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Within the field of network technology, practical hands-on skills are highly regarded by potential employers. However, dedicated network teaching laboratories are expensive. In addition to the purchase cost, there is ongoing technical support and maintenance. An alternative approach is to provide students with a network simulator. While simulators cannot provide students with important practical skills, such as cabling and physical connectivity, they represent a useful, cost-effective adjunct to teaching programmes. This study is a preliminary analysis of two of the main network simulators currently in use.