How to Configure a Cisco Router

This guide explains how to configure a Cisco Router, with clear steps, practical tips, and important checks before you begin.

Enabling Cisco CP Express

Assemble your Cisco router. The steps to assemble your router vary by model. If your router supports Wi-Fi, connect the antenna (included in the box) as instructed by your manual. If you need to install a SIM card, follow your manual's instructions to do so.^{[1]XResearch source}
- Cisco CP Express is a web-based administration panel that lets you set up your router using a web browser. This makes it so you don't have to learn lots of complicated Cisco commands.
Connect the router to your computer with a console cable. Modern Cisco's come with USB Mini-B to USB-A console cables, which ensure that you can get console access on any computer that has a USB port.^{[2]XResearch source}
- If your router came with a console cable is RJ45 to DB9 (female), plug the Ethernet end of the cable into the router's Console port, and the DB9 end into your computer's serial port. If your computer doesn't have a serial port, you can use a DB9 (male) to USB-A adapter.
Open a terminal emulator. If you're using a Mac, you can open Terminal, which you'll find in the Applications folder under Utilities . If you have Windows, you'll need to download a terminal app like PuTTY, which you can get from their official website.
Connect to the router. The steps are a little different depending on your Supported operating systems:
- Windows (using PuTTY) Select Session in the left panel, and then select Serial as the "Connection Type." Enter the communication port number in the "Serial Line" section, and then click Open .
  - If you don't know the address of your serial port, open the Device Manager and expand the Ports (COM & LPT) group. The port should look something like COM1.^{[3]XResearch source}
- macOS ^{[4]XResearch source}
  - Type ls /dev/cu.* and press ⏎ Return.
  - Find the device in the list that includes the word serial. For example, /dev/tty.KeySerial1.
  - Type screen /dev/tty.KeySerial1 and press ⏎ Return (replace the /dev/ address with the one you see if it's different).
  - If you don't see a command prompt, press ⏎ Return a few times until it appears.
Type no and press ↵ Enter or ⏎ Return if prompted. If you see a message asking if you'd like to continue with configuration dialog, you'll want to say no so you can configure the router manually. Not everyone will see this option.
Type enable and press ↵ Enter or ⏎ Return. You'll be prompted for a password.
Enter your password and press ↵ Enter or ⏎ Return. The default password is usually cisco or admin.
Type show flash and press ↵ Enter or ⏎ Return. This displays the default configuration file name, which follows the format modelnumber.cfg.
Type copy flash:cpconfig-8xx.cfg nvram: and press ↵ Enter or ⏎ Return. Replace cpconfig-8xx with the name of your config file. This copies the configuration file to NVRAM.
Type copy flash:cpconfig-8xx.cfg nvram: and press ↵ Enter or ⏎ Return. This ensures that the router will support the Cisco CP Express admin website.
- You can close your console connection and remove the cable now.

Configuring the Router

Connect the router to your computer using an Ethernet cable. You can do this by plugging one end of a standard Ethernet cable into one of the router's LAN ports, and the other end into your computer's Ethernet port.
Open the Configuration Professional (CP) Express admin website. The default address is http://10.10.10.1, so just navigate to that address in any web browser on your computer. A login screen will appear.
- If you can't connect to this address, try restarting your Cisco router.
Enter your login credentials and click Log In. If it's your first time logging in and/or you haven't changed the default admin password, use cisco as the user name and cisco as the password.
Click Quick Setup Wizard. It's in the first row of options. This starts a quick wizard that takes you through the remainder of the setup process.
- If you don't want to use the wizard, you can click Interface and Connections and enter your network details manually, Security to set up your firewall, Wi-Fi to configure a wireless access point, etc.
- If your router will be responsible for assigning DHCP addresses to other devices on the network, you can edit those settings in the DHCP/DNS/Hostname section.
Follow the on-screen instructions to enter your network details. The wizard will ask you to give the router a hostname, create a user account, and enter basic network information. Click through each of the categories in the left panel and fill out the necessary information in the right panel.
Connect your local devices to the router (optional). For example, if you set up Wi-Fi on your router, connect your computer and other accessories to Wi-Fi network you created. If the connections will be wired, connect each device to the router using Ethernet.
Connect your router to the internet (optional). If this router will be used to connect your local network to the internet, plug your DSL (or other connection type) cable into the appropriate WAN port on your router.
- If the router and/or devices on the network cannot get online, you may need to restart each device on the network (including the router).