Packet Tracer 7.3 main new feature is the support of the CCNA 7 package which is not compatible with previous Packet Tracer versions. For CCNA 6 (and older versions), Cisco recommends instructors and students to stay with Packet Tracer 7.2.2. Students learning both CCNA 6 and 7 should use Packet Tracer 7.3.0.
Packet Tracer 7.3 workspace improvements :
New workspace themes
Aligned workspace objects
Ability to deploy network devices to a specific rack
Accessibility update
Ability to name a physical rack
Protocol and software improvements :
IP OSPF Point-to-Point on Ethernet interface
IPv6 OSPF Point-to-Point on Ethernet interface
Dynamic ARP inspection
WLC GUI fixes and enhancements
DHCP snooping fixes and enhancements
Section output modifier for show commands
Accessibility, security, and usability enhancements and optimizations for all platforms
Upgraded PTSA and PTMO support
Various enhancements to existing protocols
New devices in Packet Tracer 7.3 :
Cisco 4331 Integrated Services Router
Cisco Wireless Lan Controller 3504
Cisco Packet Tracer 7.3 added support for Ubuntu 18.04.3 (Bionic Weaver). Previous Ubuntu 16.04 (Xenial) version which is no longer supported.
New devices in Packet Tracer 7.3
Cisco 4331 Integrated Services Router
Coming soon
Cisco Wireless Lan Controller 3504
Coming soon
Install Cisco Packet Tracer 7.3
Packet Tracer 7.3 setup on Ubuntu linux distribution
Download Cisco Packet Tracer 7.3 .deb package for Ubuntu 18.04.03 LTS from Netacad website.
As Packet Tracer is now distributed as a Debian .deb package, it can be installed using the dpkg command as any standard Ubuntu package.
The following configuration is the minimum system requirements recommended by Cisco to successfully install and run Packet Tracer 7.3 :
CPU: Intel Pentium 4, 2.53 GHz or equivalent
OS: Microsoft Windows 7, 8.1, 10, Linux Ubuntu 18.04.3 LTS (Ubuntu 16.04 oand 14.04 LTS are no longer supported)
RAM: 2 GB
Storage: 500 MB of free disk space
Display resolution: 1024 x 768
Language fonts supporting Unicode encoding (if viewing in languages other than English)
Latest video card drivers and operating system updates
There is no way to hard limit the Cisco Packet Tracer amount of memory that is used to create and configure devices. Large networks with complex protocols running may require up to 2 gigabyte or more of memory to run effectively
Recommended configuration for Packet Tracer 7.3
For optimal performance when running Packet Tracer 7.3, the following capabilities are recommended:
CPU: Intel Pentium 4, 3.0 GHz or better
RAM: 4 GB or more
Storage: 700 MB of free disk space
Display resolution: 1920 x 1080 (HD)
Sound card and speakers
Internet connectivity (if using the Multiuser feature)
Packet Tracer 6.2 has been released in february 2015 with version number 6.2.0.0052 (Packet Tracer 6.2 build 52). This new version is available in two versions which can be downloaded on Cisco networking Academy (netacad) platform : "Cisco Packet Tracer Student" and "Cisco Packet Tracer Instructor".
Packet Tracer 6.2 fixes several bugs reported in previous versions and includes a new Cisco 819 router, a wired sniffer with repeater functionnality and some new 3G/4G devices (3G/4G cell tower and central office (CO) server) as well as 3G/4G support for end devices (phone, tablet, server, ...)
Packet Tracer 6.2 is fully supported on Windows 7 and Windows 8 or 8.1. Support for Windows XP has been stopped by Cisco in this new version.
Packet Tracer 6.2 new features :
HTTP server (server device) :
Javascript and CSS support
HTTP and FTP linked file management support
Externel file import inside Packet Tracer HTTP server
New devices :
Cisco 819 Integrated Service Router with wlan access point capability and 3G/4G connectivity
3G/4G telephony cell tower
3G/4G central office (CO) server with coaxial connectivity with up to 8 cell towers
This new ISR router features 3G/4G WAN connectivity as well as an internal wireless access point. The router can be connected to the simulated mobile operator infrastructure (cell tower, ...) using the following IOS command :
Authentication : PAP or CHAP Username : Username provided by the mobile service provider for 3G/4G connectivity. Password : Password provided by the mobile service provider for 3G/4G connectivity.
Mobile connectivity can be used to provide backup WAN connectivity for a branch office. In this case, the cellular interface connected to the Internet is isolated in a separate VRF and an IPSEC tunnel is established between the branch office and the central location.
Sniffer device
A sniffer device has been added to Packet Tracer 6.2. This traffic analysis device which can be installed inline logs all the selected traffic on a network segment. An event list filter help the user to select the network protocols to record to avoid buffering unwanted traffic. This device records traffic in "RealTime" Packet Tracer mode and is better than Packet Tracer "Simulation" mode to understand packet flow on a specific segment. Packet Tracer "Simulation" has to be prefered to monitor a specific trafic flow (ex : voip, dhcp, ...) on the entire network
Known bugs
ASA 5505 firewall bugs
A major CLI bug affects Packet Tracer 6.2 ipsec configuration. The crypto ipsec ikev1 transform-set --name-- esp-aes-256 esp-sha-hmac is not correctly written in the running-config and as such not saved when closing the lab pkt file. The command appears as below in the running-config :
Supports current LTS version of Ubuntu and stopped support for Fedora
CAB-HD8-ASYNC cable
IPv6 in IP Configuration under Desktop
Terminal server for routers
PC Firewall for IPv4 and IPv6
Servers with 2 NICs
Circling tool
Improvements to Activity Wizard and Variable Manager
New Hardware in Cisco Packet Tracer 6.0.1 :
Cisco Packet Tracer 6.0.1 includes 3 new Cisco ISR routers :
Cisco 1941 Integrated Service Router
Cisco 2901 Integrated Service Router
Cisco 2911 Integrated Service Router
Cisco 1941 Integrated Services Router
Cisco 2901 Integrated Services Router
Cisco 2911 Integrated Services Router
This new Cisco Packet Tracer version also includes new high-speed WAN interface cards (HWIC) :
HWIC-2T (Cisco One- and 2-Port Serial High-Speed WAN Interface Card)
HWIC-8A (Cisco 8-Port Asynchronous High-Speed WAN Interface Card)
This serial modules used with the octal cable allows out of band management of Cisco networking devices through their console port. The HWIC-8A module allows the connection of 8 console cables, each serial connection being mapped to a TCP port for telnet access.
The new Cisco ISR routers included in Cisco Packet Tracer 6.0.1 are delivered with IOS 15.1(4)M4 (C1900-UNIVERSALK9-M and C2900-UNIVERSALK9-M). This version is provided with the ipbase licence activated. The security and unified communications licences can be activated for a 60 grace period with the following CLI commands :
Cisco Packet Tracer 6.1 (version 6.1.0.0120) has been available on netacad since July 2014 for Cisco Networking Academy members. A newer verion, Packet Tracer 6.1.1 has been released at the end of august. This is a minor release correcting bugs found in the previous 6.1.0.0120 version. Packet Tracer 6.1.1 includes the following new or improved features :
Server (end-device) new services / applications :
New service tab (config and service tabs mixed in previous versions)
Netflow collector as a new server desktop application
AAA accounting desktop application
IPv4 and IPv6 firewalls moved from service to desktop application
IOS 15 support for Catalyst 2960 switch. The IOS 15 image has to be downloaded by TFTP or FTP from a server device to be available on a switch.
Simulation / Activity Wizard:
Expanded buffer for PDUs and filters based on IPv4 or IPv6 traffic in simulation mode
Improved scripting and variable management Activity Wizard
Port channel support has also been improved in Packet Tracer 6.1.1 with layer 3 etherchannel support on ISR routers.
Packet Tracer 6.1.1 is fully supported on Windows 7 and Windows 8 or 8.1. Support for Windows Vista has been stopped by Cisco in this new version.
New Hardware in Cisco Packet Tracer 6.1.1
Cisco Packet Tracer 6.1.1 includes a major capacity improvement with the introduction of a new Security device class including an ASA 5505 firewall. By default, the Eth0/0 interface is configured in the outside vlan (vlan 2) and the Eth0/1 to Eth0/7 interfaces in the inside vlan (vlan 1).
Features & limitations compared to the real ASA 5505:
New vlans can be created using the config tab or the cli command "interface vlan X". However, the licence included in the ASA doesn't allow configuring more than two vlan with nameif (This license does not allow configuring more than 2 interfaces with nameif and without a "no forward" command on this interface or on 1 interface(s) with nameif already configured).
Another limitation is on the physical interfaces which can only be configured in access mode. The command "switchport mode trunk" documented in the ASA configuration guide has not been implemented on the simulated ASA 5505 in Packet Tracer 6.1 .
IPSEC tunnels and clientless SSL VPN are supported on ASA 5505 but VTI interfaces or GRE tunnels are not available on this firewall. GRE tunnels have to be terminated on an inside ISR edge router.
New IOS version (IOS 15) for catalyst 2960 switch :
A new IOS 15 c2960-lanbasek9-mz.150-2.SE4.bin image is available for the catalyst 2960 switch. The image is not installed by default on the switch and has to be downloaded from a TFTP server (server end device) using the following procedure :
Switch#copy tftp: flash: Address or name of remote host []? 192.168.1.2 Source filename []? c2960-lanbasek9-mz.150-2.SE4.bin Destination filename [c2960-lanbasek9-mz.150-2.SE4.bin]?
Switch#conf t Enter configuration commands, one per line. End with CNTL/Z. Switch(config)#boot system c2960-lanbasek9-mz.150-2.SE4.bin Switch(config)#exit Switch# %SYS-5-CONFIG_I: Configured from console by console
Switch#copy running-config startup-config Destination filename [startup-config]? Building configuration... [OK]
Switch#reload
Netflow
Netflow is a network analysis protocol that was initially created by Cisco to give the ability to collect network traffic as it flows through a router interface. The data processed by Netflow collectors provides the network administrator with detailled traffic informations such as the source and destination of the traffic, class of service, .... Netflow version 9 was standardized in 2008 as IPFIX by the IETF organization.
The following Netflow components are available in Packet Tracer 6.1.1 :
Netflow version 9 on Cisco ISR routers. This feature is not available on Layer 3 switches.
A netflow collector software on PC, laptop and server devices.
Precision Time Protocol 
