DTE/DCE ? + quick lab notes

Bill Kaster

I searched through the FAQs but could not really find an exact answer, and I looked at your beginners lab here (http://www.techexams.net/technotes/ccna/lab_hardware.shtml), but the 34 pin Winchester bit has me a bit confused. Would these be the right cables to order: http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10206&cs_id=1020601&p_id=97&style=&seq=1&format=1#largeimage

I have 3 X 2524 routers, a few RJ45 to DB9 adapters, and a 2950 on the way. That gear should allow me to do pretty much everything I'll see on the CCNA, once I get these DTE/DCE cables, yes?

Thanks for the help guys.

Netstudent

you will need more than 1 switch for STP. You will also need a router that can perform intervlan routing. You will also need a router that can do frame-relay switching. You will need some wic-1t cards. So you need a little more to cover all the topics, but it is a good start.

Those are the correct cables.

Bill Kaster

Of the three 2524 routers I got, two of them came with the serial cards installed (the other did not), which I assume is what you mean when you say wic-1t cards. And btw, what router should I get that can do Frame Relay & Intervlan routing? I'd rather not buy more than one more router.

Netstudent

If you only want to buy 1 more, then I would say go for a 2610 with NM-4as and 12.3 IOS OR
a Cisco 2620 with a NM-4as and it doesn't matter too much about the IOS because a 2620 has a built in FA port. The 2610 only has a 10Mb E port so you need an newer IOS that can run dot1q on that ethernet port. I haven't ran ntervlan routing on a 2610, but there are very knowledgable members here who testify to it. I think it might be easier to just get a 2620 though. good luck

cristi.grigore

From what I know, the 2524 can do both frame relay switching and inter-vlan routing - you just need the right IOS. Of course, having an additional 2620 or 2610 doesn't hurt at all

As for the serial cable you need (my browser doesn't open the images from the link you provided for some reason), the details of the cable you want to buy seem right - you need a DB60 serial cable with both DCE and DTE ends.

PS: on the side, maybe you want to take a look at dynamips - its a free Cisco 7200/3700/3600/2600 emulator; there's a useful frontend here: http://dynagen.org/. It might be a bit cheaper than actually buying all the hardware you need

Bill Kaster

Does it matter which 12.3 IOS I use on the 2524?

And as far as dynamips is concerned, it's so terribly confusing to work it's frustrating. Why can't it just be more straight forward? If only techies would graduate college more often, there would be more of them that could understand the value of simplicity and describing things in succinct, layman's terms.

cristi.grigore

There might be some specific images that do not have everything you need. If you want to check what the image supports, you can use the Cisco Feature Navigator here: http://tools.cisco.com/ITDIT/CFN/jsp/index.jsp

And yes, dynamips is very hard to work with - that's why I suggested dynagen: you just need yo configure a setup file, just like this:

[localhost]
    
    [[7200]]
        image = \Program Files\Dynamips\images\c7200-p-mz.124-16.unzipped.bin
        npe = npe-400
        ram = 160
    
    [[ROUTER R1]]
        f1/0 = R2 f1/0
        model = 7200

    [[router R2]]
        model = 7200

and dynagen will even decide which modules to add on the 7200.

There's also a GUI for dynamips, GNS3, although its still an alpha. You can find it here: http://www.gns3.net/

I have been using dynagen for quite some time now and I must say that I can put together a lab much quicker than you will ever can with all the cables and stuff.

Netstudent

cristi.grigore wrote:

From what I know, the 2524 can do both frame relay switching and inter-vlan routing - you just need the right IOS. Of course, having an additional 2620 or 2610 doesn't hurt at all

As for the serial cable you need (my browser doesn't open the images from the link you provided for some reason), the details of the cable you want to buy seem right - you need a DB60 serial cable with both DCE and DTE ends.

PS: on the side, maybe you want to take a look at dynamips - its a free Cisco 7200/3700/3600/2600 emulator; there's a useful frontend here: http://dynagen.org/. It might be a bit cheaper than actually buying all the hardware you need

Oh cool, I did not know you could do INtervlan routing on a 2524. Thats good to know!