Which router for CCNA

onemind

Hi,

I am just starting to study for the CCNA and have absolutely no experience with a router. Barely even know what they are

People keep telling me i need to get experience with a router and my short labs at uni are probably not going to be enough. They say at the very least i should get a router sim but for the price of some of the good ones i could get a cheap second hand router off ebay.

I did a search on ebay for cisco routers and there are literally hundreds of them. With so many to choose from and all the numbers and features, i dont have a clue which one to get.

Heres my problem, i only have a pc with no nic except for an internal modem. If i was to buy a router, could i use it with a serial connection or through my rj-11 port on my modem or some other way? Also, having no other nodes on the network, is it worth having a pc with a router attached? Could i still learn how to set it up, configure it ect ect more so than with a simulator?

Any advice on what to get and why for the ccna would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

TheShadow

Use the force Luke.

http://www.techexams.net/techlabs/ccna/lab_hardware.shtml

http://www.techexams.net/technotes.php

onemind

Why thankyou Yoda

TheShadow

No thank our hard working sysop who has made this a great place to mingle. Good luck on your journey, this is a good place to get help in your travels.

bbel121

Hi,

Most people use the Cisco 2501 router as that is usually what is found in most books like sybex and such. In all reality, any ethernet 2500 router will do. However if you want to see if things are really working you need two routers. Here is another good article to help you pick a good router.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

It kind of says some of the same stuff as

http://www.techexams.net/techlabs/ccna/lab_hardware.shtml

but it also has a chart to tell you the features/pros/cons of many of the routers that you might want to pick for your lab.

John

onemind

Thanks for that John.

I have my eye on a few router packages on ebay that give me 2 routers with all needed cables but i have a couple of questions about them.

Some of them say serial routers and others say ethernet. Is there a difference between them and if so, which shoul i get?

Also, if i dont have a nic, can i still use them fully or do i have to connect via the AUI?

Thanks again

bbel121

Which ones as if they are 2500 series they all pretty much have serial and you want to make sure they also have ethernet.

John