Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) Practice Exam

What equipment is required when connecting to a Cisco device through the console port?

1. A PC with a software such as PuTTY, and a USB-to-RS232 compatible serial port adapter

2. A laptop with built-in Wi-Fi capabilities

3. A network switch and a fiber optic cable

4. A router and a command line interface

The correct answer is: A PC with a software such as PuTTY, and a USB-to-RS232 compatible serial port adapter

To connect to a Cisco device through the console port, a PC equipped with terminal emulation software, such as PuTTY, is essential for establishing a session to manage the device’s configuration. This software allows the user to send commands and interact with the Cisco device via the console port. Additionally, a USB-to-RS232 compatible serial port adapter is frequently required because many modern PCs do not have traditional serial ports, which are necessary for the physical connection to the console port. The console port on Cisco devices typically uses a standard rollover cable with a serial interface. Therefore, the combination of a PC, terminal software, and an adapter provides the correct hardware and software setup for accessing the device through the console interface. Other options such as a laptop with built-in Wi-Fi capabilities or a network switch with a fiber optic cable are not relevant for console connections, as they do not provide the necessary physical interface to the console port, nor do they address the operational requirements for terminal connection. Additionally, simply having a router and a command line interface lacks the necessary physical connection method to initiate communication with the Cisco device via its console port.