Take control of your first switch. Learn what its prompt means, ask it for help, and get ready to configure it.

Set the switch hostname and verify it in the running configuration.

Break the CLI on purpose: trigger IOS's classic error messages, read the ^ marker, finish an incomplete command, and unlock show commands from config mode with 'do'.

Practice moving between CLI modes without getting lost.

Abbreviations and Tab make you fast — learn where they bite before the exam does.

Use show commands to inspect VLAN membership and practice shutting down an interface.

Create two VLANs, confirm them with show vlan brief, then remove them with the no command and confirm they are gone.

Use show commands to inspect interface status and bring a port back up.

Learn the difference between running and startup configuration, then save your changes.

Audit a misconfigured switch, fix the hostname, create the required VLANs, bring the disabled desk port back online, and save your work.

Configure a message-of-the-day banner and verify it appears in the running configuration.

Set an enable password and test logging in with it.

Set an enable secret and configure the console line password.

Configure VTY lines for remote access and set a shared password.

Create local user accounts and switch from shared line passwords to per-user authentication.

Reinforce console security, VTY access, local authentication, verification, and saving.

Combine everything you learned in Meet the CLI into one complete baseline configuration.

Turn a console-only switch into one you can administer remotely: build the full SSH stack, then prove it by opening an SSH session from the PC.