Standard access-list example on Cisco Router

Let’s configure some access-lists so I can demonstrate to you how this is done on Cisco IOS routers. In this lesson we’ll cover the standard access-list. Here’s the topology:

Two routers and each router has a loopback interface. I will use two static routes so that the routers can reach each other’s loopback interface:

R1(config)#ip route 2.2.2.0 255.255.255.0 192.168.12.2

R2(config)#ip route 1.1.1.0 255.255.255.0 192.168.12.1

Now let’s start with a standard access-list! I’ll create something on R2 that only permits traffic from network 192.168.12.0 /24:

R2(config)#access-list 1 permit 192.168.12.0 0.0.0.255

This single permit entry will be enough. Keep in mind at the bottom of the access-list is a “deny any”. We don’t see it but it’s there. Let’s apply this access-list inbound on R2:

R2(config)#interface fastEthernet 0/0
R2(config-if)#ip access-group 1 in

Use the ip access-group command to apply it to an interface. I applied it inbound with the in keyword.

R2#show ip interface fastEthernet 0/0
FastEthernet0/0 is up, line protocol is up
  Internet address is 192.168.12.2/24
  Broadcast address is 255.255.255.255
  Address determined by setup command
  MTU is 1500 bytes
  Helper address is not set
  Directed broadcast forwarding is disabled
  Outgoing access list is not set
  Inbound  access list is 1

You can verify that the access-list has been applied with the show ip interface command. Above you see that access-list 1 has been applied inbound.

Now let’s generate some traffic…

R1#ping 192.168.12.2

Type escape sequence to abort.
Sending 5, 100-byte ICMP Echos to 192.168.12.2, timeout is 2 seconds:
!!!!!
Success rate is 100 percent (5/5), round-trip min/avg/max = 4/4/4 ms

Our ping is successful; let’s check the access-list:

R2#show access-lists 
Standard IP access list 1
    10 permit 192.168.12.0, wildcard bits 0.0.0.255 (27 matches)

As you can see the access-list shows the number of matches per statement. We can use this to verify our access-list. Let me show you something useful when you are playing with access-lists:

R1#ping 192.168.12.2 source loopback 0

Type escape sequence to abort.
Sending 5, 100-byte ICMP Echos to 192.168.12.2, timeout is 2 seconds:
Packet sent with a source address of 1.1.1.1 
U.U.U
Success rate is 0 percent (0/5)

When you send a ping you can use the source keyword to select the interface. The source IP address of this IP packet is now 1.1.1.1 and you can see these pings are failing because the access-list drops them.

R2#show access-lists 
Standard IP access list 1
    10 permit 192.168.12.0, wildcard bits 0.0.0.255 (27 matches)

You won’t see them with the show access-list command because the “deny any” is dropping them.

What if I wanted something different? Let’s say I want to deny traffic from network 192.168.12.0 /24 but permit all other networks? I can do something like this: