1.X.zip) in order to
extract (decompress) it.

Step4: Double-click the now decompressed "Wineskin Winery" executable.

Step5: You should now see a Window like this. Click the '+' sign under "Installed Engines" to
initiate online retrieval of an engine.

Step6: In the new window that pops up (see below), accept the engine that is suggested
(WS9Wine 1.X.X) and click the "Download and Install" button and proceed with download.
Step7: In the next window that is presented (see below), click the "Update" button in order to
download and install the latest Wrapper Version

Step8: In the next window (see below), click on "Create New Blank Wrapper".

Step9: In the next window (see below), choose a name for your wrapper (it can be anything
you like), then click "OK"
Step10: When prompted regarding whether or not to allow Wineskin to accept incoming
network connections, I recommend you do not allow (one less possible attack vector to your
system.)
Step11: Allow time for the installation to occur. You may (likely) be prompted to install some
additional installers/programs as part of the installation process... I recommend you not install
any of them.

Step12: After a while (time dependent on your network connection speed) you should get a
window like this (see below). Click the "View wrapper in Finder" button.

Step13: You should then see your wrapper file listed in the Wineskin folder with whatever
name YOU gave yours in Step9. Now double-click this wrapper file.

Step14: You should then see this window (see below). Click the "Install Sofware" button. Note
we have not yet defined what this wrapper is a wrapper FOR... and this install software step is
where you associate Packet Tracer AS that item.

Step15: This window (see below) should appear next. Click the "Choose Setup Executable"
button then browse to where you have the Packet Tracer Setup .exe file (see Step0 above)
and select it, then proceed "normally" through installation of Packet Tracer (you may "click-
through" all of the offered defaults), but deselect the "Launch Cisco Packet Tracer" button
prior to clicking the "Finish" button. This (de-selection) is not critical… but I want you to be sure
you can launch Packet Tracer from the wrapper icon when finished with these instructions.
Step16: The next window you should see is this (see below). Do not accept the default path
that is provided (/../../linguist.exe), INSTEAD click the drop-down menu and select the path that
ends with "PacketTracer5.exe", then click "OK".

Step17: If all went well... the wrapper icon that you created (see Step9) will now launch Cisco
Packet Tracer when double-clicked. Note that it takes 4-5 seconds to launch on my system. I
recommend that you drag (move) this wrapper icon to your desktop (or course folder or
wherever...) for quick and easy access. Note that you will likely be unable to re-launch Packet
Tracer after having closed it, UNTIL you QUIT the WineSkin app that was running (click—and
hold—the apps icon, then when the options window pops up, select "Quit".

If you want/need additional assistance, there is a decent video here (link below), and as
always you may do your own Internet research for better guidance.

Helpful video —> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15JHd_lc_TY (only 7 minutes)

Another video  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHeoSDYtfE4 (about 7.5 minutes)