Type real commands. Get real output.
Patchbay is a from-scratch CLI simulation engine — a real IOS-style command dispatcher, prompt state machine, and device model — wrapped in hands-on labs. No video walkthroughs, no canned transcripts: every prompt, every syslog line, every show command on this page is computed live by the same engine your labs run on.
Four pillars. One is live today.
CLI Labs are real and playable right now, covering NAT, Routing, Security, Services, Switching. The rest is the honest roadmap — planned, not pretend.
Real Cisco IOS-style CLI labs
A real command dispatcher, a real prompt state machine, real syslog lines and show-command output — typed against a real simulated topology, not a scripted walkthrough. Objectives are checked live against the actual device state you produced.
3D rack & patch-panel sandbox
A drag-and-drop 3D view of racks, patch panels, and physical cabling, for the hands-on side of networking a terminal alone can’t teach — planning a cable run, reading a port LED, physically patching an uplink.
Timed practice exams
Full-length, timed practice exams against a real CCNA-style blueprint, with domain-by-domain scoring.
Structured learning modules
Guided reading and video-style modules that walk up to each lab, for learners who want the theory first.
Free to start, honest about what’s Pro
5 of 15 labs, plus a full quick quiz, every learning module, and the 3D sandbox — free with any account. Pro unlocks the rest of the lab catalog and full-length practice exams.
Questions
Is this a real Cisco device, or a video walkthrough?
Neither — it’s a from-scratch simulation engine that implements a real IOS-style command grammar, prompt/mode state machine, and device state (interfaces, VLANs, routing tables, ACLs, and more). You type real commands and get real, freshly-computed output, not a recording.
What happens if I get a lab wrong?
Nothing is destroyed and nothing is timed out. Objectives are checked on demand — try, check your progress, ask for a hint, or reset the whole topology and start over, as many times as you want.
Do I need a Cisco device or license to use this?
No — everything runs in your browser against the simulation engine. No lab hardware, no license, no VM required.
What’s actually free?
5 of the 15 labs, the full quick quiz, every learning module, and the 3D sandbox — all free with any account, no trial or time limit. Pro unlocks the remaining 10 labs plus full-length and single-domain practice exams. See the pricing page for the complete breakdown.