Is there a free network lab that runs in your browser?
Short answer
Yes — NetForge-AI's network lab runs in your browser with nothing to install and no account, and it is free for networks of up to 5 devices. A free account adds 3 saved topologies and Network Foundations, the first module of the course, and paid plans from $15/mo remove the device and save limits.
Updated
What is free, exactly?
The lab, 3D Live, the troubleshooting challenges, the lessons, the calculators and the command reference cost nothing and need no account. A free account adds saving, the first course module and classroom hosting.
| Feature | No account | Free account |
|---|---|---|
| Lab canvas | Up to 5 devices per topology, no saving | Up to 5 devices per topology, 3 saved topologies |
| 3D Live (walk inside your network) | Yes | Yes |
| Guided builds | The 36 of 44 that use up to 5 devices | The 36 of 44 that use up to 5 devices |
| Troubleshooting challenges | All 5 | All 5 |
| Course | Syllabus and chapter previews | Network Foundations (Module 1), end to end |
| Lessons, calculators, command reference | Yes | Yes |
| Hosting a live class | No | Up to 5 students per class |
| Connect your own AI app (MCP) | No | Yes — 1 lab, 5 devices |
| ARIA AI assistant | No | No (it comes with the Lab & AI Pass and All-Access Max) |
Do you need to install anything?
No. The simulator runs in a browser tab, with no installer, no virtual machine and no image to download, so it also works on school and work computers where you cannot install software.
What can you build in the free lab?
Any network of up to 5 devices, which is enough for most foundation topics: 36 of the 44 guided builds fit inside it.
- Devices: routers, switches, firewalls, PCs, servers, printers, network storage, hubs, wireless access points and a WAN cloud.
- Cables: copper Ethernet, fiber, serial and wireless.
- Configuration: an industry-standard command line on routers, switches and firewalls, and a terminal with ping and ipconfig on PCs and servers.
- Layer 2: MAC learning and flooding, VLANs and 802.1Q trunks, spanning tree (STP, RSTP and per-VLAN) with a real root-bridge election, and link aggregation (LACP).
- Layer 3: connected, static, default and floating routes, longest-prefix match, OSPF with DR/BDR election, EIGRP, RIPv2, and BGP (eBGP and iBGP).
- Services: DHCP, ARP, ICMP and NAT (static, dynamic pool and PAT).
- Security and resilience: standard and extended access lists with TCP/UDP port matching, and VRRP gateway redundancy.
What are the limits of the free plan?
Up to 5 devices per topology, 3 saved topologies, the first course module, and no AI.
Guided builds with more than 5 devices need a paid plan. Every paid plan removes the device and save limits, and the plans differ in what they add: the full 8-module course comes with the Course & Lab Pass or All-Access Max, and the ARIA AI assistant with the Lab & AI Pass and All-Access Max.
Paid plans cost $15–$35 a month, or $129–$299 a year.
How do you start?
Open the lab, drop two PCs and a switch on the canvas, cable them, give each PC an address in the same subnet, and ping one from the other.
- Open netforge-ai.com/lab. You do not need to sign in to build.
- Drag two PCs and a switch from the palette onto the canvas.
- Drag from a PC's port handle onto the switch to lay a cable, then choose the port on each end. Do the same for the second PC.
- Click each PC and give it an address in the same subnet, for example 192.168.1.10/24 and 192.168.1.11/24.
- Open the first PC's terminal and ping the second. Watch the ARP request go out, then the ping cross the switch and come back.
Try it
No account, no download. Build a network of up to 5 devices, and create a free account when you want to keep it.
Open the free labFrequently asked questions
Is the free plan a trial?
No. It has no end date and needs no card: a free account is an email address or a one-click sign-in.
Does the free lab include AI?
No. The Free plan, the Lab Only Pass and the Course & Lab Pass don't include AI. ARIA, the AI assistant, comes with the Lab & AI Pass and All-Access Max. Connecting an AI app you already use to the lab through NetForge-AI's MCP server is included on every plan with a free account, and uses no AI allowance.
Can I save my work for free?
Yes. A free account keeps up to 3 topologies in the cloud, and you can reopen them on any computer.
Can a teacher use it for free?
Yes. Any signed-in account can host a live class with a join code. On the Free plan a class seats up to 5 students; a paid host has no seat cap.
NetForge-AI is an independent educational platform, not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by any networking vendor or certification body.