Mon 22 Dec 2008
GNS3: How to setup Terminal Server for CCIE Labs
Posted by Tariq Ahmad under ASA , Cisco IOS tips and tweaks , Cisco Unified Call Manager Express , GNS3 , GNS3 video tutorials , Graphical User Interface Applications , PIX firewall , Session Initial Protocol(SIP) , Xtensible Markup Language(XML)[17] Comments
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In one of my previous tutorials, i had used Putty Connection Manager for Console Access which helps centralizing all your consoles into a single window with easy tabbing in between different router consoles. This tutorial shows yet another way of achieving same functionality.This time, i will setup an Access Server/Console Server/Terminal Server, whatever you name it in order to access all lab devices from a single console.
Normally, people practicing for CCIE lab find this approach useful by setting up terminal server in their labs.
Its pretty to easy setup.Here is the topology diagram i have been using in my labs for demonstration purpose:
Enjoy tutorial!
If you liked this tutorial ,don't hesitate to buy me a Cup of Coffee today !
(5 votes, average: 4.80 out of 5)

March 5th, 2009 at 7:12 pm
How do you turn on the hq console port 2000? Thank you
March 6th, 2009 at 12:09 pm
Hello, thank you for sharing this great instruction. I have been dieing to know how to navigate around the router with through access terminal.
I followed your instruction and here is what I got when I connected to other routers from access terminal
——
Password required, but none set
Connection to host lost.
————–
What should I do? Why mine pop up password like that?
Thanks
March 7th, 2009 at 12:33 pm
Could you please how me the configuration of hq router? The reasons is that I can’t log in to the router that I’m working with, it keeps ask me
——
Password required, but none set
Connection to host lost.
———
Thank you for your help
April 4th, 2009 at 1:05 am
@W,you can specify which console port you wanna use using GNS3.
@WT,setup enable password and vty line passwords first before telnetting.
April 4th, 2009 at 3:30 am
Very helpful indeed !Thanks
April 8th, 2009 at 2:36 am
Esselamu alejkum.
Great job. Keep going.
July 20th, 2009 at 4:03 am
please let me know how to configure loopback0 with cloud and on putty or pc
October 22nd, 2009 at 3:50 pm
how is the terminal server connected to the other routers.
can u please eleaborate more..
December 28th, 2009 at 12:32 pm
Thank you so much Tariq for this post. I went through your video and was able to hook up my terminal server without any problem.
I have a quick question for you, I have a client-server topology and through the terminal server I cannot access any device not running on the same computer as my terminal server. Do you have a trick for that?
January 2nd, 2010 at 7:05 pm
@Shahzad,@durga,Kindly re-watch tutorial as things are already explained in there.
@Patrice,thnx for nice comment.Did you try to replace Loopback with your LAN interface IP? Port mapping can be other alternative.
February 13th, 2010 at 5:12 pm
I was having some problems following your lab operating inside a virtual machine environment and still being able to access the telnet session from the outside world. Of course I could have setup two interfaces, one for the loopback adapter, and another for the ethernet connection, but that is no fun now.
*******Only pertains to accessing the configured port to the Terminal Server from outside a virtual machine***********
So, what I ended up having to do was configure as per your directions, and create a bridge network adapter, inside my VM between the loopback adapter and the virtual VM adapter.
Here is the best I can do to describe in text how I set this configuration up.
HostPC–VMNet9—>VMHost—Bridge(VMNet9 & loop100)—>GNS
Maybe there is a way to directly advertise your host machines loopback adapter to the VM, but I was not able to figure out how without compromising my primary bridge. Just thought I would contribute because I have spent like 4 hours trying to figure this out. Hope this helps.
February 23rd, 2010 at 11:54 am
I have followed your configuration on the access server but i have no idea how to configure the client routers. I have tried connecting but it just times out. I am really frustrated. I have spend an entire day trying to get this thing to work.
February 23rd, 2010 at 11:57 am
How does the server know how to get to the client routers? That is the confusing thing. I have viewed your tutorial over and over and still something is missing.
March 2nd, 2010 at 8:44 pm
Hi, I an looking for solution for Linux Distro. I setup on windows 2003 and it’s running so slow. i tried on Ubuntu Lab is running much better, but i am unable to create access server in Ubuntu 9.10 can any one help me on this matter
March 2nd, 2010 at 9:36 pm
@nemo, have you created loopback interface in your pc
@Aravinth, concept is same. if you follow steps , you shouldn’t have any issues running terminal server in linux distro (ubuntu).
June 28th, 2010 at 3:33 am
to:nemo
Check Windows firewall settings on loopback adapter. I spent lot of time to find why Terminal server refusing connection.
Enable inbound connection
Now it works
July 5th, 2010 at 6:16 am
how could we configure ip phone , in gns3 where coul i find ip phone