Q. Where can I learn more about the Cisco
Learning Labs that are available for purchase?
A. All Cisco Learning Labs, including the list of lab exercises
and topologies for each offering, are at the Cisco Learning Network
Store.
Q. I have received a coupon code. How do I redeem it?
A. Step 1: Add the product for which you have a coupon code to your cart.
Step 2: Navigate to your cart and paste your coupon code into the coupon field and click Apply.
Step 3: Proceed with rest of checkout as normal.
Q. I copied my coupon code from my notification email and
pasted it directly into the Cisco Learning Network Store at the checkout screen, but it
didn't work. What should I do?
A. Some browsers paste additional hidden characters during a
copy-and-paste action. If you're having trouble copying and pasting your coupon code into
the checkout screen, try typing the coupon code directly.
Q. What are the hardware, software, and network
requirements to run the Cisco Learning Labs?
A. Supported platforms:
Microsoft Windows XP (32-bit)
Windows Server 2003 (32-bit)
Windows Server 2008 (32-bit)
Windows Vista (32-bit)
Windows 7 (32-bit and 64-bit)
Windows 8 (32-bit and 64-bit)
Mac OS X v10.6 or higher
System requirements:
2.33-GHz or faster x86-compatible processor for computers
Intel Atom 1.6-GHz or faster processor for netbooks
128-MB RAM
128-MB graphics memory
Supported browsers -- 32-bit:
Mozilla Firefox 4.0 and above (highly recommended)
Internet Explorer 7.0 and above
Google Chrome
Safari 5.0 and above (for Mac only)
Software requirements:
Adobe Flash Player, version 10.2.152.26 or higher
If you are a Windows user, you should download the Cisco
Terminal Application that is located on the top of the screen in your Cisco Learning
Labs portal. It includes a modified version of the PuTTY Telnet client that will
correctly title the Telnet windows. This program will also make the necessary registry
changes to the Windows operating system.
Network requirements:
You need to be on a network that permits the following:
Port 80 (http)
Port 8080 (http)
Port 443 (https)
Higher-numbered TCP ports 30,000 and above
Q. Are there any special settings that I need to have in my
browser to optimize my lab experience?
A. The following steps can be taken to optimize your lab experience:
Define which Telnet application you want to use from your browser (or confirm what is
suggested).
Ensure that you are using Adobe Flash Player, version 10.2.152.26 or higher.
If you are using Internet Explorer 9, you will need to adjust your computer settings to
properly view the labs. Flash does not display properly in Internet Explorer 9 or any
other browser that uses hardware acceleration. Hardware acceleration is a new
functionality of Internet Explorer 9 that allows Internet Explorer to move all graphics
and text rendering from the central processing unit (CPU) to the graphics processing
unit (GPU). In some cases, it will be necessary to enable or disable hardware
acceleration to check for hardware or software compatibility issues when you are viewing
certain Internet websites, such as websites that contain streaming or full-screen video.
To disable hardware acceleration and use software rendering instead of hardware
rendering to view a web page, follow the steps below:
1. Click Start > Control Panel > Network and Internet
2. Click Internet Options
3. Click the Advanced tab.
4. Once on the Advanced Tab, choose the Accelerated Graphics section.
Click to select the Use Software Rendering Instead of GPU Rendering check box.
5. Click OK
6. Close all open Internet Explorer 9 windows, and then restart Internet
Explorer 9.
7. View the webpage in Internet Explorer 9.
Login-Related Questions
Q. I lost the email with my credentials. What do I do to
get new
lab credentials?
A. If you cannot locate the original email sent to you with your username and password for the Cisco Learning Labs portal, please contact Customer Support to get a copy of your login credentials. Be prepared to provide your Cisco.com ID and Cisco Learning Network Store order #.
Q. I'm not able to log into the Cisco Learning Labs portal.
What
do I do?
A. You need to make sure your login user ID and password are
correct.
Your login name is the email address that you used when you registered
at the Cisco Learning Network Store to purchase your subscription. If you access Cisco
Learning Labs via an Authorized Training Partner of Cisco, your login may be the email that
you provided to your training provider.
Your password was provided in the original email that was sent to you
confirming access to the Cisco Learning Labs. Please refer to your original confirmation
email and use that password.
Password tips to remember:
All passwords used on Cisco Learning Labs are case-sensitive.
Make sure you do not have Caps Lock or Num Lock activated on your keyboard.
The password will not contain the number 1 or number 0; those characters are the letter
"l" and the letter "O" instead.
If you cannot locate the original email, or if you continue to have
login issues, please contact Customer Support.
To submit a support case online, go to Cisco Certification & Communities
Online Support. (Note: when you create an online support case for the first
time, you must create a separate username and password for the support application.) Log
in and choose the Contact Us button from the top menu.
To talk to a customer support agent from
within the United States or Canada, call 1-800-553-6387.
Q. I misplaced or forgot my password. What do I do?
A. Your password was provided in the original email that was sent to you
confirming access to Cisco Learning Labs. Please refer to your original confirmation email
and use that password. If you cannot locate the original email sent to you with your
username and password, please contact Customer Support to get a copy of your login
credentials.
Q. How do I change my password?
A. Once you successfully authenticate into the Cisco Learning Labs web
portal, you will find a link to change your password. Follow the password change
instructions. You'll get an email with a new link that contains an embedded password.
Important tip: If you bookmark your deep link to the Cisco
Learning Labs portal (a deep link is a link that contains your embedded password), be sure
to update your bookmark whenever you change your password.
Access-Related Questions
Q. How long will it take to get my login credentials after
I
purchase the product?
A. Your login credentials will be emailed to you immediately.
Important reminder: Your login credentials will be sent
to the
email address associated with your Cisco.com account tied to your purchase. Be sure you're checking the right email account for your login
credentials email.
Q. My emails from Cisco keep going to my junk
mail
folder. What should I do?
A. Add noreply@cisco.com
to your safe senders list to prevent communications from Cisco Learning Labs from going to
your junk mail folder.
Q. How do I access the Cisco Learning
Labs?
A. Go to your My Account page and click Launch Learning for your Cisco Learning Labs purchase.
You will need your unique username and password that was provided to you in an email; please
refer to that email. If you cannot locate the original email, please contact Customer Support to get a copy of your login credentials.
Q. I left the lab portal and now am ready to re-enter it.
How do
I do this?
A. You resume a lab the same way you started the lab via the Cisco
Learning Labs portal. Log in to resume the lab.
Q. I can log into the Cisco Learning Labs portal, but I
cannot
access my lab. What should I do?
A. If you still have days remaining on your active subscription
but you
are out of lab hours, you will notice that you are able to access the Cisco Learning Labs
portal, but you will not be granted access to your specific lab.
Important tip: As long as you have active lab hours available, your
completed and saved lab configurations will be preserved.
Q. Why can't I connect to the virtual devices when I've already
successfully authenticated?
A. In some network designs, a web cache engine or proxy may provide a
different IP address from your computer when initially connecting to the Cisco Learning
Labs. This may create an IP mismatch between the Cisco Learning Labs and your computer. The
resolution to this situation is to access the Cisco Learning Labs from a network without
these types of proxy services. You may find that using a VPN to another network and then
accessing Cisco Learning Labs will resolve this issue.
Q. I can access the Cisco Learning Labs from home but not from
work. Why is that?
A. This situation is related to the network devices that may be in your
path that are different at home than they are at work. You need to be on a network that
permits the following:
Port 80 (http)
Port 8080 (http)
Port 443 (https)
Higher-numbered TCP ports 30,000 and above
Q. Can I access my Cisco Learning Labs from more than one
PC?
A. You can access your Cisco Learning Labs from more than one PC as long
as each PC meets the software, hardware, and network requirements. Simply use your correct
login name and password.
Q. Why do I need to use WebAuth?
A. The connection to Cisco Learning Labs is secured using WebAuth. You
need to enter your credentials for successful access to the Cisco Learning Labs system. Once
your computer's IP address is correlated to your credentials, you are allowed to
authenticate into Cisco Learning Labs. This procedure ensures that only authorized users
have access to the Cisco Learning Labs.
Q. Why do I not always have to provide WebAuth authentication to
connect to the Cisco Learning Labs?
A. If your IP address has been correlated to your credentials recently,
you do not need to re-enter your credentials to satisfy the WebAuth requirement. However,
you will still have to authenticate into the Cisco Learning Labs web portal with your
credentials. This procedure ensures that only authorized users have access to the Cisco
Learning Labs.
Q. What are the different states that a lab exercise can be in
and what are their meanings?
A. Each individual lab exercise can be in one of three states. Pending
state refers to the state of a lab exercise that has not been started. Running state refers
to the state of a lab exercise that is currently being used by a learner. Suspended state
refers to the state of a lab exercise that has previously been active, but the learner has
exited the lab exercise. There is no "completed state" for a lab—that is up
to you to determine whether you have accomplished the objectives within the lab exercise.
Q. How do I resume where I left off on the lab I was
working
on?
A. You must save your work. If you save your configurations before
you
exit the lab portal, you'll see the same configurations the next time you log in.
Essentially, any time you log in, the configurations will revert to the last time you saved.
Q. Does the lab automatically save my work?
A. No, the labs work like real Cisco IOS Software-based devices.
There
is no auto-save function.
Q. How do I go to the next lab?
A. Exit the lab you've completed and return to the lab portal.
From
there, you'll be able to choose your next lab.
Q. If I want additional practice, how do I repeat a
lab?
A. Follow these steps as described:
1. From the lab portal, start the lab you want to repeat.
2. Choose the Manage Devices tab.
3. Choose the Reload Cfg option for each device, then click OK. This
action will return all the devices back to their original states.
4. Save this configuration.
5. Proceed to repeat the lab.
Q. What happens if I leave my lab unexpectedly?
A. Any time you lose connection to the lab, your timer will stop. Before
reconnecting to the Cisco Learning Labs environment, you should restart your browser or log
out and log back into your computer. Doing so will restart the connection to the Cisco
Learning Labs environment properly. Remember, your work will not automatically be
saved—your lab will revert to your last saved configuration.
Product-Related Questions
About the Labs
Q. How do I access the FAQs during the lab?
A. This FAQs document is available from the main lab portal
login page
and within the lab environment. Within the lab environment, there is a Help button on the
main lab interface. Choose the Help button to access the FAQs during your lab work.
Q. Where do I get the product tutorials and documentation?
Where
do I get the lab manual, lab guides, or workbooks for the lab that I purchased?
A. You can get the lab instructions associated with the lab
bundles from
the active lab session in the sidebar on the left-hand side of the screen.
Q. How do I print the topologies, lab instructions, job aids,
etc.?
A. Follow these instructions to print the various lab materials:
For lab topologies, click on the print diagram link.
For lab instructions, click on the print link at the top of the
instructions.
To print job aids, objectives, or any other content, you can
copy and paste to a document and then print the document.
About Telnet/PuTTY
Q. What is PuTTY and how do I install it?
A. PuTTY is terminal emulation software that runs Telnet sessions.
The
Cisco Terminal Installer file includes a modified version of PuTTY, as well as a registry
modification tool that allows newer versions of Windows Internet Explorer to launch Telnet
applications directly from the browser interface. The Cisco Terminal Installer is available
at the top of the main navigation page of the Cisco Learning Labs portal. Once you download
the package, run the file, and follow the installation instructions. You may need to close
and restart your browser to get it to work right.
Q. How do I use the PuTTY terminal emulator?
A. This version of PuTTY works from the browser. Use your browser
to log
into the Cisco Learning Labs portal. Click on the device icon within the lab topology to get
to the command-line interface (CLI).
Q. Can I customize the PuTTY terminal emulator?
A. There are options available to do some customizations. To
perform
these customizations, right-click or Ctrl-click in the upper left corner of the PuTTY window
to change color, font size, cursor, mouse settings, and so on.
Q. My Telnet is not working. What should I do?
A. There is an inherent Internet Explorer browser issue with
Telnet. You
need to run the Cisco Terminal Installer to fix issues with Internet Explorer and some other
browsers. The Cisco Terminal Installer (which contains a modified version of the PuTTY
Telnet client) is available at the top of the main navigation page of the Cisco Learning
Labs portal. Alternatively, you can use the following web browsers "quot;as is":
Mozilla Firefox 4.0 and above (highly recommended)
Google Chrome
Safari 5.0 and above (for Mac only)
Q. I clicked on a device to start using it, but I'm not
seeing
the device output. What should I do?
A. To see the device prompt, it may be necessary to hit the Enter
key.
Q. The Telnet windows are always on top of my desktop. How
do I
change that behavior?
A. By default, with the modified version of PuTTY that is
provided by
Cisco Learning Labs, the Telnet window is initially displayed on top of the Windows desktop.
This behavior can be modified by right-clicking your mouse on the desired console window and
choosing Always on Top to toggle the behavior of the individual console displays.
Q. I deleted my console.exe PuTTY application. How do I
reinstall it?
A. The Cisco Terminal Installer file can be downloaded again
at the
Cisco Learning Labs portal once you successfully log in. The Cisco Terminal Installer (which
contains a modified version of the PuTTY Telnet client) is available at the top of the main
navigation page of the Cisco Learning Labs portal. This file should be downloaded to the
computer that you use for Cisco Learning Labs. The installer should then be run to
completion following all instructions to install the terminal application successfully.
About the Timer
Q. When I leave my lab, does my timer continue to
run?
A. The lab timer stops when you exit a lab. However, your 90-day
or
180-day subscription continues to run regardless of whether or not you are logged in.
Q. When does my lab subscription start?
A. Your lab subscription for lab access starts the day you make a
lab
purchase.
Q. My lab stopped in the middle of my work. What
happened?
A. There are a few possibilities:
You may have used all of your allotted lab access time. When
your allotted lab access or supplemental lab access expires, the system will force you
to leave the lab environment.
Access to Cisco Learning Labs relies on an active Internet
connection. If the connection fails or is unreliable, your access to the lab may be
terminated. Please try to use Cisco Learning Labs from an alternate Internet connection
if you believe this is the issue.
Reach out to Customer Support if you continue to face this issue.
Q. How can I most efficiently make use of the lab time that I
purchased?
A. Here are a few suggestions to help you make the best use of your time
with Cisco Learning Labs.
1. Learn then Practice
The main point of Cisco Learning Labs is to provide users with time on
Cisco devices to practice what they have learned in a book, at a website, or in a class. If
you reach a point in your lab where you do not understand something or what you are doing is
not working, you should save your configurations, and then exit the lab. This will stop your
timer and allow you to research the technology area that is not working as you expected.
When you are better prepared to tackle the task, restart the lab exercise, and you will be
able to continue the task afresh.
2. Read and Print, then Practice
The detailed tasks for each lab exercise in Cisco Learning Labs are
available once you start a given lab exercise. To maximize your use of time, we suggest that
you start a lab and click on the All Tasks or All Questions link in the main toolbar. The
ensuing pop-up contains all the instructions, job aids, topologies, and solutions. You can
save time by reviewing the tasks for a given lab exercise and understanding all the features
and requirements of the lab exercise prior to attempting the lab exercise. One way to do
this is to copy and paste the contents of the All Tasks or All Questions pop-up to a
document and save that document on your local computer. You can then exit the lab and stop
your timer. Saving the lab tasks to your local computer will then allow you to read and
understand the tasks without any cost to your associated session timer. Some learners prefer
to print out this document and then use it for making notes.
3. Configure, then Practice
Another way to save time is to preconfigure what you plan to implement
on the running configurations on the devices for the labs. Saving the configurations in a
text file and then copying and pasting them into the appropriate device can save time as
well.
Q. I didn't finish my labs, and I ran out of time. What do
I
do?
A. You can repurchase the labs to gain more hours. Purchase of an extension will also reset your access duration to complete your
labs.
Q. I completed my lab exercises, and I still have time
left.
What do I do?
A. You can practice more or redo some labs, since you have access
to the
full Cisco IOS Software on UNIX feature set. Although you can't change the way the devices
are connected (you can't move or add a cable), you can configure the topologies in different
ways.
Q. I still have lab time left, but the number of days in my
subscription is about to expire. What do I do?
A. You can reset your access duration to
complete your
labs by repurchasing.
About the Simulated Labs (Adobe Flash), HTML Work Sheets, and
Videos
Q. Why are some of the labs simulated instead of Cisco IOS
Software on UNIX virtual labs?
A. In those instances where lab topics do not lend themselves to a
virtualized Cisco IOS Software on Unix lab environment, Cisco includes video, simulated labs
(Adobe Flash-based), or HTML elements designed to ensure full "end-to-end"
practice lab coverage associated with Cisco certification exams and product training.
Q. Flash does not display properly in Internet Explorer 9 or any
other browser that uses hardware acceleration. What should I do?
A. If you are using Internet Explorer 9, you will need to adjust your
computer settings to properly view the labs. Adobe Flash does not display properly in
Internet Explorer 9 or any other browser that uses hardware acceleration. Hardware
acceleration is a new functionality of Internet Explorer 9 that allows Internet Explorer to
move all graphics and text rendering from the central processing unit (CPU) to the graphics
processing unit (GPU). In some cases, it will be necessary to enable or disable hardware
acceleration to check for hardware or software compatibility issues when you are viewing
certain Internet websites, such as websites that contain streaming or full-screen video. To
disable hardware acceleration and use software rendering instead of hardware rendering to
view a web page, follow the steps below:
1. Click Start > Control Panel > Network and Internet.
2. Click Internet Options.
3. Click the Advanced tab.
4. Once in the Advanced Tab, choose the Accelerated Graphics section.
Click to select the Use Software Rendering Instead of GPU Rendering check box.
5. Click OK.
6. Close all open Internet Explorer 9 windows, and then restart Internet
Explorer 9.
7. View the web page in Internet Explorer 9.
Q. My Safari browser is not properly displaying the simulated
labs on my PC. What should I do?
A. There is an incompatibility with the Safari 5 browser and Windows
that prevents the command-line interface (CLI) from properly working in the Flash-based labs
simulations. Windows users should choose a different browser. Appropriate browsers for PCs
include the following:
Mozilla Firefox 4.0 and above (highly recommended)
Internet Explorer 7.0 and above
Google Chrome
Q. What can I expect when I encounter a simulated lab?
A. When the Flash file is downloading to your PC, you will see the
following screen. The time it takes to download the file depends on your Internet connection
speed.
The figure below is an example of what you will see when the download of
the Flash file is complete. Note the tabs that appear at the bottom of the screen: Help (the
initial screen), Objectives and Aids, Procedures and Verification, and Practice Lab. The [X]
at the top right corner closes the window.
Below is an example of the Objectives and Aids screen:
Here is an example of the Procedures and Verification screen:
And here below is a screen shot of the Practice Lab. This is the
interactive piece of the simulation, where you can click on the devices in the topology to
perform the steps outlined for each lab.
Lastly, below is a screen shot of what appears when you choose a
"clickable" device from the topology. To configure a device, click on the
corresponding icon in the topology. Most commands that use the Control or Escape keys are
not supported (but are not necessary to complete the simulations).
Q. How do I navigate the simulated labs?
A. Follow these guidelines to navigate the simulated labs:
Click the red handle at the bottom right-hand side to resize a
window.
Click the up or down scroll arrows to scroll a window's contents
up or down.
Click the right or left scroll arrows to scroll a window's
contents right or left.
You can reposition a window by dragging it by the title bar.
Multiple windows can be open at the same time, but they would
need resizing and repositioning to be displayed at the same time on the screen.
Each of the windows can be minimized by clicking on the [X].
Maximizing any of the windows again will take you to wherever you left off. If you
restart the simulation, however, you will be brought to the initial state.
Q. How do I troubleshoot the simulated labs?
A. Follow these guidelines to troubleshoot the simulated labs:
You may have trouble working behind some authenticating proxy
servers, such as not being able to display rich-media content. The workaround is to run
the Cisco Learning Labs from a different network.
You may have trouble with some antivirus software systems that
will incorrectly identify the Adobe Flash Player as malware. The workaround is to ensure
that the antivirus signatures are up to date.
You may have trouble with some Adobe Flash remover tools, such
as the registry cleaner or fix tool. The workaround is to uninstall the Adobe Flash
Player using the Adobe Flash Player Uninstaller and then reinstall it.
You may have trouble with pop-up blockers, such as not being
able to display rich-media content. The workaround is to add the Cisco Learning Labs
site to the permitted list.
Q. How do I report an error in a lab, such as the following
issues:
Grammatical errors?
Content-related errors?
Initial configuration problems?
Connections not configured per the topology diagram?
A. We appreciate your attention to detail. Please submit a
description
or re-creation of the problem showing the affected steps. You can email the information to
cll-info@external.cisco.com.
