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Before You Start: General Guidelines

📌 Objective

Understand the remote lab environment and the ground rules you'll follow across every lab in this course before you begin your first configuration task.

🌐 Lab Topology

Router

RADIUS + DHCP

→

Zero Trust Fabric

Switch

—

┄┄▶

Windows PC 1

RDP · wireless

┄┄▶

Windows PC 2

RDP · wireless

──▶

Mac OSX PC

VNC · wired

──▶ Wired

┄┄▶ Wireless

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Note: You are given three client devices — two Windows PCs (wireless only) and one Mac OSX PC (wired only). Most labs in this course use only two of the three; some advanced labs later on will use all three at once.

🔧 Guidelines

💻 Remote Lab Access

You'll be given access to two remote PCs, both delivered straight to your browser — no apps to install:

• A Windows PC, accessed via RDP, used for wireless labs.

• A Mac OSX PC, accessed via VNC, used for wired labs.
You'll receive two separate passwords: one to access the lab URLs, and a separate operating system login password — the OS password is also used to log in via RDP, and is otherwise only needed in one specific lab.

🔗 One Portal to Use

All configuration for every lab happens in the Nile Portal. You won't need to log into any other admin system.

🏷️ Use the Exact Names Given

Each lab runs in its own isolated RF environment, so use the names already shown in the instructions (e.g. ACME SSO, ACME Guest) rather than inventing your own. In some labs, a segment name must match exactly what's configured on the RADIUS server, so precision matters.

✅ Follow Steps in Order

Carefully perform each step as described — don't skip ahead. Steps build on each other within a lab, and some labs build on earlier labs (for example, the webhook/ITSM lab assumes the PSK SSO lab has already been completed).

💾 Progress Is Saved Locally

Step checkboxes are saved to your browser's local storage, not to a server. Avoid switching browsers or clearing site data partway through the course, or you'll lose your checked-off progress.

🔍 Verify Before Moving On

Every lab ends with a Verification Criteria section — confirm each condition there before checking the lab off as complete.

🛠️ Use the Built-in Troubleshooting Tool

Under Devices in the Nile Portal, the RUN TEST button shows ping/ARP results and authentication events — use it whenever a step doesn't behave the way you expect.

📓 Take Notes and Complete the Quiz

Jot down any issues, questions, or steps you find important for future reference or troubleshooting.
Take the end-of-course quiz seriously — it helps reinforce what you've learned and highlights areas for review.

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