Topology Mode
Creating a network
-- You may place a device on the workspace by clicking its icon from the Device Panel, then click on a location in the workspace. Note that a device icon will follow your mouse cursor until it gets placed in a location. In Expert Mode, the device configuration dialog window will pop up as soon as you have placed a device onto the workspace. You may set its parameters, and close the dialog window when finished. In Simple Mode, the dialog window does not automatically appear.
-- In either Expert or Simple Mode, you may edit a device simply by clicking on it. Its configuration dialog window will appear, and you set any parameter as desired (and override any parameters set by Simple Mode). This configuration dialog allows port by port configuration. Some devices can have up to 10 ports and each port has its own configuration. The port can be removed by clicking on the "Remove" button.
Depending on the device, certain ports will be available by default upon creation of the device. New ports can be added by clicking on the empty port box and choosing a port type. Note that a port must be removed before changing its type. There is also a port status indicator below the port.
-- You may make a network connection between two devices by clicking on the "Connect" icon in the Topology Panel. A connect icon will follow the mouse cursor, and you may subsequently click on the desired devices. In Expert Mode, when you click on the "Connect" icon, you must manually choose what type of connection it will be. Then, when you click on the first device, you must select the port from the drop down menu, and finally when you click on the 2nd device, you will have to select a port for that device also. Only free ports are available as a choice. To replace a connection, the link must be removed before reusing the port for another connection. In Simple mode, the connection type and ports are automatically chosen and you only have to click the "Connect" icon and then the devices.
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-- You may remove a device or a connection from the workspace by clicking on the "Remove" icon in the Device Panel. An eraser icon will follow the mouse cursor, and you may then click on any existing device or connection to remove it. Note that if you remove a device, any connections associated with it will be automatically removed as well.
-- You may cancel the adding of a device, removing of a device, or
making a connection by clicking on the Cancel button in
the lower right corner of the workspace.
-- TIP: you may double-click an icon in the Topology Panel to "hold down" an action. After double-clicking a Device Panel icon, you may continually create devices of the same type, quickly make connections one after another, or quickly remove devices one after another. When you are done, press the Cancel button to "release" the action and return to normal operations.
-- You may zoom in and out of the network by turning on the "Zoom Radar" from the "Options" menu. Zooming in will give you a better view of each of the devices, and zooming out will allow you to work with a larger workspace. You may edit the network at any zoom level. You may also go to different parts of the workspace by clicking and dragging the smaller "viewable section" of the zoom radar. You may hide the zoom radar at any time by deselecting it from the "Options" menu.
Editing Devices
-- You may configure any device by clicking on its icon in the work space. You may rename it, turn it on or off, and configure each port on the device.
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-- Devices come with default ports. You may remove these ports. You may also add ports to the device by clicking on an empty slot and then select the desired port type.
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-- TIP: to quickly go to a certain port, use the numeric keys ( 0 - 9 ) on your keyboard.