WIC-1T or WIC-2A/S or WIC DSU-T1?

Nafe92014

Evening all,

I am looking at adding 1 serial card each to my routers. Need something that supports DTE/DCE. What would you recommend? Cost isn't too much of a factor.

Thanks

clarson

what kind of routers do you have? And, what kind of serial wic do you already have?

theodoxa

I personally prefer the WIC-1DSU-T1-V2 as I can roll my own cables and T1 is something you will still see in the real world unlike Serial Cables. As for the exams, just know that a WIC-1T, etc...will require the clock rate to be configured if it is DCE. T1 by comparison uses "Timeslots" (each one being 64 kbps).

mikeybinec

I have a bunch of wic1ts.. anybody want a free one or two?

OctalDump

OK, so what you want is something that will allow you to connect multiple routers together with serial. This means compatible serial cards in each router, cables, and sufficient ports in each router. For CCNA/CCNP R+S labs, speed isn't really an issue.

I'd personally go for the HWIC-2T, but the HWIC-2A/S is still ok. The 2T and 1T top out at about 8Mbps, the 2A/S at 128kps. Speed isn't the issue, but the ability to play with a wider range of clock rates can be handy. And if you are using the official lab manuals, then 1.54Mbps connections are common, which makes life easier for labs where the point is to show that link speeds make a difference.

There isn't a big price difference between the 2A/S and the 2T. I'd get the two (or 4) port version of the card so that you can connect up router A to router B AND router C with serial connections. The Smart Serial cables are fairly easy to come by, although often a little pricey.

The T1 or T1/E1 cards are ok, but they have the downside of using harder to find cables. They look like regular RJ-45s and you might think a regular ethernet cable would work, but it won't. And the cables I have seen are much more expensive. If you can roll your own, then it's not much harder or more expensive than making regular ethernet Cat 5 cables.

The T1/E1 cards are useful also if you plan to go down the CCNA Collaboration track.

In reality, you probably won't have much to do with these in most developed countries. It's more about learning the concepts.

DNA1776

I would be interested any of these cards you have, for a class that I will be teaching in the fall. Glad to pay the postage and packaging expense .....thanks David. A., Seattle, WA