Table of Contents

Step-by-step guides for configuring network devices and implementing common network configurations.

Overview

This section provides platform-agnostic configuration guides for common networking tasks. For platform-specific implementations, see:

Initial Device Setup

Console Connection

Most network devices use serial console connections for initial configuration:

Parameter Common Value
Baud Rate 9600 or 115200
Data Bits 8
Stop Bits 1
Parity None
Flow Control None

Basic Configuration Steps

  1. Physical Connection

    • Connect console cable to device
    • Power on device and wait for boot

  2. Initial Access

    • Use terminal software (PuTTY, SecureCRT, screen, minicom)
    • Configure serial port settings
    • Press Enter to activate console

  3. Essential Configuration

    • Set hostname for device identification
    • Configure management IP address
    • Set strong passwords
    • Configure secure remote access (SSH)
    • Set timezone and NTP servers
    • Save configuration

Platform-Specific Guides

VLAN Configuration

VLAN Planning

Before implementing VLANs, plan your network segmentation:

  1. Identify Requirements

    • Security zones (management, servers, users, guests)
    • Traffic types (data, voice, video)
    • Departmental or functional groups

  2. Assign VLAN IDs

    • Document VLAN ID, name, subnet, and purpose
    • Reserve VLAN 1 (typically avoid using)
    • Use consistent naming across devices

  3. Design Inter-VLAN Routing

    • Router-on-a-stick for small networks
    • Layer 3 switch for larger networks
    • Firewall for security policies

Common VLAN Assignments

VLAN ID Name Typical Use
10 Management Network device management
20 Servers Application and file servers
30 Workstations User computers
40 Guest Guest network (isolated)
50 IoT Internet of Things devices
60 VoIP Voice over IP phones
70 DMZ Public-facing servers
99 Native Trunk native VLAN

VLAN Implementation Steps

  1. Create VLANs

    • Define VLAN ID and name
    • Configure VLAN on all switches

  2. Assign Ports to VLANs

    • Configure access ports for end devices
    • Assign appropriate VLAN to each port

  3. Configure Trunk Ports

    • Connect switches with trunk links
    • Specify allowed VLANs on trunks
    • Set native VLAN (recommend non-default)

  4. Configure Inter-VLAN Routing

    • Set up routing between VLANs
    • Configure IP addresses for each VLAN
    • Test connectivity between VLANs

Platform-Specific Implementation

For detailed VLAN strategy and design principles, see VLAN Strategy.

Home Lab Setup

Equipment Needed

Minimum Setup

  • 1x Managed switch (with VLAN support)
  • 1x Router or firewall
  • 2x Computers for testing
  • 2x Managed switches
  • 1x Router with multiple interfaces
  • 1x Wireless access point
  • 3+ Computers/devices

Network Diagram

Internet
   │
   ▼
[Router/Firewall]
   │
   ├─── VLAN 10: Management (192.168.10.0/24)
   ├─── VLAN 20: Servers (192.168.20.0/24)
   ├─── VLAN 30: Workstations (192.168.30.0/24)
   └─── VLAN 40: Guest (192.168.40.0/24)

Configuration Steps

  1. Configure Router

    • Set up WAN connection
    • Create VLAN subinterfaces or SVIs
    • Configure DHCP servers per VLAN
    • Set up NAT/masquerading

  2. Configure Switches

    • Create VLANs on all switches
    • Configure trunk ports between switches
    • Assign access ports to appropriate VLANs

  3. Test Connectivity

    • Verify VLAN assignment on each port
    • Test inter-VLAN routing
    • Verify internet access from each VLAN
    • Test isolation (guest VLAN shouldn't access internal)

Platform-Specific Configuration

Cisco Devices

Comprehensive Cisco IOS configuration guides:

UniFi Equipment

See the comprehensive Unifi Configuration Guide for:

  • UniFi Dream Machine setup
  • UniFi switches configuration
  • UniFi access points
  • Network application management

HPE/Aruba

Coming soon: HPE ProCurve and Aruba configuration guides.

Juniper

Coming soon: Juniper EX switches and SRX firewalls configuration guides.

Network Services

DHCP Server

Most networks require DHCP for automatic IP address assignment. Configure DHCP servers to:

  • Assign IP addresses automatically
  • Provide default gateway information
  • Configure DNS servers
  • Set lease duration
  • Reserve addresses for static devices

See platform-specific guides for implementation:

DNS Configuration

DNS translates domain names to IP addresses. For DNS server setup, see:

NAT/PAT Configuration

Network Address Translation (NAT) allows private IP addresses to access the internet:

  • Static NAT: One-to-one mapping
  • Dynamic NAT: Pool of public IPs
  • PAT (Port Address Translation): Many-to-one with port mapping

See platform-specific guides:

Quality of Service (QoS)

QoS prioritizes network traffic to ensure critical applications receive adequate bandwidth:

  • Voice traffic: Highest priority (typically 30% bandwidth)
  • Video traffic: Medium-high priority (typically 20% bandwidth)
  • Data traffic: Best effort

See platform-specific implementation:

Security Configuration

Port Security

Restrict MAC addresses allowed on switch ports:

  • Limit number of MAC addresses per port
  • Define violation actions (restrict, shutdown, protect)
  • Use sticky MAC learning for known devices

Access Control Lists (ACLs)

Control traffic flow with ACLs:

  • Standard ACLs: Filter by source IP address
  • Extended ACLs: Filter by source/destination IP, protocol, port
  • Apply inbound or outbound on interfaces

See platform-specific implementation:

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