Help with my home lab and suggest simulations

I have 2x 2610 routers. Could someone give me suggestions on mini labs and other things I can do to prepare for for the exam with.

Also what expansion cards should I get for them?

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PawNtheSandman

I have both routers. Neither have any expansion cards.

I am thinking I should get 2x WIC-1T serial cards to simulate WAN connection. Anyone know where I can pick them up cheap (legit ones, not the knockoffs from China)

Also, does anyone offer free labs I can configure myself? Or do I have to search the deep, dark, underbelly of the internet for them? coughtorrentscough

EdTheLad

If i were you i would get the WIC-2T cards, you will need the smart serial cable for these, anyway do some research.Whats wrong with the cheap knockoffs? How you can tell the difference? I have cheap knockoff WICs, the only way i know this is because of the price i paid.Practical study guides are good for labs.

mikej412

The lab companion books for the Cisco Network Academy are good -- but I think they really only make sense if you are using the Net Academy books to study.

The Sybex book has their hands-on sections -- and that makes good sense to do stuff as you are learning it.

The Cisco Press CCNA Practical Studies books is "out of date" -- but if you ignore the "old chapters" it's still a good book.

I haven't had any problems with all the stuff I've bought on eBay -- but I haven't bought anything that ships from China. But that doesn't mean I haven't bought something secondhand that someone else got from there.

PawNtheSandman

I am doing CCNA and CCNP through the local college.

They are using the official Cisco Networking Academy textbooks and lab books.

Between that and hands on using my own lab, is there a need to purchase any other books?

I plan on taking the 2 seperate CCNA exams.

PawNtheSandman

WOW, the WIC-2T cards are more than what I paid for the routers.

Anyone know a reliable place other than eBay for them?

mikej412

PawNtheSandman wrote:

They are using the official Cisco Networking Academy textbooks and lab books.

Between that and hands on using my own lab, is there a need to purchase any other books?

I did the CCNA Academy courses and took the CCNA exam 2 or 3 days after the CCNA 4 final -- the courseware and labs were enough for me to easily pass. If you don't average in the mid-to-high 90s in the courses you may want to add the Sybex book for a focused review for the ICND exam.

Depending on your subnetting skills -- you could check out the learntosubnet and subnettingquestions web sites for the INTRO exam.

PawNtheSandman wrote:

WOW, the WIC-2T cards are more than what I paid for the routers.

I've only got one WIC-2T and paid about $56. My WIC-1Ts were $25. How cheap were your routers?

PawNtheSandman

I can subnet no problem, just need to write it out.

I have 2x 2610 routers with 32/16 memory for $80 total from a friend.

TheShadow

$40 each!! Gee I would say that you were exceptionally lucky. Check ebays price for 2610's.

mwgood

You may find something useful here.

http://www.ciscokits.com/index.php

They include a lot of helpful study material, tools, and Lab execises on a bundled CD with purchase of some of their equipment.

TheShadow

actually I don't know about their web site but ciscokits sells the CD by itself for $29 on ebay with $2 shipping. Use "cisco labs" as a search item and theirs and others will pop up. It claims to have 50 labs and 400 questions.

wildfire

Just be carefull with WIC-2T's, they only work on certain 2600's,

http://www.techexams.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=9998

I put this to the test and the WIC-2Ts wont work on a 2610 but fine on something like a 2620/1720.

The other option is a WIC-2A/S these are similar but have a max speed of 128Kb/s.

Yankee

Ooops already covered in the other thread.

Yankee