Cisco 101: Where to start?

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NotSoSimple

[H]F Junkie
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May 17, 2003
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I am beginning to set up a test domain here at work. I have an ASA 5505 to play with and am having a hell of a time with finding the right commands and what I need to do first. Any good tutorials or places to go? Cisco has the list of commands but it is exhausting. Any assistance from a newb?
 
Maybe not what you want to hear but where I started was with basic switching. Then I moved up to routing, firewalls, and vpns.

If you can't start with a L2 switch, then tackle one subject at a time on the ASA because it can do many things. What are you trying to do?
 
Your trying to learn an ASA from the command line and you a complete cisco n00b?

Why don't you start with ASDM and see what the config looks like
 
I was told to do it right the first time, via the command line.

Currently I am trying to set it up behind a Qwest DSL Modem. Using the modem in bridge mode w/ a Static IP for the ASA. In the long run I am creating a lab environment w/ a Windows Domain, AD, Exchange, etc. Work vetoed my requests for formal training and instead said I could set up a lab. Our Systems Architect quit some months ago so we have been relying on a Contractor. It was under his direction as to what I had to purchase.
 
NotSoSimple said:
Currently I am trying to set it up behind a Qwest DSL
Click to expand...
You still haven't answered everyones question. Set it up HOW?
WHAT are you trying to accomplish?

Do you want to NAT? Do you want to route? are you wanting to know about ACL's? Give us a diagram or something of how you want your network to look and we can go from there.
 
I'm still standing by my statement

If your not familiar with Cisco IOS/CLI jumping into writing long rule sets for an ASA is probably a bad place to get started lol.

Check out the book in the previous link and try google there are a couple of getting started resources.

Only reason I said use the ASDM is you can go back and see the config it spit out...really helps you get an understanding of what you want to do vs what the proper config looks like.
 
The command line is the best place to learn, although LZ1 has a point.

You are turning a gentle learning curve into a vertical wall by jumping straight into the ASA. There is a reason its capabilities aren't covered in the CCENT or CCNA. You need to start with the basics before you can move up to what it is capable of doing. Also, you mentioned that you are wanting to setup a test domain which is great - but a Microsoft Domain doesn't have much to do with that ASA. The ASA is all about border security and routing, not managing domain clients. Which are you trying to learn: domain management or networks? Not that you can't learn both but you need to focus on one or the other first.
 
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also keep in mind the asa commands are different from some of the commands that you would otherwise learn on a lab router or lab switch..meaning...cisco ios....you can use the asdm to get it configured, but it sounds like you should buy some books...the cisco.com website is a cluster fuck
 
Cisco 101? read a book, or take a class, unless you have spare time. If you do have spare time, start with switching, then routing, then security (or at least I found that worked for me).
 
For my foray into Cisco-land, I picked up a 2621 router off of eBay, because it had two ethernet ports so I could practice routing between them. I have one of the Ethernet interfaces configured to grab a DHCP configuration from my Uverse router at home, and the other interface has a static private IP, and gives out DHCP addresses on the same network. And a NAT overload between the two.

I thought it was pretty easy, and there's definitely no better way to learn than hands-on.
 
At this time I JUST need to get the ASA set to a usable state. Later I will start exploring the other options. The only thing I have right now is the ASA; No spare switches, no spare routers, etc. I need to get the domain management part down first and then I can focus on the network management part.

So what I need to do now on the ASA is:
1) Set the WAN interface
2) Change the DHCP scope

Edit: Also I have come across stuff like this: http://www.routerfreak.com/basic-configuration-tutorial-for-the-cisco-asa-5505-firewall/ That is awesome for me, but it assumes some things are already set up/commands used prior so then I am back to square one.
 
Berg0 said:
Cisco 101? read a book, or take a class, unless you have spare time. If you do have spare time, start with switching, then routing, then security (or at least I found that worked for me).
Click to expand...

what OP wants is a book suggestion, or a nice tutorial or something online...

assume all he wants to do just what's required... set the eth interfaces w/ ip/subnetmask, etc set up the NAT/PAT and put a DHCP pool on one of the lan interfaces
 
best thing to learn ASA is to look at the ASA configuration guide. Cisco's main strength is their documentation as it is fairly extensive when compared to other vendors. In addition, they also have configuration examples for most of what you would want to do, i.e. NAT, IPSec, anyconnect .... etc
 
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