Week 1 Interactive
Packet Walk Simulator
Real topologies with actual IP and MAC addresses at every hop. For encapsulation down the stack (headers added/removed), use PacketStack. Learn mode walks the path step-by-step; Quiz mode asks what Layer 2 and Layer 3 headers look like on each segment.
Step 1 / 3decision
Subnet check
PC-A pings PC-B on 192.168.10.0/24 — direct Layer 2 delivery.
PCPC-A
SWSW1
PCPC-B
PC-A: 192.168.10.10/24 · GW 192.168.10.1
MAC 00:11:22:AA:AA:01
PC-B: 192.168.10.50/24 · GW 192.168.10.1
MAC 00:11:22:BB:BB:02
Destination is on the same /24 — deliver locally at Layer 2.
No frame on the wire yet — host routing decision only.