Customizing devices with modules

A device module is a piece of hardware containing several device interfaces. For example, a HWIC-4ESW module contains four Ethernet (10 MBps) ports. Similar to a real router/switch, the device has to be powered off in order to add or remove modules.

The power switch is on the right-hand side of each device, with a green LED indicating that the power is on. Click on this switch to turn it off. To add a module, drag one from the modules list and drop it onto an empty slot. If a module doesn't fit into that slot, it automatically returns to the module list.

Customizing devices with modules

To remove a module, power off the device and drag it from the slot back to the module list.

Naming convention

Each router has more than a dozen modules but the interface they offer can be identified by their names. So, we have grouped them based on their similarities.

  • Copper Ethernet Interface: This is the normal LAN interface, which takes in an RJ-45 connector crimped to a copper cable. Based on speeds, these interfaces are named Ethernet (10 MBps), FastEthernet (100 MBps), and GigabitEthernet (1000 MBps). Modules having Ethernet interfaces can be identified with a number followed by E, FE, CE, CFE, or CGE. Modules with SW provide switching features when used on routers.
    • HWIC-4ESW (four Ethernet switching ports)
    • WIC-1ENET (single Ethernet port)
    • NM-1E (single Ethernet port)
    • NM-1FE-TX (single Fast Ethernet port)
    • NM-4E (four Ethernet ports)
    • NM-ESW-161 (16 Ethernet switching ports)
    • PT-ROUTER-NM-1CE, PT-ROUTER-NM-1CFE, PT-ROUTER-NM-1CGE (Packet Tracer custom modules)
  • Fiber Ethernet Interface: This is similar to the previous interface, except that it uses a fiber cable. These modules are identified based on the letter F.
    • NM-1FE-FX (single Fast Ethernet fiber media)
    • PT-ROUTER-NM-1FFE, PT-ROUTER-NM-1FGE (Packet Tracer custom modules)
  • Serial Interface: Modules with serial interfaces have the letter T or the string A/S. The difference is that the ones with T are synchronous while the A/S modules are asynchronous. This difference affects only production environments, but in a simulator it makes no difference.
    • WIC-1T, WIC-2T (a single or dual synchronous serial port)
    • NM-4A/S, NM-8A/S (four or eight asynchronous/synchronous serial ports)
    • PT-ROUTER-NM-1S, PT-ROUTER-NM-1SS
  • Modem Interface: Modules with this interface have RJ11 ports for analog telephone cables. They are identified by having the letters AM present after a number as shown in the following list:
    • WIC-1AM (dual RJ11 ports for phone and modem)
    • WIC-2AM, WIC-8AM (two or eight RJ11 ports)
    • PT-ROUTER-NM-1AM
  • WICs within NMs: Some Network Modules (NM) don't take up all the space of a slot, so they provide WIC slots within them to accommodate smaller cards. Such modules can be recognized by the letter W at the end of their names.
    Naming convention
    • NM-1E2W, NM-1FE2W (a single Ethernet / Fast Ethernet port and two WIC slots)
    • NM-2E2W, NM-2FE2W (two Ethernet / Fast Ethernet ports and two WIC slots)
    • NM-2W (no interfaces, only two WIC slots)
  • Slot Covers: Packet Tracer also provides covers for empty slots. While it makes no difference in a simulator, it can give a cleaner look when using the physical view (more information on this in Chapter 5, Navigating and Modifying the Physical Workspace).
    • NM-Cover: Covers a network module slot
    • WIC-Cover: Covers a WIC slot
  • HWIC-8A: This module is new to Packet Tracer 6. It provides eight asynchronous EIA-232 connections to console ports. A router can be used as an access server if this module is plugged in.

Creating a custom device

If you require a router with a particular set of modules, it could be a daunting task to drag-and-drop modules each time before creating a topology. So Packet Tracer offers a feature to save a device that you've customized as a custom-made device. Carry out the following steps to create a custom device:

  1. Drag-and-drop a network device into the work area. For this example, we'll use a Generic switch: Switch-PT-Empty.
  2. Click on the switch to open its configuration dialog box, and turn the device off.
  3. Add your most-used modules to this switch.
  4. Navigate to Tools | Custom Devices Dialog, or press Ctrl + E.
  5. Click on the Select button, and then click on the switch that was just customized.
  6. Provide a name and description, and then click on Add and Save.

This custom device is saved with a .ptd extension in %USERPROFILE%\Cisco Packet Tracer 6.0.1\templates\; to make this custom device available to all users, copy it to %PT5HOME%\templates\.

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