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    Next-Generation Firewall

    Get Started with the CLI

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    Get Started with the CLI

    Learn how to use the PAN command-line interface (CLI) to monitor and configure your firewall or Panorama device, including access methods, SSH connections, and basic navigation.
    Where Can I Use This?What Do I Need?
    NGFW (Managed by PAN-OS or Panorama)
    • No prerequisites needed
    Every Palo Alto Networks device includes a command-line interface (CLI) that allows you to monitor and configure the device. Although this guide does not provide detailed command reference information, it does provide the information you need to learn how to use the CLI. It includes information to help you find the command you need and how to get syntactical help after you find it. It also explains how to verify the SSH connection to the firewall when you access the CLI remotely, and how to refresh the SSH keys and configure key options when connecting to the management interface.
    Use a terminal emulator, such as PuTTY, to connect to the CLI of a Palo Alto Networks device in one of the following ways:
    • SSH Connection—To ensure you are logging in to your firewall and not a malicious device, you can verify the SSH connection to the firewall when you perform initial configuration. After you have completed initial configuration, you can establish a CLI connection over the network using a secure shell (SSH) connection.
    • Serial Connection—If you have not yet completed initial configuration or if you chose not to enable SSH on the Palo Alto Networks device, you can establish a direct serial connection from a serial interface on your management computer to the Console port on the device.
    1. Launch the terminal emulation software and select the type of connection (Serial or SSH).
      • To establish an SSH connection, enter the hostname or IP address of the device you want to connect to and set the port to 22.
      • To establish a Serial connection, connect a serial interface on management computer to the Console port on the device. Configure the Serial connection settings in the terminal emulation software as follows:
        • Data rate: 9600
        • Data bits: 8
        • Parity: none
        • Stop bits: 1
        • Flow control: none
    2. When prompted to log in, enter your administrative username.
      The default superuser username is admin. To set up CLI access for other administrative users, see Give Administrators Access to the CLI.
      If prompted to acknowledge the login banner, enter Yes.
    3. Enter the administrative password.
      The default superuser password is admin. However, for security reasons you should immediately change the admin password.
      After you log in, the message of the day displays, followed by the CLI prompt in Operational mode:
      username@hostname>
      You can tell you are in operational mode because the command prompt ends with a >.

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