7 – Setting Up a Wireless Network in Packet Tracer

7 – Setting Up a Wireless Network in Packet Tracer#

This tutorial is the fifth in our Cisco Packet Tracer series, and it introduces wireless networking using the WRT300N wireless router. We’ll walk through setting up a Wi-Fi network, connecting devices wirelessly and via cable, and testing network connectivity.

Creating a Simple Wireless Network with Cisco Packet Tracer#

In this tutorial, you will:

  • Configure a WRT300N wireless router

  • Connect two laptops wirelessly

  • Connect a desktop PC via Ethernet

  • Test connectivity using ping commands

This setup mimics a small home or office wireless network, helping you understand how wireless connectivity works in a practical scenario.

Part 1 – Understanding the Topology#

The network consists of:

  • A wireless router that acts as both switch and DHCP server

  • Two laptops that connect via Wi-Fi

  • One desktop PC connected via Ethernet

         ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~      ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
        ~   LAPTOP0    ~    ~   LAPTOP1    ~
         ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~      ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
              |                     |
              |     (Wireless)      |
              +---------+-----------+
                        |
                     WRT300N
                        |
                        | (Wired)
                      PC0

Part 2 – Device Placement and Cabling#

Step 2.1 – Place Devices on the Workspace#

From the Wireless Devices and End Devices section in Packet Tracer:

  • Place a WRT300N wireless router

  • Add Laptop0 and Laptop1

  • Add a generic PC (PC0)

Position your devices so the laptops are on either side of the router and PC0 is directly beneath, indicating a wired connection.

Step 2.2 – Connect PC0 to WRT300N#

Use a Copper Straight-Through cable:

  • Connect PC0’s FastEthernet0 to WRT300N’s Ethernet1

No cabling is needed for the laptops, they will connect wirelessly.

Figure

Part 3 – Configure the Wireless Router#

The WRT300N is both a DHCP server and wireless access point. We’ll set up both its wired LAN interface and wireless configuration.

Step 3.1 – Set SSID#

  1. Click on the WRT300N router.

  2. Go to the GUI tab.

  3. Under Wireless:

    • Network Mode: Mixed

    • Network Name (SSID): MyWiFi

    • Channel: Leave default

    • SSID Broadcast: Enabled

Figure

Note

A later tutorial will cover advanced wireless settings like channel selection and security protocols.

Step 3.2 – Verify DHCP Settings#

  1. Still in the GUI tab, go to Setup > Basic Setup.

  2. Confirm DHCP Server is Enabled.

  3. Starting IP Address can remain default (e.g., 192.168.0.100).

Figure

Part 4 – Configure Laptops to Connect Wirelessly#

Before connecting to Wi-Fi, each laptop needs to have a wireless network adapter installed.

4.1 Turn off the Laptop#

  1. Click on Laptop0 (repeat later for Laptop1).

  2. Go to the Physical tab.

  3. On the laptop, click the power button to turn off the device (the green light will go off).

Figure

4.2 Replace the Wireless Module#

  1. In the Modules list, find and drag the WPC300N module into the empty network slot on the right.

  2. Remove any existing module (like FastEthernet) if needed to make space.

  3. Once the WPC300N is installed, click the power button again to turn the laptop back on.

Figure

4.3 Connect to Wireless Network#

Now that the wireless card is installed:

  1. Go to the Desktop tab → PC Wireless.

  2. You should see a list of available networks.

  3. Click Connect next to MyWiFi.

Figure

After connecting, navigate to IP Configuration and confirm the laptop received an IP via DHCP (e.g., 192.168.0.100).

Figure

Tip

If the SSID doesn’t appear, click the “Refresh” button in the PC Wireless tab. Make sure the router is powered on and SSID broadcast is enabled.

Repeat these steps for Laptop1.

Step 4.4 – PC0 IP Configuration#

  1. Click on PC0.

  2. Go to Desktop > IP Configuration.

  3. Select DHCP instead of static mode. You should receive an IP like 192.168.0.100 or similar.

Figure

Figure

Part 5 – Verifying Network Connectivity#

We’ll test connectivity between devices using the ping command.

Step 5.1 – Check IPs of Each Device#

Make sure each device has an IP from the router:

Important

Your IP addresses may vary slightly based on DHCP assignments, but they should be in the same subnet (e.g., 192.168.0.x). So make sure you are using the correct IPs for your devices.

Device

Connection

IP Address

Gateway

Laptop0

Wireless

192.168.0.100

192.168.0.1

Laptop1

Wireless

192.168.0.103

192.168.0.1

PC0

Wired

192.168.0.104

192.168.0.1

Mine ended up being like the above, so what I did was add the IP addresses as text into packet tracer, so I could see them easily.

Figure

Step 5.2 – Test Wireless-to-Wired Connectivity#

From Laptop0, open the Command Prompt:

ping 192.168.0.104

You should see a successful reply from PC0.

Figure

Step 5.3 – Test Wireless-to-Wireless Connectivity#

On Laptop1, ping Laptop0:

ping 192.168.0.100

Both devices should communicate successfully.

Figure

Step 5.4 – Test All Devices#

Finally, go to PC0 and ping both laptops:

ping 192.168.0.100
ping 192.168.0.103

Figure

If all responses are successful, your wireless network is functioning as expected.

Troubleshooting

If pings fail:

  • Ensure the laptops connected to the correct wireless network

  • Re-check DHCP assignments in the router and end devices

Summary#

In this tutorial, you learned to:

  • Configure a wireless router (WRT300N) with DHCP

  • Connect laptops wirelessly using the PC Wireless utility

  • Connect a wired PC to the router using Ethernet

  • Verify connectivity using ping tests between wireless and wired devices

This setup introduces the basics of Wi-Fi networking and prepares you for future labs involving mobile devices, wireless encryption types, and wireless security in enterprise networks.

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