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Catalyst 2950 Desktop Switch Software Configuration Guide
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Chapter 7 Administering the Switch
Configur ing a System Nam e and Prompt

Configuring a System Name a nd Prompt

You configure the system name on the switch to identify it. By default, the system name and prompt are
Switch.
If you have not c onfigured a sy stem p rom pt, the first 2 0 char ac ter s o f th e syste m name a re u sed a s t he
system pro mpt. A grea ter-than symbol [> ] is appende d. The prom pt is update d whenever the system
name cha ng es, u nless you m a nually configure the pro mpt by usi ng t he prompt globa l c onfigura tion
command.
Note For comple te syntax an d usage infor mation for the commands us ed in this sectio n, refer t o the Cisco IOS
Configuration Fund am en tals Com mand Re ference and the Cisc o IOS IP and IP Routing Comm and
Reference for Release 12.1.
This se ctio n c onta ins thi s configu ratio n inf or mat ion:
Default Syste m Name and Prom pt Configuration , page 7-48
Configuring a Syste m N ame , page 7-48
Configuring a System Prompt, page 7-49
Understa ndin g D NS, pa ge 7 -49

Default System Name and Prompt Configuration

The default switch system name an d prompt is Switch.

Configuring a System Name

Beginning in privileged EXEC mode, follow these steps to manually configure a system name:
When you set the system name, it is also used as the system prompt. You can o ver ride the prompt setting
by using the prompt global configuration com mand .
To return to the default hostname, use the no hostname global con figuration co mman d.
Command Purpose
Step 1 configure terminal Enter g lo bal c onfigurat ion m ode.
Step 2 hostname name Manually configure a system name.
The default setting is switch.
The name must follow the rules for ARPANET host names. The y must start
with a lett er, end with a l et ter or d igit, and have as interi o r cha racte rs only
letters, d igits, a nd hyp he ns. Nam es c an be up to 6 3 c hara ct ers.
Step 3 end Return to privileged EXEC mode.
Step 4 show running-config Verify your entries.
Step 5 copy running-config startup-config (Optional) Save your entries in the configuration file.