Computer Networks

Design topologies, configure routers and watch packets travel hop by hop through routing, DHCP and the OSI layers.

About the Computer Networks

The Computer Networks simulator lets you build a network on a canvas and watch traffic cross it. Drag in PCs, laptops, phones, servers, IoT devices, switches, routers and wireless access points, connect them with copper, fibre or wireless links, and give each device its addresses.

Once the network is built, you can configure routing with static routes, RIP or OSPF, hand out addresses with DHCP, and resolve names with DNS. Then send a ping or run traceroute and follow each packet hop by hop. The OSI inspector shows what every layer adds to a packet, and the ARP table fills in as devices discover each other.

It suits students of computer networks courses and anyone preparing for a networking certification who wants practice without a rack of equipment. A sensible first exercise is two PCs and a switch; then add a router and a second subnet and find out why the ping stops working until a route exists.

Experiments in this lab

  1. Topology builder: Place devices and links, and assign IP addresses.
  2. Routing: Static routes, RIP and OSPF between subnets.
  3. DHCP and DNS: Automatic addressing and name lookup.
  4. Ping and traceroute: Send packets and follow them hop by hop.
  5. ARP: How a device finds the hardware address for an IP address.
  6. OSI inspector: What each layer adds to a packet on its way down and up.