Lab 6.2.6: Configuring Rotary Groups and Dialer Profiles

Objectives:

  • Configure IOS rotary groups and dialer profiles.

Scenario:

To simplify the configuration of ISDN DDR implementations, Cisco has created a way for us to separate the configuration of connection specific information from the BRI interface itself. In this lab you will assign the BRI interface to a rotary group and then create dialer profiles for your connections that will use the BRI interfaces in these rotary groups.

Notes: 

Lab Tasks:

  1. Cable the lab as show in the diagram. Use the Adtran Atlas 550 to simulate the ISDN network.

    Configure the ISDN BRI interfaces on each router for the National-ISDN 1 switch type and configure their SPIDs.

    Rotary groups assign BRI interfaces into logical groups that can be used by the dialer profiles.

  2. Assign the BRI interfaces on both the branch router and the central site router to a rotary group and pool. These rotary groups/pools are unique to each router:
    • On the branch router:

    BranchRouter(config)#int bri0/0
    BranchRouter(config-if)#dialer pool-member 1
    BranchRouter(config-if)#encapsulation ppp

    • On the central site router:

    CentralRouter(config)#int bri0/0
    CentralRouter(config-if)#dialer pool-member 1
    CentralRouter(config-if)#encapsulation ppp

    A rotary group is the legacy term used for dialer pool members.

    Dialer profiles allow you to separate the logical interface configuration from the physical interface itself. This allows us to have multiple logical configurations (profiles) for an interface with any unique profile in use at any given time.

  3. Now configure the dialer profiles and passwords on each router:
  • On the branch router:

BranchRouter(config)#username CentralRouter password cisco
BranchRouter(config)#int dialer 1
BranchRouter(config-if)#encapsulation ppp
BranchRouter(config-if)#ppp auth chap
BranchRouter(config-if)#ip address 192.168.3.1 255.255.255.0
BranchRouter(config-if)#dialer pool 1
BranchRouter(config-if)#dialer remote-name CentralRouter
BranchRouter(config-if)#dialer string 5554000

  • On the central router:

CentralRouter(config)#username BranchRouter password cisco
CentralRouter(config)#int dialer 1
CentralRouter(config-if)#encapsulation ppp
CentralRouter(config-if)#ppp auth chap
CentralRouter(config-if)#ip address 192.168.3.2 255.255.255.0
CentralRouter(config-if)#dialer pool 1
CentralRouter(config-if)#dialer remote-name BranchRouter
CentralRouter(config-if)#dialer string 5551234

Why do we have to specify the remote-name in a dialer profile?

Don't forget to create our dialer-list and assign it to our dialer interface using the dialer-group command:

  • On the branch router:

BranchRouter(config)#dialer-list 1 protocol ip permit
BranchRouter(config)#int dialer 1
BranchRouter(config-if)#dialer-group 1

  • On the central router:

CentralRouter(config)#dialer-list 1 protocol ip permit
CentralRouter(config)#int dialer 1
CentralRouter(config-if)#dialer-group 1

  1. Install static/default routes for the Ethernet interfaces on both routers.

    CentralRouter(config)#ip route 192.168.1.0 255.255.255.0 192.168.3.1

    BranchRouter(config)#ip route 0.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 192.168.3.2

  2. Because we are doing CHAP authentication, make sure you have the correct username and password defined on each router.
  3. From the branch router, ping the Ethernet (192.168.2.1) on the central router. What happens?


  4. Wait for the link to come back down. Then turn on debugging with the debug dialer command. Run your ping command again and watch the debug output.
  5. Use the show dialer command to observe what is happening with the dialer interface

What useful information can you find here?