If you or your employer has an active service contract (SmartNet) for specific hardware, you can download the corresponding software directly from the Cisco Software Download portal.
Once you have obtained your .bin or .qcow2 image, follow these steps to install it: Where do I get IOS images? - GNS3 Documentation download cisco router ios images for gns3
The most recommended method for modern labbing. By purchasing a CML Personal subscription (formerly VIRL), you gain access to stable, virtualized images like IOSv (routers) and IOSvL2 (switches). These images are optimized for virtualization and do not require the high CPU overhead of older hardware emulations. If you or your employer has an active
There are three primary legal methods to obtain IOS images for use in GNS3: you gain access to stable