This lab demonstrates how to remotely access a Cisco 7206VXR router running in EVE-NG using PuTTY from a Windows laptop over Telnet.
Instead of using the built-in EVE-NG console, the router is accessed externally using PuTTY, simulating how network engineers remotely manage network devices across an enterprise network.
- Configure a Cisco router for remote management
- Assign an IP address to the router interface
- Enable Telnet access
- Configure VTY authentication
- Connect remotely using PuTTY
- Verify successful remote CLI access
+--------------------+
| Windows Laptop |
| PuTTY |
| 192.168.138.x |
+---------+----------+
|
| TCP Port 23 (Telnet)
|
+---------+----------+
| Cisco 7206VXR |
| FastEthernet0/0 |
| 192.168.138.10 |
+--------------------+
- EVE-NG
- Cisco IOS (7206VXR)
- PuTTY
- VMware Workstation
- Telnet
- TCP/IP
Telnet uses TCP Port 23 as its default communication port.
When PuTTY is configured for Telnet, it automatically establishes a TCP connection to Port 23, where the Cisco router listens for incoming Telnet sessions.
Windows Laptop
│
│ TCP Port 23
▼
Cisco Router
Once the connection is established, the administrator can remotely configure and monitor the router through the Cisco CLI.
Since Telnet transmits usernames, passwords, and commands in plain text, it is considered insecure and should only be used in lab environments or on legacy equipment.
Modern enterprise networks use SSH (TCP Port 22) because all management traffic is encrypted, making it the recommended protocol for secure remote administration.
enable
configure terminal
hostname Test
interface FastEthernet0/0
ip address 192.168.138.10 255.255.255.0
no shutdown
exit
username admin secret 123456
line vty 0 4
login local
transport input telnet
end
write memory
line vty 0 4
login local
transport input telnet
Configures the five Virtual Terminal (VTY) lines used for remote access to the router.
Uses the locally configured username and password database for authentication.
Allows incoming Telnet connections on the VTY lines.
show ip interface brief
Example output:
Interface IP-Address OK? Method Status Protocol
FastEthernet0/0 192.168.138.10 YES manual up up
Configure PuTTY with the following settings.
Host Name
192.168.138.10
Port
23
Connection Type
Telnet
Click Open to establish the remote connection.
Username: admin
Password: 123456
After successful authentication, the Cisco IOS command-line interface becomes available.
Test>
Enter privileged EXEC mode.
enable
Verify that the Telnet session is active.
show users
Display all active terminal sessions.
show line
Display the current router configuration.
show running-config
Verify the router interface status.
show ip interface brief
- Cisco IOS Configuration
- Remote Router Administration
- Telnet Configuration
- PuTTY Terminal Emulator
- VTY Line Configuration
- TCP/IP Networking
- Interface Configuration
- Local User Authentication
- Network Troubleshooting
- EVE-NG Virtualization
- Enterprise Remote Management
This screenshot shows:
- Router interface configuration
- IP address assignment
- Local username creation
- VTY line configuration
- Telnet enabled using
transport input telnet
This screenshot shows:
- PuTTY configured with the router's IP address
- Telnet selected as the connection type
- TCP Port 23 specified
- Successful preparation for remote access from a Windows laptop to the Cisco router running in EVE-NG
This lab demonstrates how to configure a Cisco router for remote management using Telnet and remotely access it from a Windows laptop using PuTTY.
The lab covers interface configuration, VTY line configuration, local user authentication, and successful remote administration over TCP Port 23.
Although Telnet is useful for learning networking concepts and is still encountered on some legacy devices, it transmits all communication in plain text. For production environments, SSH (TCP Port 22) is the preferred protocol because it encrypts all authentication credentials and management traffic.
- Configure secure remote access using SSH (TCP Port 22).
- Disable Telnet after SSH has been verified.
- Restrict remote management using Access Control Lists (ACLs).
- Configure multiple Cisco routers and manage them remotely from a single workstation.
- Capture and analyze Telnet traffic using Wireshark to observe unencrypted network communication.
Configured a Cisco 7206VXR router in EVE-NG for remote management using Telnet and accessed it externally from a Windows laptop using PuTTY over TCP Port 23. Demonstrates Cisco IOS configuration, VTY authentication, remote administration, and enterprise networking fundamentals.
Cisco-Router-Remote-Access-Using-PuTTY-Telnet-EVE-NG-Lab
Jamill Naipao
- GitHub: https://github.com/Thafundraiser007
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamill-naipao-6447982bb/