To optimize Xshell for Cisco IOS administration, you can create custom Highlight Sets
that automatically colorize critical keywords like "shutdown," "down," or IP addresses
. This improves readability and helps you quickly spot status issues or configuration errors in the CLI. 1. Accessing Highlight Set Settings
Follow these steps to create and manage your highlighting profiles in menu and select Terminal Highlight Sets to create a fresh set specifically for Cisco devices.
To apply it, open the Highlight Sets dialog, select your set, and click Set to Current , or assign it permanently via a session's Properties netsarang.atlassian.net 2. Best Practice Keyword & Regex Sets
For the most effective Cisco CLI highlighting, use a combination of exact strings and Regular Expressions (Regex) . Xshell uses the DEELX engine (Perl compatible) for its regex. netsarang.atlassian.net Recommended Keywords / Regex Suggested Color Critical Errors err-disable administratively down Success/Up Established Network Info \b\d1,3(\.\d1,3)3\b (IPv4 Regex) Blue or Teal Configuration description Bold / Cyan 3. Advanced Highlighting Tips
Here are a few options for your post, depending on the platform you are using (LinkedIn/Tech Blog vs. Twitter/X vs. a Forum).
Beyond highlighting, the following Xshell settings are recommended for the best Cisco experience:
xterm or vt100. Avoid linux if you encounter formatting issues with show running-config.show run or show tech-support outputs.C:\Logs\$HOSTNAME_$DATE.logWant absolute control? Here’s how to build the best Xshell highlight set for Cisco tailored to your workflow.
| Description | Regex Pattern | Foreground Color | Background | Bold? |
|-------------|---------------|------------------|------------|-------|
| Interface up | \b(up|UP)\b | Green (#00FF00) | Default | Yes |
| Interface down | \b(down|DOWN)\b | Red | Default | Yes |
| Administratively down | administratively down | DarkRed | Default | Yes |
| Error message | %[A-Z]+-[0-9]-[A-Z_]+: | Red | Default | No |
| Warning | %[A-Z]+-[0-9]-[A-Z_]+:.*warning | Yellow | Default | Yes |
| IP address | \b(?:(?:25[0-5]\|2[0-4][0-9]\|[01]?[0-9][0-9]?)\.)3(?:25[0-5]\|2[0-4][0-9]\|[01]?[0-9][0-9]?)\b | Cyan | Default | No |
| VLAN number | \bVlan[0-9]1,4\b | Magenta | Default | No |
| OSPF route | \bO(\*| IA| E1\| E2)?\b | LightBlue | Default | Yes |
| BGP route | \bB(\*| >)?\b | LightGreen | Default | Yes |
| EIGRP route | \bD(\*| EX)?\b | Orange | Default | Yes |
| Static route | \bS\*\b | White | DarkGray | Yes |
| MAC address | ([0-9A-Fa-f]4\.)2[0-9A-Fa-f]4 | Yellow | Default | No |
Don’t reinvent the wheel. Here are the highest-rated community sets:
u/network_thug on Reddit’s r/networking. Includes colored show inventory and show power.vpc consistency-parameters and show fabric multicast.Installation: Download the
.xsxhfile, thenTools > Highlight Sets > Import. Always verify rules after import — Xshell version 7+ handles regex slightly differently than v6.