Packet tracer ignoring rules for switch host names?

[mihailolja]

Hello,

Can anyone put me out of my misery here, I bet it's simple......

My switch in packet tracer lets me put anything as a host name as per the output below, it seems to ignore these rules:

The name must also follow the rules for ARPANET hostnames. They must start with a letter, end with a letter or digit, and have as interior characters only letters, digits, and hyphens. Names must be 63 characters or fewer.

Is this a limitation of Packet Tracer as I suspect?

#*$*#424234#copy run start

Destination filename [startup-config]? startup-config

Building configuration...

[OK]

#*$*#424234#show version

Cisco Internetwork Operating System Software

IOS (tm) C2950 Software (C2950-I6Q4L2-M), Version 12.1(22)EA4, RELEASE SOFTWARE(fc1)

Copyright (c) 1986-2005 by cisco Systems, Inc.

Compiled Wed 18-May-05 22:31 by jharirba

Image text-base: 0x80010000, data-base: 0x80562000

ROM: Bootstrap program is is C2950 boot loader

Switch uptime is 1 hours, 9 minutes, 42 seconds

System returned to ROM by power-on

Cisco WS-C2950-24 (RC32300) processor (revision C0) with 21039K bytes of memory.

Processor board ID FHK0610Z0WC

Last reset from system-reset

Running Standard Image

24 FastEthernet/IEEE 802.3 interface(s)

63488K bytes of flash-simulated non-volatile configuration memory.

Base ethernet MAC Address: 0030.F2C1.B0C3

Motherboard assembly number: 73-5781-09

Power supply part number: 34-0965-01

Motherboard serial number: FOC061004SZ

Power supply serial number: DAB0609127D

Thanks in advance!

[Julio E. Moisa · Accepted solution]

Hi 

Packet Tracer is a great simulator, but it has some limitations. I tested on a real router and I got the following message:

R1(config)#HO #*$*#424234
% Hostname contains one or more illegal characters.

% Hostname "#*$*#424234" is not a legal LAT node name, Using "CISCO_XXXXX"
#*$*#424234(config)#
#*$*#424234(config)#
*Oct 28 14:00:55.131: %CNS-3-WARNING: CNS ID not changed: bad hostname -Process= "Exec", ipl= 0, pid= 21
*Oct 28 14:00:55.131: %CNS-3-WARNING: CNS ID not changed: bad hostname -Process= "Exec", ipl= 0, pid= 21
*Oct 28 14:00:55.131: %CNS-3-WARNING: CNS ID not changed: bad hostname -Process= "Exec", ipl= 0, pid= 21

And it changed my hostname. I think it will change anyway but It is a notification about it is not a best practice and usually the netadmins set up hostnames related to any location. 

https://supportforums.cisco.com/t5/lan-switching-and-routing/hostname-error-on-3925-router/td-p/1766562

:-)

[mihailolja]

Thanks for your help!

Much obliged.

Mihailo

[Julio E. Moisa]

It was a pleasure, have a great day

:-)