Important: Cisco Packet Tracer 7 is no longer the current release. The official current major version is Cisco Packet Tracer 9.0. The 7.x releases—including 7.0, 7.1, 7.2 and 7.3.x—are obsolete and unsupported, so they should not be treated as the normal download.
Packet Tracer 9.0 is free for Cisco Networking Academy learners, instructors and alumni. You will need a Cisco NetAcad or SkillsForAll account to download and sign in to the application. Use Cisco’s official Resource Hub rather than a third-party mirror, torrent or file-sharing site.
What happened to Packet Tracer 7?
“Packet Tracer 7” describes an older 7.x family, not one single current installer. Cisco no longer supports those releases and recommends upgrading to the latest version. Older tutorials may still mention Packet Tracer 7 because the course or lab was written years ago, but downloading an unofficial old installer can create authentication, compatibility and security problems.
For a new installation, download Packet Tracer 9.0 from Cisco. If a course specifically requires an older version, follow the course provider’s instructions and understand that older releases may no longer authenticate or work correctly with current lab files.
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Is Cisco Packet Tracer really free?
Yes, Packet Tracer is available at no cost to Cisco Networking Academy learners, instructors and alumni. People who are new to Packet Tracer can use Cisco’s free, self-paced Getting Started with Cisco Packet Tracer course through SkillsForAll or Cisco Networking Academy. Cisco lists the course with an estimated completion time of about two hours and uses it to teach access to the latest Packet Tracer version.
Free does not mean anonymous. The current application requires Cisco account authentication when it launches. You should not expect to download and use it without creating or signing in to a NetAcad or SkillsForAll account.
Official Packet Tracer 9.0 download
- Open Cisco’s Resource Hub.
- Sign in with your Cisco Networking Academy or SkillsForAll account if requested.
- Select the Packet Tracer download for your computer: Windows, Ubuntu Linux or macOS.
- Save the installer.
- Open Cisco’s operating-system-specific installation instructions if you need help.
The Resource Hub is a JavaScript-based portal. Cisco can change its labels, login flow or installer links, so a hard-coded direct-download URL may stop working, redirect to a login page or return an expired-session message. The Resource Hub is the reliable starting point.
Supported desktop platforms
| Platform | Official package described by Cisco | Important limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Windows | 64-bit Windows installer | Do not follow old instructions that tell you to install a 32-bit build. |
| Linux | Ubuntu 64-bit .deb package |
Cisco documents Ubuntu, not a generic RPM, Flatpak, Snap or AppImage package. |
| macOS | 64-bit .dmg installer |
Check whether the application is Intel, Universal or Apple silicon. Intel builds can use Rosetta. |
| Android, iPhone and tablets | None | Cisco does not provide a current Packet Tracer desktop installer for smartphones or tablets. |
Install Packet Tracer on Windows
After downloading the current Windows installer:
- Double-click the Packet Tracer installation file.
- In License Agreement, select I accept the agreement, then click Next.
- Choose the installation folder in Select Destination Location, or accept the default, and click Next.
- Choose the Start Menu folder and click Next.
- In Select Additional Tasks, choose any shortcuts you want, then click Next.
- Review the settings in Ready to Install and select Install.
- Leave Launch Cisco Packet Tracer selected and click Finish.
Windows may show a Windows Security Alert. Ordinary, single-user topology work does not normally require Packet Tracer to accept network connections. Network access matters for advanced features such as multi-user Packet Tracer. If you do not use those features, you can turn off private and public network access for the application.
Install Packet Tracer on Ubuntu Linux
Cisco’s documented Linux package is an Ubuntu 64-bit .deb file. It is not presented as a universal Linux installer.
- Open a terminal.
- Change to the directory containing the downloaded package. For example:
cd ~/Downloads - Install the package, replacing
xxxwith the version shown in the filename:sudo apt-get install ./CiscoPacketTracer_xxx_Ubuntu_64bit.deb - Enter your Linux account password when prompted.
- When the terminal license dialog appears, press Tab until <OK> is highlighted, then press Enter.
- Press Tab to select <Yes>, then press Enter to accept the license.
The mouse does not work in this command-line license dialog. After installation, launch Packet Tracer from the application menu or run:
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packettracerUbuntu dependency errors
Older Packet Tracer 8.2.x installations commonly produced an error such as:
Depends: libgl1-mesa-glx but it is not installableThis happened because newer Ubuntu releases no longer provided libgl1-mesa-glx in the same form. Packet Tracer 9.0 removes this particular dependency problem according to Cisco Community guidance. If you see the error, first make sure you downloaded the current Cisco package. Do not make random replacement libraries from third-party websites your default fix, and do not assume that an old 8.2.x workaround is required for version 9.0.
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- Open the downloaded
.dmgfile. - Select Open if macOS asks you to confirm.
- In the Setup dialog, click Continue.
- Read the license agreement, select I accept the agreement, and click Continue.
- At Ready to Install, select Install.
- Enter your Mac account password or security PIN if requested.
- If the installer displays Create Maintenance Tool, click Continue.
- Click Done.
- Open Finder > Applications > Cisco Packet Tracer, then launch the application.
Cisco may update the filename. Some current release listings show a pattern such as CiscoPacketTracer_900_macOS_64bit.dmg, but you should select the macOS package shown in the Resource Hub rather than relying on a permanent filename.
Using Packet Tracer on an Apple Silicon Mac
Do not assume that every macOS build is Apple-silicon-native. If the package is an Intel application, macOS can run it through Apple’s Rosetta translation technology. If macOS asks to install Rosetta when you open Packet Tracer, select Install and authenticate with your Mac account.
To check the application architecture, use Finder > select the application > File > Get Info. The Kind field identifies it as Application (Intel), Application (Universal) or Application (Apple silicon).
Sign in the first time you open Packet Tracer
- Packet Tracer may ask whether you want to run multi-user mode when the application starts. Select No if you do not need that feature.
- When the Cisco Packet Tracer Login window appears, select LOGIN.
- A browser tab opens for Cisco authentication. Complete the sign-in process.
- After successful authentication, the browser displays You have successfully logged in to Cisco Packet Tracer.
- Close the browser tab and return to Packet Tracer.
The login window includes a Keep me logged in option for three months. Use it only on a computer that is not shared. Leave it disabled on a public, school or workplace computer used by other people.
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Fix common login problems
| Problem | What to try |
|---|---|
| The login window keeps returning | Sign in again in the browser when prompted. The session may have expired. |
| The browser tab was closed | Restart the login process and leave the authentication tab open until Cisco confirms success. |
| You cannot authenticate with an old installer | Download the current Packet Tracer release instead of relying on a 7.x or old 8.x installer. |
| The browser never completes authentication | Check the network, proxy and firewall. A managed network may block the application or browser authentication flow. |
| You do not have an account | Use the free Getting Started with Cisco Packet Tracer course through SkillsForAll or Networking Academy to obtain access. |
Packet Tracer file compatibility
Packet Tracer activity files are not guaranteed to behave identically across releases. Newer versions may open activities created in older versions, but an older version may not open a file saved by a newer one. A lab can also open while behaving differently if it uses features that the older version does not support.
Cisco’s FAQ states that Packet Tracer 8.2 fully supports activities authored in Packet Tracer 7.3.0 and later, while files authored or saved in 8.2 cannot be opened by earlier versions. This illustrates why version matching matters.
If a .pka activity stops at 0% or a low completion percentage, possible causes include the wrong activity file, a different Packet Tracer version or version-specific behavior. Use the same major and minor version specified by the course or lab author. Do not downgrade simply because an old tutorial says “Packet Tracer 7.”
Why you should avoid unofficial Packet Tracer downloads
Third-party mirrors, torrents and file-sharing sites are not official Cisco download sources. They may provide an obsolete release, a modified installer or a package that no longer works with Cisco’s authentication system. They also make it harder to verify that the file is genuine. Download from Cisco’s Resource Hub and use the current platform package whenever possible.
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Can I download Cisco Packet Tracer 7 today?
Packet Tracer 7 refers to an obsolete 7.x series and is no longer the recommended release. Download the current Packet Tracer 9.0 package from Cisco’s Resource Hub instead. If a course requires 7.x, ask the course provider about a compatible, supported workflow.
Do I need a Cisco account to use Packet Tracer?
Yes. The current application requires authentication at launch with a Cisco Networking Academy or SkillsForAll account.
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- FLEXIBLE: Extensive portfolio provides ultimate flexibility from 5 to 24 ports and PoE combinations
- PERFORMANCE: Gigabit Ethernet and integrated quality-of-service (QoS) intelligence optimize delay-sensitive services and improve overall network performance.
- INNOVATIVE DESIGN: Elegant and compact design, ideal for installation outside of wiring closet such as retail stores, open plan offices, and classrooms
Is Packet Tracer available for Linux Mint, Fedora or Arch?
Cisco’s current installation instructions specifically document an Ubuntu 64-bit .deb package. Other distributions may require compatibility workarounds, but they are not the documented official desktop path.
Does Packet Tracer work on an M1, M2 or M3 Mac?
An Intel-based Packet Tracer macOS application may run on Apple Silicon through Rosetta. Check Finder’s Get Info window to see whether the installed application is Intel, Universal or Apple silicon.
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That dependency error is mainly associated with older Packet Tracer 8.2.x packages on newer Ubuntu versions. First download the current Packet Tracer 9.0 Ubuntu package; do not automatically install a random replacement library.
Can I use Packet Tracer without an internet connection?
The current application requires Cisco authentication at launch, so an initial or renewed sign-in may need network access. Features such as multi-user mode also require network communication.
Can I install Packet Tracer on an Android phone or iPad?
Cisco’s current instructions do not provide a Packet Tracer desktop installer for smartphones or tablets.
The Bottom Line
Do not hunt for an unofficial “Packet Tracer 7” installer. The current official release is Packet Tracer 9.0, available free through Cisco’s Resource Hub to NetAcad and SkillsForAll users. Download the package for Windows, Ubuntu Linux or macOS, sign in when the application launches, and match your version to the requirements of the course or lab you are using.
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