EXEC Levels or Modes Two different EXEC sessions exist, user EXEC level and privileged EXEC level.

Each level provides a different amount of access to the commands within the IOS. User EXEC provides access to a limited number of commands that allow basic troubleshooting and monitoring of the router. Privileged EXEC level allows access to all router commands, such as configuration and management settings. Password protection to the privileged EXEC level is highly recommended to prevent unauthorized configuration changes from being made to the router. Upon initiating an EXEC session on the router, a user is placed in user EXEC mode. This is denoted in the router with the > promptfor example:
Router>

To change to the privileged EXEC level, type in the command enable, as shown:
Router> enable Password: [enable password]

If an enable password has been set, the router prompts you for it. When you enter the correct enable password, the prompt changes from Router> to Router#. This indicates that you have successfully entered into privileged EXEC mode, as shown:
Router> Password: [enable password] Router#

TIP Enable passwords show up as clear text in the running configuration file. If this is undesirable for your environment, Cisco IOS software offers another optionencrypt the enable password using the enable secret command. Using the enable secret command ensures that the password is not displayed as clear text in the running configuration file.

User EXEC: To access this mode you must log in the router by using the console port or a remote access technique (telnet, ssh). At this mode, the prompt displays Router>, and you can telnet into a device, ping an IP address, displays the actual remote connections, Change terminal settings, and so on. But you cannot reload the router or configure anything because the privilege level is 1. To exit from the user EXEC mode issue the logout or exit command. Privileged EXEC: From user EXEC mode, issue the enable command to access the privileged EXEC. The enable statement is equivalent to enable 15 statement, and tells the router to enables the use of privileged commands. In this mode, the prompt displays Router#. The privileged mode allows you to troubleshoot and verify your configuration using the show and debug command. Additionally, this mode support a set of commands used to manage the router configuration files, backup/restore IOS image files, configure the routers date and time, and reload the router. Issue the disable command or the exit command to exit from the

privileged mode and return to user EXEC mode. If youre in the configuration mode (global, interface, router), you can go back to the privileged EXEC mode using the end command. Global configuration: To configure the router, you have to enter the global configuration mode. To do this, issue the configure terminal command from the privileged EXEC mode, and in this mode, the prompt displays Router(config)#. All the configurations are done in this mode, and if you wish to execute a privileged EXEC command such as the show command, you can precede it by the do command. Interface configuration: To configure an interface, you have to enter the interfaces configuration mode. To do this, issue the interface command from the global configuration mode or other configuration mode (line, router), and in this mode, the prompt displays Router(configif)#. If you wish to execute a privileged EXEC command such as the show command, you can precede it by the do command. You can go back to the privileged EXEC mode by pressing CTRL+Z. To exit from this mode, issue the exit command, and youll be moved to the global configuration mode. Line configuration: To configure access to the router using the console port or remotely, you have to enter the configuration mode of the specific line(s). To do this, issue the line command from the global configuration mode or other configuration mode (interface, router), and in this mode, the prompt displays Router(config-line)#. If you wish to execute a privileged EXEC command such as the show command, you can precede it by the do command. You can go back to the privileged EXEC mode by pressing CTRL+Z. To exit from this mode, issue the exit command, and youll be moved to the global configuration mode. Router configuration: To configure a router protocol, you have to enter the configuration mode of a specific routing protocol. To do this, issue the router command from the global configuration mode or other configuration mode (line, interface), and in this mode, the prompt displays Router(config-router)#. If you wish to execute a privileged EXEC command such as the show command, you can precede it by the do command. You can go back to the privileged EXEC mode by pressing CTRL+Z. To exit from this mode, issue the exit command, and youll be moved to the global configuration mode.

1. User execution mode

a. to view the statistics of the router b. we cannot do any modifications to the configuration in this mode.

Examples : To view help type the command as follows in the router command prompt : router>? To display commands starting with letter 's' router>s?

2. Privilege execution mode

Here changes can be made and will affect the configuration of this router a. To enter into privilege mode from user mode : router>enable then the prompt changes to router# b. To quit router#logout c. To view various parameters that can be used with the 'show' command : router# show ? d. To view the ios version: router# show version e. To copy the configuration from dram(temporary memory) to nvram(permanent memory) : router# copy running-config startup-config (or) router# copy run start (or) router# wr f. To view the content of the running config(dram) : router# show running-config (or) router# sh run g. To view the content of the startup config(nvram) : router# show startup-config (or) router# sh start

h. To view the commands previously typed in the cli (by default 10 entries are shown) router# show history i. To change the default history size router# terminal history size 20 j. To view the history size setting router# show terminal k. To view content of flash memory router# show flash l. To view the settings of the ethernet port 0 router# show int e0 m. To view the settings of the serial port 0 router# show int s0 n. To view the settings of all interfaces router# show interfaces o.To view the settings of all interfaces router# show ip interface brief <-- to view only minimal details

Here Im providing some useful keyboard shortcuts that you can use when configuring a Cisco device via command line. These shortcuts are sometimes asked in CCNA certification exam questions.

Keyboard Shortcut Up Arrow

Action Particularly useful. It displays your previous commands. Pressing the up arrow repeatedly will show all previous commands typed (command history) Particularly useful. It completes a partially typed CLI command. E.g if you type show run and press TAB, it will complete the command as show running-config Takes you back to Privileged EXEC Mode. E.g if you are in Global Config Mode Router(config)# and press CTRL+Z it will take you back to Router# mode Places the cursor at the beginning of a line Places the cursor at the end of a line Redisplays the current command line Erases a word (behind the cursor) Erases an entire line

TAB Key

CTRL+Z

CTRL+A CTRL+E CTRL+R CTRL+W CTRL+U