How to Install GNS3 Network Emulation Software in Windows 10 & 11

Follow these instructions to install GNS3 Network Emulation Software in Windows 10 & 11:

1. Open the official GNS3 website and click Free Download. You may need to signup/signin:

2. Download both GNS3 installer and GNS3 VM. Both components must be installed for optimal performance:

GNS3 VM is available for many hypervisors depending on your preference:

3. Install GNS3 application client first. Unselect Start GNS3 at the end of the setup: (Optional for Windows 10 and 11 users: you can Unselect Tools > WinPCAP since it’s no longer needed)

4. Import GNS3 VM into your hypervisor, the following example shows the specific instructions for VMWare Workstation using ova file:

5. Edit VM settings network adapters:

• change first Network Adapter type to bridge
• change Network Adapter 2 type to NAT

Here is a summary of how networking work in VMWare workstation:

• Bridged: when you give a virtual machine a bridged network adapter, you are allowing the VM to get its own unique IP, separate from your host machine IP, assuming your Windows IP is 192.168.150.212, the VM will get the IP 192.168.150.213 or so, same subnet different IP. This network adapter is best for performance.
• NAT (aka vmnet8): when you give a virtual machine a NAT network adapter, VMWare will be a generating a private subnet local to your computer like 192.168.27.0/24, then will assign IPs from this subnet to your virtual machines using VMWare DHCP server, when traffic originating from NAT subnet tries to leave your computer the source IP will change to your Windows IP, this (Find out yours from WMWare under Edit > Virtual Network Editor > VMNet 8)
• Host-only (aka vmnet1): when you give a virtual machine a host-only network adapter, VMWare will be a generating another private subnet local to your computer, then will assign IPs from this subnet to your virtual machines using VMWare DHCP server, when traffic originating from host-only subnet tries to leave your computer (Find out yours from WMWare under Edit > Virtual Network Editor > VMNet 1)

6. Search and start GNS3 application, choose to run appliances in a virtual machine (GSN3 VM):

   

7. Choose your hypervisor and VM name, in most cases GNS3 will automatically detect VM name, then adjust CPU cores and RAM based on how big of a lab you are trying to build, for complex labs with multiple devices and servers I recommend at least 4 CPU Cores and 8 GB of RAM, GNS3 will update VM settings and start/stop VM automatically for you:

   

Once VM is up and running, GNS should show you both client and VM up under servers summary:

Now start adding appliances to GNS3 inventory and build your lab. Please only use licensed or free appliances and avoid pirated software found on the internet. If you need to use Cisco software legally, you can subscribe to Cisco VIRL. Similar subscriptions are available for many vendors, or just use FOSS!