Catalyst 2950

There's something I've been wanting to ask but never gotten to.

When I was shopping for my home lab, I saw people choose 24-port switches over 12-port ones almost all the time. Here in Japan, you can find a C2950-12 for as cheap as half the price for a C2950-24. Why is that? Isn't it the same platform? I mean how important is it to have a 24-port switch in your home lab instead of a 12-port switch of the same platform? Are there CCNA (or even CCNP) level practice labs for which you would need more than 12 ports on a switch?

One more thing. 2950 switches with Gigabit interfaces sell more expensive than those without. How important is it to have Gigabit Ethernet interfaces in a home lab?

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Comments

jvax

Come on guys. Anyone yet? Mike, Darby...

I am about to land another sub-$100 (incl. shipping) C2950-12 deal...

shednik

Well I'm not Darby or any of the other guys...

but in my opinion for starting out with a 12 port will be a perfect fit for your home lab...

i do not know if there will be a definite use for the extra 12 ports to bump up to the 24 port...
maybe Darby, Mike, or any of the other guys can answer that question for ya

...and as for the gigabit interfaces at least at the ccna level i don't believe they are that important to have for personal use

just my 2 cents

hope this helped!

markzab

jvax wrote:

There's something I've been wanting to ask but never gotten to.

When I was shopping for my home lab, I saw people choose 24-port switches over 12-port ones almost all the time. Here in Japan, you can find a C2950-12 for as cheap as half the price for a C2950-24. Why is that? Isn't it the same platform? I mean how important is it to have a 24-port switch in your home lab instead of a 12-port switch of the same platform? Are there CCNA (or even CCNP) level practice labs for which you would need more than 12 ports on a switch?

One more thing. 2950 switches with Gigabit interfaces sell more expensive than those without. How important is it to have Gigabit Ethernet interfaces in a home lab?

Did you ever think that maybe those people aren't shopping for a home lab, but an actual piece of equipment in their office that NEEDS more than 12 ports? The 12 port will do the exact same thing that the 24 port will do, other than allow more than 12 connections.

jvax

Thanks guys for your replies.

markzab wrote:

Did you ever think that maybe those people aren't shopping for a home lab, but an actual piece of equipment in their office that NEEDS more than 12 ports?

Well, I did think about that, but noticing the increasing demand for those switches from CCNA-to-be people wanting them for their home labs, I couldn't help it wonder why everybody preferes 24 to 12...

However, I did once see a home lab picture with multiple multi-link etherchannels using more than 12 ports in all and that memory is what motivated me to ask the question here.

markzab

jvax wrote:

Thanks guys for your replies.

markzab wrote:

Did you ever think that maybe those people aren't shopping for a home lab, but an actual piece of equipment in their office that NEEDS more than 12 ports?

Well, I did think about that, but noticing the increasing demand for those switches from CCNA-to-be people wanting them for their home labs, I couldn't help it wonder why everybody preferes 24 to 12...

However, I did once see a home lab picture with multiple multi-link etherchannels using more than 12 ports in all and that memory is what motivated me to ask the question here.

I wasn't trying to bust your balls or anything. Just thought that you might not have been looking at the bigger picture. Some people might be thinking that bigger is better. Well just remember, it's the routing in the network, not the size of the machine. True story.

mikej412

If the 12 port models are 1/2 the price of the 24 port model -- get two! When I thought the 2950-24 were overpriced, I started shopping for and bought a 12 port model. I was hunting for the 2nd reasonably price 2950-12 when I scored on a 24 port model. I even got 2 12 port 3500-XLs @$125 each.

You can't do much switching with just one switch.... and the 12 port versions are fine for a lab. They even have an 8 port 3560 now that seems to be targeted at the CCIE Home Lab crowd.

Delirious

jvax wrote:

Come on guys. Anyone yet? Mike, Darby...

I am about to land another sub-$100 (incl. shipping) C2950-12 deal...

Wow! I cant for the life of me find one that doesn't end at 200+ even for a 12 port model. I got several 2950-12's been watched on eBay bout doubt any of them will end anywhere close to that.

If you ever need to get rid of a few just let me know.

Darthn3ss

i've got a 2950-12 for my CCNA lab.. don't see a reason for anything more for ccna.

jvax

mikej412 wrote:

If the 12 port models are 1/2 the price of the 24 port model -- get two!
<snip>
You can't do much switching with just one switch....

I have 3 more 2924s that I got for $65 for all three, incl. shipping.
The 2950-12 I got lately is to experement with port security and other things not available on 2924...

Thanks for the advise.

iproute

jvax wrote:

I have 3 more 2924s that I got for $65 for all three, incl. shipping.
The 2950-12 I got lately is to experement with port security and other things not available on 2924...

Thanks for the advise.

I paid that each for my 2900s

Very good price.

jvax

I was just lucky that time.

Here you can find a great deal of gear much cheaper than in the US.

But on the other hand, many other items are much more expensive here.

For instance, I still can't find a 3ft DB60-DB60 cable for less than $12+shipping, whereas they only cost a few bucks on ebay. See what I mean?

I may go gear shopping for what isn't cheap here next time I visit the US.

markzab

jvax wrote:

I was just lucky that time.

Here you can find a great deal of gear much cheaper than in the US.

But on the other hand, many other items are much more expensive here.

For instance, I still can't find a 3ft DB60-DB60 cable for less than $12+shipping, whereas they only cost a few bucks on ebay. See what I mean?

I may go gear shopping for what isn't cheap here next time I visit the US.

Go visit my Lab thread. I think the guy I linked to who has the cables sends them overseas. Heck the guy i get my modules from is in Japan.

jvax

markzab wrote:

Go visit my Lab thread. I think the guy I linked to who has the cables sends them overseas. Heck the guy i get my modules from is in Japan.

Yeah. Turned out to be a nice lab discussion.

I am just not that into international shipping. Have had a bad experience once.

I will be going to the US this summer so I will wait till then to shop more gear for my lab

seraphus

jvax wrote:

markzab wrote:

Go visit my Lab thread. I think the guy I linked to who has the cables sends them overseas. Heck the guy i get my modules from is in Japan.

Yeah. Turned out to be a nice lab discussion.

I am just not that into international shipping. Have had a bad experience once.

I will be going to the US this summer so I will wait till then to shop more gear for my lab

I'm also not into international shipping.

But Mark is the dude with the Cohibas!

jvax

Not discriminating anyone or anything, but it has happened to us more than once when we used to trade with Chinese counterparts, and also with shipments from Europe transiting through China. But I am sure their distribution infrastructure has improved very much since then.