How to Easily Install Cisco Packet Tracer on Arch Linux

Cisco Packet Tracer is one of the most popular network simulation software, especially for those learning networking or pursuing Cisco certification. Unfortunately, this software is not directly available in the official Arch Linux repository. But don’t worry, you can still install it with the help of AUR. Let’s go through the steps!

1. Download Cisco Packet Tracer from NetAcad

Before installing, you need to have the installer file first. Here’s how:

1. Open the NetAcad website: https://www.netacad.com/resources/lab-downloads?courseLang=en-US
2. Log in with your Cisco NetAcad account.
3. Download the latest version of Cisco Packet Tracer in .deb format or choose Ubuntu 64bit.
4. Save the file in an easily accessible directory, such as ~/Downloads/.

2. Clone the AUR Repository

Now we will fetch the package from AUR so it can be built and installed on the Arch Linux system:

git clone https://aur.archlinux.org/packettracer.git
cd packettracer

3. Edit the PKGBUILD File

Since we already have the downloaded .deb file, we need to tell the build system to use that file. Here’s how:

1. Open the PKGBUILD file with your favorite editor, such as neovim:

   nvim PKGBUILD
   

2. Locate line 18 or the source variable section.
3. Modify the variable value to the location of the .deb file you downloaded earlier:

   source=("file:///home/<user>/Downloads/<file .deb packet tracer>")
   

   Make sure to replace <user> with your username and <file .deb packet tracer> with the correct filename.
4. Save the changes and exit the editor (in neovim: press Esc, then :wq, then Enter).

4. Build and Install

Now it's time to build and install Packet Tracer:

makepkg -si

Wait for the build process to complete, then answer Y if there are any confirmation prompts.

5. Run Packet Tracer

Once finished, you can launch Packet Tracer with the command:

packettracer

Or, find it in your desktop application menu.

Conclusion

Easy, right? By following these steps, you can install Cisco Packet Tracer on Arch Linux without any issues. Make sure to log in to your NetAcad account the first time you run the application to use it properly. Hope this helps! 🚀