Cisco IOS Operating Modes
When you have access to a Cisco network device; for example a router, in your console interface appears the host name of the device and the prompt. It looks like that:
In the image above the Hostname of the device is RouterA and the prompt is >.
This prompt means that you are in user mode and you can perform only few commands.
If you are wandering which commands you can perform, just type the symbol of the question mark “?”. When you type a question mark, that means help, the device shows you all the available commands that you can use in this mode.
To pass to the next mode just type the command: “enable”. Now the prompt changes to #.
Example:
RouterA>enable
RouterA#
Now that you have access the enable (or privileged) mode let me show you how to get to the configuration mode.
Example:
RouterA>enable
RouterA#configure terminal
RouterA(config)#
From the configuration mode you can access a lot of different modes in the device. Briefly the table below describes the most popular modes.
|
Cisco IOS mode |
Usage |
How to enter the mode |
Prompt |
|
User mode |
Perform basic tests |
It’s the first mode when you access a device |
Router> |
|
Enable mode |
System administration |
From user mode type the command enable Ex: Router>enable |
Router# |
|
Configuration mode |
You can perform tasks that affects whole the device |
From enable mode type the command configure terminal Ex: Router#configure terminal |
Router(config)# |
|
Configuration interface mode |
You can configure a specific interface of the device |
From the configuration mode type the command interface type number EX: Router(config)#interface fa 0/1 |
Router(config-if)# |
|
Configuration subinterface mode |
You can create and configure a subinterface |
From the configuration mode type the command interface type number.nuber of the subinterface EX: Router(config)#interface Serial 0/1.1 |
Router(config-subif)# |
|
Configuration line mode |
You can perform configuration on a line vty or on console line |
From the configuration mode type the command line type number EX: Router(config)#line vty 0 4 OR Router(config)#line console 0
|
Router(config-line)# |
|
Configuration router mode |
You can perform configuration related to a routing protocol |
From the configuration mode type the command Router name of the routing protocol Ex: Router(config)#Router rip |
Router(config-router)#
|
Soon we’ll start getting familiarized with specific IOS commands and how they can be used for our benefit. Till then you know what to do. 
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