To end a session, use the following command in either User or privileged EXEC mode:
controller> exit
To display the current terminal settings, including the screen length and width, type:
controller> show terminal
Terminal Length: 0
Terminal Width: 80
History Buffer Size: 10
Customizing the CLI Prompt
By default, the terminal length is set to 0 rows, and the width is set to 80 columns. To override this default setting, and set the number of lines or character columns on the current terminal screen for the current session, use the following commands in user EXEC mode:
controller> terminal length screen‐length controller> terminal width characters
To reset the terminal length and width to the default values, use the default command:
controller> default terminal length controller> default terminal width
Setting the terminal length to a non-zero value turns on paging. When the output length exceeds the terminal length, the output is paused and a —More— is displayed:
By default, the CLI prompt consists of the system name followed by an angle bracket (>) for user EXEC mode or a pound sign (#) for privileged EXEC mode.
To customize the CLI prompt for your system, use one of the following commands in Global Configuration mode:
TABLE 2: Commands to Customize the CLI Prompt
| Command | Purpose |
| prompt string | Customizes the CLI prompt. |
| no prompt | Disables the display of the CLI prompt. |
| default prompt | Sets the prompt to the default, which is the hostname. |
To quickly locate a word in the output of any show command, use the following command: show argument | grep “string”
For this feature to work, only one show command can be the input to the grep and the show command cannot have arguments (for example, the form of the command) such as show ap 54. The “string” is a literal, case-sensitive word to search for (such as AP-54), and must be enclosed in double quotation marks. Only one string search can be performed per command line.
Finding Words in show Command Output
As an example, to search for and display the entry for AP-54 in the output of the show ap command, use the command: controller# show ap | grep “AP‐54”
AP ID AP Name Serial Number Op State Availability Runtime
Connectivity AP Model AP Type
54 AP‐54 00:0c:e6:00:3e:a8 Disabled Offline 3.1.4‐25 None AP332 Local
AP Table(1 entry)
The CLI provides a history of commands that you have entered during the session. This is useful in recalling long and complex commands, and for retyping commands with slightly different parameters. To use the command history feature, you can perform the following tasks:
By default, the CLI records ten command lines in its history buffer. To set the number of command lines that the system will record during the current terminal session, and enable the command history feature, use the terminal history command: controller# terminal history [size n]
The terminal no history size command resets the number of lines saved in the history buffer to the default of ten lines or number specified by size.
To reset the history buffer size to its default (10), type default history: controller# default history
To display the contents of the history buffer, type terminal history
Using Command History
controller# terminal history
7 interface Dot11Radio 1 8 end
To recall commands from the history buffer, use one of the following commands or key combinations: • Ctrl-P or Up Arrow key. This recalls commands in the history buffer, beginning with the most recent command. Repeat the key sequence to recall successively older commands. • Ctrl-N or Down Arrow key. Returns to more recent commands in the history buffer after recalling commands with Ctrl-P or the Up Arrow key.
The terminal history feature is automatically enabled. To disable it during the current terminal session, type no terminal history in either privileged or non-privileged EXEC mode: controller# no terminal history
Entering a question mark (?) at the system prompt displays a list of commands for each command mode. When using context-sensitive help, the space (or lack of a space) before the question mark (?) is significant. To obtain a list of commands that begin with a particular character sequence, enter those characters followed immediately by the question mark (?). Do not include a space. This form of help is called word help, because it completes a word for you.
To list keywords or arguments, enter a question mark (?) in place of a keyword or argument. Include a space before the ?. This form of help is called command syntax help, because it reminds you which keywords or arguments are applicable based on the command, keywords, and arguments you already have entered.
TABLE 1: Examples of Help Commands
| Command | Purpose |
| (prompt)# help | Displays a brief description of the help system. |
| (prompt) # abbreviated-command? | Lists commands in the current mode that begin with a particular character string. |
| (prompt)# abbreviated-command<Tab> | Completes a partial command name |
| (prompt)# ? | Lists all commands available in command mode |
Using No and Default Forms of Commands
TABLE 1: Examples of Help Commands
| Command | Purpose |
| (prompt)# command? | Lists the available syntax options (arguments and keywords) for the command. |
| (prompt)# command keyword ? | Lists the next available syntax for this command. |
The prompt displayed depends on the configuration mode.
You can abbreviate commands and keywords to the number of characters that allow a unique abbreviation. For example, you can abbreviate the configure terminal command to config t.
Entering the help command will provide a description of the help system. This is available in any command mode.
Almost every configuration command has a no form. In general, use the no form to:
Configuration commands can also have a default form. The default form of a command returns the command setting to its default. Most commands are disabled by default, so the default form is the same as the no form. However, some commands are enabled by default and have variables set to certain default values. In these cases, the default command enables the command and sets variables to their default values. The reference page for the command describes these conditions.
You only have to enter enough characters for the CLI to recognize the command as unique. This example shows how to enter the show security command, with the command show abbreviated to sh:
Lab‐mc3200# sh security‐profile default
Security Profile Table
Security Profile Name : default
L2 Modes Allowed : clear
Data Encrypt : none
Primary RADIUS Profile Name :
Secondary RADIUS Profile Name :
WEP Key (Alphanumeric/Hexadecimal) : *****
Static WEP Key Index : 1
Re‐Key Period (seconds) : 0
Captive Portal : disabled
802.1X Network Initiation : off Tunnel Termination: PEAP, TTLS
Shared Key Authentication : off
Pre‐shared Key (Alphanumeric/Hexadecimal) : *****
Group Keying Interval (seconds) : 0
Key Rotation : disabled
Reauthentication : off
MAC Filtering : off
Firewall Capability : none
Firewall Filter ID :
Security Logging : off
Allow mentioned IP/Subnet to pass through Captive portal : 0.0.0.0
Subnet Mask for allowed IP/Subnet to pass through Captive portal : 0.0.0.0