Installation & Setup for Windows

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GNS3 Installation

1. Download GNS3 Version 3.0.5 from GitHub

   • Download the Windows installer (.exe file)

   

2. Run the GNS3 installer and follow the installation wizard

   • Accept the license agreement
   • Choose the installation directory (default is recommended)
   • Select components to install (keep all default selections)

   

3. Skip the TraceNG agreement when prompted

   • Click "Cancel" if the TraceNG agreement window appears during installation

   

4. Decline SolarWinds integration

   • Select "No" or "Skip" when asked about SolarWinds (this is an optional third-party service)

   

VirtualBox Installation

Alternative Virtualization Software

While this guide uses VirtualBox (free and open-source), GNS3 also supports VMware Workstation Pro and Hyper-V.

1. Download and install VirtualBox

   • Download the Windows hosts installer
   • Run the installer and follow the installation wizard

   

2. Download and install the VirtualBox Extension Pack (optional but recommended)

   • The Extension Pack provides additional features like USB 2.0/3.0 support and better performance

   

GNS3 VM Setup

Download and Import GNS3 VM Image

1. Download GNS3 Version 3.0.5 VirtualBox Image and extract the downloaded ZIP file
   • After extraction, you should see an OVA file: GNS3 VM.ova

Import VM into VirtualBox

2. Open VirtualBox and navigate to File → Import Appliance

   

3. Click the "Browse" button and select the extracted GNS3 VM.ova file

   

4. Review and adjust the appliance settings if needed:

   • Name: GNS3 VM (you can customize this name if desired)
   • CPU: Minimum 2 cores (4 cores recommended for better performance)
   • RAM: Minimum 4096 MB (4 GB), 8192 MB (8 GB) recommended for complex topologies

   

5. Click "Import" and wait for the import process to complete (this may take several minutes)

Configure VM Settings

6. After the import completes, select the GNS3 VM in VirtualBox and click "Settings"

7. Navigate to the Network section:

   • Ensure that Adapter 1 is enabled
   • Set "Attached to" to Bridged Adapter (recommended for better connectivity) or NAT
     • Bridged Adapter: Allows the VM to obtain an IP address on your local network, making it easier to connect
     • NAT: The VM will access the network through your host machine (may require port forwarding for some scenarios)

8. (Optional) Configure Shared Folders to easily transfer files between your host system and the VM

9. Click "OK" to save the configuration changes

Start the VM

10. Select the GNS3 VM from the list and click "Start"

11. Wait for the VM to boot completely (this typically takes 1-2 minutes)

12. Once booted, the GNS3 VM console will display network information including the IP address, port, and connection status

    

Launch GNS3

1. Launch the GNS3 application

   • On first launch, the Setup Wizard will automatically appear to guide you through the initial configuration

   

2. Configure the GNS3 VM connection settings

   

3. Complete the setup wizard

   • Review your settings and click "Finish"
   • You're now ready to start using GNS3!