A curated list of free, browser-based networking and security simulators plus open-source self-hosted security appliances for students preparing for CCNA, CCNP, CCIE Security, Security+, CEH, PCNSA, PCNSE, NSE 4, NSE 7, ZDTA and more.
No installs. No downloads. No licenses. Just click and practice.
🌐 Live hub: labs.networkershome.com 🎓 By: Networkers Home — hands-on networking and cybersecurity training in Bangalore
Most networking and security labs require:
- Heavy downloads (Packet Tracer, GNS3, EVE-NG)
- Licenses or vendor logins
- A lab PC with 16GB+ RAM and hardware virtualization
- Hours of setup before you can practice a single command
Students at 11pm the night before an exam don't have time for that. So we built browser-based simulators that launch in one click and let you practice the actual skills being tested. All free. All open to the public. All open source on GitHub.
| Simulator | What it covers | Ideal for | Launch | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cisco IOS CLI Lab | OSPF, EIGRP, ACLs, NAT, DHCP, STP, IPv6, VLANs — the full CCNA+CCNP command set | CCNA 200-301, CCNP ENCOR/ENARSI | cisco-sim.networkershome.com | cisco-real-sim · ciscolabs |
| Network Packet Flow Simulator | Visualize packets traversing switches, routers, firewalls in real time | Beginners, instructors, networking foundations | netsim.networkershome.com | netsim |
| Simulator | What it covers | Ideal for | Launch | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cisco DNA Center | SD-Access fabric, assurance, automation, device onboarding | ENSLD, ENSDWI, CCNP Enterprise | dnac.networkershome.com | dnac-simulator |
| SD-WAN Simulator | Overlay tunnels, SLA-aware routing, branch-to-hub designs | Cisco SD-WAN ENSDWI 300-415 | sdwan-demo.networkershome.com | sdwan-simulator |
| Cisco vManage | vManage controller for Cisco SD-WAN (Viptela) orchestration | SD-WAN engineers, NOC analysts | vmanage.networkershome.com | coming soon |
| Simulator | What it covers | Ideal for | Launch | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palo Alto Firewall | Security zones, policies, App-ID, User-ID, NAT, Threat Prevention | PCNSA, PCNSE | paloalto-fw.networkershome.com | paloalto-simulator |
| Fortinet FortiGate | Policy, SD-WAN, VPN, UTM features in a FortiOS-style UI | NSE 4, NSE 7 | fortinet.networkershome.com | fortinet-simulator |
| Simulator | What it covers | Ideal for | Launch | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cisco ISE | 802.1X, MAB, TrustSec, guest portals, policy sets | CCIE Security (SISE, SCOR) | ise.networkershome.com | ise-simulator |
| Zscaler ZIA | URL filtering, SSL inspection, DLP, sandbox policies | ZDTA, SASE practitioners | zscaler.networkershome.com | zscaler-simulator |
| Cyber Attack & Defense | Ransomware, DDoS, insider threat — interactive attack/defense scenarios | Security+, CEH, SOC analyst prep | attacksim.networkershome.com | attacksim |
Production-grade open-source security tools we built for our own SOC and lab — released free so students and home-labbers can deploy them too.
| Tool | What it does | Stack | Ideal for | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| QuickLogs (Edge SIEM) | Open-source SIEM with 98% cost reduction vs Splunk through edge aggregation + 99% data compression | Rust + ClickHouse + ML summarization | SOC analyst training, Splunk alternatives | quicklogs |
| QuickFW Firewall Appliance | Minimal L3/L4 stateful firewall with Cisco-style CLI — perfect for learning firewall internals before touching paid hardware | Rust + TypeScript | Firewall engineering practice, cybersecurity bootcamp students | quickfw-firewall-appliance |
| Secure Tunnel Appliance | Self-hosted ngrok-style secure tunneling — WireGuard-backed, multi-tenant | Go + WireGuard | Pen-testers, network security learners, home-labbers | secure-tunnel-appliance |
| WireGuard Mesh Appliance | Tailscale-style mesh VPN manager — self-hosted, production-ready | Go + PostgreSQL + React | ZTNA architects, network security students, Tailscale alternatives | wireguard-mesh-appliance |
- Students preparing for networking/security certifications who can't afford expensive labs
- Instructors running classroom demos without per-seat licensing
- Self-learners who want hands-on practice between theory lessons
- Career switchers entering networking or cybersecurity — see our cybersecurity training in Bangalore for a structured path
- Home-labbers building security infrastructure on a budget (try our self-hosted appliances)
- Anyone who has ever thought "I wish I could just try this without installing anything"
| Certification | Relevant simulators | NH course path |
|---|---|---|
| CCNA 200-301 | Cisco IOS CLI, Netsim | CCNA in Bangalore |
| CCNP Enterprise (ENCOR, ENARSI, ENSLD) | Cisco IOS CLI, DNAC | CCNP Enterprise |
| CCNP SD-WAN (ENSDWI 300-415) | SD-WAN, vManage | Cisco SD-WAN |
| CCIE Security (SCOR, SISE) | ISE, Cisco IOS CLI, AttackSim | CCIE Security |
| Palo Alto PCNSA / PCNSE | Palo Alto Firewall, QuickFW | Palo Alto PCNSE |
| Fortinet NSE 4 / NSE 7 | FortiGate, QuickFW | Fortinet NSE |
| Zscaler ZDTA | Zscaler ZIA | Cloud Security Bangalore |
| CompTIA Security+ / CEH | AttackSim, ISE, QuickLogs (SIEM) | Cybersecurity Pro in Bangalore |
| SOC Analyst (L1/L2) | AttackSim, QuickLogs, ISE | SOC analyst bootcamp |
| SASE / SSE practitioner | Zscaler ZIA, Fortinet, WireGuard Mesh | Cloud + Network Security |
| Home-lab security engineer | All appliances + simulators | Network Security course |
- Click any "Launch" link above
- The simulator loads in your browser (works on desktop and tablet)
- Follow the guided scenarios inside, or explore freely
- No account. No email. No tracking beyond basic anonymous analytics.
For the self-hosted appliances: clone the GitHub repo, follow the install instructions in each repo's README, and you're running in minutes.
Found a bug? Have an idea for a new simulator? Want to add a scenario pack?
We're especially looking for contributions on:
- Additional exam-aligned scenarios (Security+, CCNP lab walkthroughs, CCIE Security lab guides)
- Translations (Hindi, Spanish, Arabic priority)
- Teacher guides for classroom use
- Cloud security scenarios for our SASE / cloud-security students
Networkers Home is India's leading networking and cybersecurity training institute, headquartered in HSR Layout, Bangalore since 2005. We offer instructor-led and self-paced courses on Cisco, Palo Alto, Fortinet, Zscaler, AWS, Azure, Kubernetes, and more.
We build free simulators and open-source appliances because we believe hands-on practice should not be paywalled. If you benefit from these, consider exploring our full training programs — particularly the 8-month cybersecurity course in Bangalore with 4-month paid SOC internship — which is how we keep these tools maintained.
Flagship programs:
- Cybersecurity Pro (8-month + paid SOC internship) — the program many of these tools were built for
- CCNA in Bangalore
- CCNP Enterprise
- CCIE Security
- Cloud Security + Cybersecurity
- Network Security
- Network Engineering
Compare top training institutes (curated rankings):
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🌐 Main site: www.networkershome.com
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🧪 Simulators hub: labs.networkershome.com
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💻 GitHub org: github.com/NETWORKERS-HOME-123
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📧 Contact: vikas@networkershome.com
Each simulator and appliance ships under its own license (see the LICENSE file in each repo). Most simulators are MIT; the production-grade appliances (QuickLogs, QuickFW, Secure Tunnel, WireGuard Mesh) are Apache 2.0.
All are free for educational, personal, and commercial use under their respective licenses. Embedding in paid courses or commercial training platforms requires attribution — contact us if in doubt.
If these tools helped you pass an exam or build a home lab — star the repo. It helps other students discover the list. And if you went on to take a Networkers Home course, drop us a line at vikas@networkershome.com — we love hearing what worked.
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