This page provides a step by step procedure for configuring the CISCO 2600 series router(2 Fastethernet Ports and 2 serial ports). The Cisco 2500(series 2501 and 2514) router also can be configured in the same way as discribed here, the only difference being, 2501 series router has only one Ethernet port and the 2514 series router has 2 Ethernet ports. (Note - On the 2500 series routers, the Ports are called Ethernet Ports and not FastEthernet Ports, as in 2600 series router.)

In order to configure the router, you will have to connect the router to a computer having a terminal Emulator(such as Hyper Terminal). Please refer to "Router Basics" for hardware connections. On a Windows-NT Workstation click on
"Start--> Programs --> Accessories --> Hyperterminal-->Hyper Terminal".
To run HyperTerminal, you will have to use the following configuration
Com Port : The COM port you have connected the router to (Example:com1,com2...)
Bits per second : 9600
Data Bits : 8
Parity : None
Stop Bits : 2
Flow Control : None

Router Configuration

NOTE : For this example it is assumed that the interfaces of the router have to be configured with the following details :
 

Name	IP Address	Subnetmask
Interface 0/0	128.82.8.10   (Class A  IP address)	255.255.0.0  (Standard Class B Subnetmask)
Interface 0/1	128.82.10.10   (Class B  IP address)	255.255.0.0 (Standard Class B Subnetmask)

The Example attempts to briefly explain the meaning of each individual command. The command prompt changes as the user navigates through the IOS CLI hierarchy. Also notice that global parameters are configured at the global configuration level (indicated by the "Router(config)#" prompt) whereas interface specific commands are entered after switching to the particular interface {indicated by the "Router(config-if)#" prompt}. Global parameters and interface parameters are discussed further in the Displaying Configurations section under Router Management.

1.) Bring the Router to Priveleged EXEC mode
    Router>enable
2.)Change to global configuration level giving the user access to change the configuration of the router.
    Router# configure terminal
3.) Switch to Configure the fastethernet0/0 interface
    Command : interface <interface type>
    Router(config)# interface fastethernet0/0
4.)Configure an IP address 128.82.8.10 and Subnet mask of 255.255.0.0
    Command : ip address <ip address> <subnet mask>
    Router(config-if)# IP address 128.82.8.10 255.255.0.0
5.)Activate fastethernet0/0 interface.
    Command : no shutdown
    Router(config-if)# no shutdown
6.)Exit back to global configuration level.
    Router(config-if)# exit
7.)Configure the fastethernet0/1 interface
    Command : interface <interface type>
    Router(config)# interface fastethernet0/1
8.)Configure IP address 128.82.10.10 with subnetmask of 255.255.0.0 on fastethernet0/1 interface.
    Command : ip address <ip address> <subnet mask>
    Router(config-if)# ip address 128.82.10.10 255.255.0.0
9.)Activate fastethernet0/1 interface
    Command : no shutdown
    Router(config-if)# no shutdown
10.)Exit back to global configuration level
    Router(config-if)# exit
11.)Specify routing engine (RIP) - {Other details may be required for some other routing engines}
    Command : router <routing engine>
    Router(config)# router rip
12.)Add the network 128.82.0.0 to RIP engine
    Command : network <network ip address>
    Router(config-router)# network 128.82.0.0
13.)Exit back to global configuration level
    Router(config-router)# exit
14.)Exit out of global configuration level
    Router(config)# ^z
15.)Save Configuration into NVRAM
    Router# write
16.)See the current configuration of the Router.
    Router# show configuration
17.)Router> - indicates user is back to user EXEC level
    Router# disable
18.)Router> - indicates user is back to user EXEC level