Here are some of the basic cisco commands that you might use. A lot of the commands are done from the “enable” & “terminal config” states.
As I study more I will update these commands.
My Useful Cisco Commands
| Full | Short hand | Definition |
| ? | This will be your most used cisco command. Learn to use it. It’s not like other lame help screens. I must applaud Cisco engineers for making an awesome help menu. | |
| enable | Start Privileged EXEC Mode. Some people call it Enable Mode. Not much to do on a router/switch until you start “enable mode”. You will see a “#” after you login. | |
| config terminal | conf t | Start Global Configuration Mode – Most of your configuration of the box will happen here. |
| show running-config | show run | Show running configuration of router/switch. IF you reload the router/switch and have not saved it to the startup-config you will have lost the settings. |
| show startup-config | show start | This will show you config that is saved to the router. If you reload your router, this is what is loaded. |
| copy running-config startup-config | wr OR copy run start | I like the “wr” over the “copy run start” command because I don’t have to write an additional 12 characters. |
| reload | Restarts the router. On boot the router will load the last saved startup-config | |
| no ip address | Removes an IP address from the selected interface | |
| ip address X.X.X.Y 255.255.255.0 | Adds an IP address and mask to the selected interface. | |
| no shutdown | forces an interface to stay up. | |
| show user | Shows all users logged into the cisco box whether it is through VTY or console lines. Shows the length of the connection | |
| show version | Shows many important items like “UPTIME, IOS version, Serial numbers etc… | |
| copy running-config tftp or copy startup-config tftp |
copy run tftp or copy start tftp |
Allows you to backup the running or startup config to a tftp server. After you enter the command you will be asked for a name of the file. Enter the name and hit enter. |
Shortcut keys to enhance your ios command prowess
| Shortcut | Definition |
| Tab | AutoCompletes code. For example if you start typing “ena” for enable and hit “tab”. The terminal prompt will auto complete and finish the rest of the command if it recognizes what you have typed. In this example it would spit out the word “Enable”. |
| Up Arrow | Retypes the last command. If you press up again it will go to the command before that etc.. Up arrow will remember 10 command with default settings. |
| Ctrl+Shift+6 | Escape to the EXEC Prompt – After you have started a connection, you can escape out of the current session and return to the EXEC prompt by using the escape sequence command (Ctrl-Shift-6 then x [Ctrl^x] by default). You can type the command character as you hold down the Ctrl key or with the Ctrl key released; you can type either uppercase or lowercase letters. |
| Ctrl+C | Cancel your action. Usually the same as typing “end[enter]”. |
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