Routers and Switches need advice for CCNA Lab

sup, some know im still in high school, and i want to reach my goal in becomming CCNA certified as of right now, and towards my senior year become CCNP ceritfied.

I have looked up some routers and switches in my budget.
here they are.

routers:

2501- 39.95 Buy Now
2514- 20 bucks bid (2 days)
2610 10.99 BID ( 22 hrs)
2501- 45.00 Buy now
2521- 35.00 Buy now

Switches:

2924- 39.99 Buy now

I am having a hard time deciding on a router. I want to alteast pick one up, but I'm trying for 2
remember this is only for the CCNA as of now. Give me your advice on which router to pick up thanks,

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Comments

Paul Boz

The CCNA uses the 2600 series router. The 2500 series is old and busted and you probably won't get much use out of it. I suggest you buy at least two 2600's and maybe a 2500 for a frame relay switch if you're already thinking ahead to the CCNP.

I think a home lab is overkill for the CCNA though. All you really need is a good sim (Boson worked for me) or Dynamips, which is free.

Darthn3ss

I'd go for the 2501 or the 2610 if you can

2501s will work fine. Pick up 2 or 3 of those and a couple switches and you'll be good. (not all at once of course)

lildeezul

yeah i was thinking of the 2501, and the 2610, what about the 2521?, and 2514

markzab

The 2521 you wont need right now. It has 4 build in serial ports and if you're strictly going for the NA you might not need this right now. See the thread below. It should help you imensly.

http://techexams.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=23120

Darthn3ss

the 2514 is essentially the same thing as the 2501, just has an additional ethernet port.

seuss_ssues

Paul Boz wrote:

The CCNA uses the 2600 series router. The 2500 series is old and busted and you probably won't get much use out of it. I suggest you buy at least two 2600's and maybe a 2500 for a frame relay switch if you're already thinking ahead to the CCNP.

I think a home lab is overkill for the CCNA though. All you really need is a good sim (Boson worked for me) or Dynamips, which is free.

Well i do not have my CCNA but i would disagree with most of his post. The 2500 with memory and a 12.x IOS are great for the CCNA. Additionally if you are going for your CCNP then no time is better to start building a lab.

Hopefully some more experienced cisco guys can back me up.

markzab

seuss_ssues wrote:

Paul Boz wrote:

The CCNA uses the 2600 series router. The 2500 series is old and busted and you probably won't get much use out of it. I suggest you buy at least two 2600's and maybe a 2500 for a frame relay switch if you're already thinking ahead to the CCNP.

I think a home lab is overkill for the CCNA though. All you really need is a good sim (Boson worked for me) or Dynamips, which is free.

Well i do not have my CCNA but i would disagree with most of his post. The 2500 with memory and a 12.x IOS are great for the CCNA. Additionally if you are going for your CCNP then no time is better to start building a lab.

Hopefully some more experienced cisco guys can back me up.

I've seen Darby Weaver express the same sentiments that you just have.

emsrescue

Get the 2514 (you can use it to route your dsl/cable modem) and another router. 2501 is a good bit of kit. Try to get ones with as much memory and flash as possible. 16MB is the max for both. Its not necessary but if you can get 2600 routers then do, having a 100MB port on a router makes vlan routing/router on a stick setups possible. I have a 1721 that I was given that has a 100MB interface and they are pretty cheap.

The 2924 switch is good for the CCNA. A 2950 would be better but not necessary.

Just my 2cents

Jon

seraphus

markzab wrote:

seuss_ssues wrote:

Paul Boz wrote:

The CCNA uses the 2600 series router. The 2500 series is old and busted and you probably won't get much use out of it. I suggest you buy at least two 2600's and maybe a 2500 for a frame relay switch if you're already thinking ahead to the CCNP.

I think a home lab is overkill for the CCNA though. All you really need is a good sim (Boson worked for me) or Dynamips, which is free.

Well i do not have my CCNA but i would disagree with most of his post. The 2500 with memory and a 12.x IOS are great for the CCNA. Additionally if you are going for your CCNP then no time is better to start building a lab.

Hopefully some more experienced cisco guys can back me up.

I've seen Darby Weaver express the same sentiments that you just have.

Agreed. Between the 2610 and/or 2501s you should be good to go for the CCNA...

Of course you need a FE port for InterVLAN routing; so if you go for that,
a list upgrade will be necessary....

Webmaster

seraphus wrote:

Of course you need a FE port for InterVLAN routing

You can do Intervlan routing (on a stick) with 10MB Ethernet ports on 2600 as well. Requires 12.3 and IOS edition with IP Plus.

jvax

Webmaster wrote:

seraphus wrote:

Of course you need a FE port for InterVLAN routing

You can do Intervlan routing (on a stick) with 10MB Ethernet ports on 2600 as well. Requires 12.3 and IOS edition with IP Plus.

Agree with Webmaster.

You can even do InterVlan routing with a 2514 connected to a switch with 2 links!!

jvax

seuss_ssues wrote:

Paul Boz wrote:

The CCNA uses the 2600 series router. The 2500 series is old and busted and you probably won't get much use out of it. I suggest you buy at least two 2600's and maybe a 2500 for a frame relay switch if you're already thinking ahead to the CCNP.

I think a home lab is overkill for the CCNA though. All you really need is a good sim (Boson worked for me) or Dynamips, which is free.

Well i do not have my CCNA but i would disagree with most of his post. The 2500 with memory and a 12.x IOS are great for the CCNA. Additionally if you are going for your CCNP then no time is better to start building a lab.

Hopefully some more experienced cisco guys can back me up.

I am no experienced guy, but I defenitely agree with seuss_ssues too.

Twice before I got 2 2514 max flash/ram w/ tranceivers, for the price or 1 2611 max flash/ram w/ 2 WIC-1Ts.

Personally, I think that 2500 routers are hands down the perfect routers for the poor man's home lab, whatever level of certification he is aiming at.

lildeezul

i won the bid on ebay.

3 2501 routers for 55 bucks, and 11 bucks to ship it.

66 bucks total.

you think it was a good deal, also 2924 switch with cd, power cable, for 35

Darthn3ss

Paul Boz wrote:

The CCNA uses the 2600 series router. The 2500 series is old and busted and you probably won't get much use out of it. I suggest you buy at least two 2600's and maybe a 2500 for a frame relay switch if you're already thinking ahead to the CCNP.

I think a home lab is overkill for the CCNA though. All you really need is a good sim (Boson worked for me) or Dynamips, which is free.

thats absurd.

according to cisco, 800, 1600, 1700, 2500, 2600, or a combination of those series routers will work for CCNA labs. coming straight out of the networking academy. also, dynaimps requires a pretty good computer to run 3 or 4 routers, right? plus no support for switches? or what?

seraphus

Webmaster wrote:

seraphus wrote:

Of course you need a FE port for InterVLAN routing

You can do Intervlan routing (on a stick) with 10MB Ethernet ports on 2600 as well. Requires 12.3 and IOS edition with IP Plus.

Entschuldigung.
I stand corrected. Thanks for the info!

jvax

Yep. Works like a charm on my 2611.