Home lab or Packet Tracer for CCNA R&S?

I'm wondering if you need a home lab to achieve, and be competent with, CCNA R&S or if Packet Tracer is good enough.

If you do need a home lab, what would be a good setup that's affordable? I was thinking of maybe

Cisco 1750/1751 x2
Cisco 2950 x2

Would that be a good home lab or am I out to lunch?

I was also considering the basic 2 router 2 switch kit from http://www.certificationkits.com/basic-2-router-2-switch-kit/

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Comments

NotHackingYou

I did a home lab. 2x 2601's with WIC 1T cards + t1 crossover and and 2x 2950's.

markulous

I'm studying for the same test and Packet Tracer so far has been good enough. Seems to emulate routers and switches pretty well.

J_86

Also check out GNS3 for alternatives to having real equipment for your CCNA studies: Graphical Network Simulator - GNS3

[Deleted User]

Home Lab all the way. It's better then Packet Tracer mainly because if you go on to advanced studies such as CCNP or CCIE, you will need the hardware. Also, when you are on the job, you cannot sim your way through life. Is it convenient yes but it is a better investment. You may also want to consider looking at the Cisco simulators offered by Cisco themselves or Boson offers their own simulators.

TechGuru80

There seems to be some psychology to purchasing a home lab. Something such as packet tracer and GNS3 can get the job done but if nothing more having equipment makes you feel invested in the process. Changing out hardware and other components such as memory can be a good learning experience...especially later when you are more comfortable. A decent setup that should last through CCNP:R&S would be around $400-600 depending on the models you pick. You could always go less and build up as you study also.

Premade kits usually run a little more but as I always say...if you are fresh you do not know what you do not know. That can make purchasing equipment a pain and cause frustration. I personally wouldn't spend more than around $600 in a kit unless you literally want to be set for a while. As you learn you can pick up good deals on individual components that you want because you have more knowledge. That price point also allows for flexibility later...older equipment can do fine on a lot of the CCENT/CCNA type material but you will want more horsepower at a CCIE level. Try to get IOS 15+ but I believe 12.4 was the next best thing with not too much different.

I would browse the thread with lab pictures on this website to get a good idea of equipment for your level of study.

Jon_Cisco

Home labs are great at the start. You get to learn about the equipment as you buy it and you get to discover real world cabling issues. Some things that seems like a click of a button on a simulator actually take some planning on real equipment.

However after a while I believe you will start using the simulators more and more because they are faster and easier to change setups. I used my lab a bunch when learning the first time and then did all of my review in packet tracer. I used GNS3 a to verify commands if they don't run right in packet tracer. It is limited but it gives you 90% of what you need and you can fill in the gaps reading about topics.

If you plan to stop at CCNA I would not buy a lab. If networking is your future then I would highly recommend it. I think simulators teach you theory but a lab will give you better real world experience.

Hondabuff

Packet Tracer will get you pretty deep even into CCNP. You will still need a lab. The 1841's are a excellent choice and you can grab them up on ebay for sub $60 for the under speced ones. Buy some 256mb flash and some 256mb NVram for under $20 a router and load IOS 15 and your good to go. You will need a 3550 L3 switch for Labs, just be aware of the POE versions don't always work with newer POE devices. The code on 3550 uses CDP only and will power up then shut off newer POE gear. Get your feet wet with Cisco ACS 5.2 on VMware desktop for Tacacs both have Demo versions. Trendnet TU-S9 makes a good usb to serial adapter. Deeper into CCNP I go I'm preferring real equipment over GNS3 or Packet Tracer. Use PKT to build your core skills such as setting up ssh and nating on a router. You can only learn those commands by repetition. Also down load Cisco Configuration Professional and get used to using it for Voice. It will show you the CLI entry before it sends it to the device so you can learn from the GUI. It does add a lot of fluff to the config but you can learn a lot from using it. Your goal of a new CCNA is to be able to walk into a IDF/MDF and identify what equipment does what and what not to touch.

clarson

1750 not so good. only runs up to IOS version 12.3 Get routers that run at least 12.4. 1751/1760 both can run 12.4 with enough memory. But they both only have one builtin ethernet interface. Nat/Pat is best to do with a router with at least 2 ethernet interfaces. So, you will need an ethernet wic or another router that has two ethernet interfaces.