Free CCNA | Static NAT | Day 44 Lab | CCNA 200-301 Complete Course

Introduction

In this tutorial, you will learn how to configure Static Network Address Translation (NAT) in a practical lab environment, as demonstrated in the CCNA 200-301 course by Jeremy's IT Lab. This hands-on experience will help you understand how Static NAT functions and its application in networking, an essential concept for Cisco certification.

Step 1: Understand Static NAT

• Definition: Static NAT is a mapping of a single, unchanging private IP address to a single public IP address. It allows external devices to communicate with a specific internal device.
• Use Case: Useful for servers that need to be consistently accessible from the internet, like web servers or email servers.

Step 2: Set Up Your Environment

• Requirements:
  • Ensure you have Cisco Packet Tracer installed.
  • Familiarize yourself with the interface.
• Create a New Project:
  • Open Packet Tracer and create a new file.
  • Add devices: at least one router and two end devices (PCs).

Step 3: Configure IP Addresses

• Assign IP Addresses:
  1. Click on each device and navigate to the "Config" tab.
  2. Assign IP addresses:
     • Router: 192.168.1.1 (for example)
     • PC1: 192.168.1.2
     • PC2: 192.168.2.2 (for accessing from the outside)
• Subnet Masks:
  • Use the subnet mask 255.255.255.0 for all devices.

Step 4: Configure Static NAT on the Router

• Access the Router CLI:
  • Click on the router and go to the CLI tab.
• Enter Configuration Mode:

  enable
  configure terminal
  

• Create the Static NAT Mapping:
  • Use the following command to map the private IP to the public IP:

  ip nat inside source static 192.168.1.2 203.0.113.1
  

  • Replace 203.0.113.1 with your actual public IP address.
• Define Interfaces:
  • Specify which interfaces are inside and outside:

  interface GigabitEthernet0/0
  ip nat inside
  exit
  interface GigabitEthernet0/1
  ip nat outside
  exit
  

Step 5: Test the Configuration

• Ping Test:
  • From PC2, try to ping the public IP address assigned to the router.
  • Verify connectivity by checking if you can reach external websites.
• Troubleshooting:
  • If the ping fails, check interface configurations and ensure NAT commands are correctly applied.

Conclusion

You have successfully configured Static NAT in a simulated environment. This hands-on practice will solidify your understanding of NAT concepts and prepare you for real-world applications. Next, consider exploring Dynamic NAT or Port Address Translation (PAT) for a broader understanding of NAT types.