Time to start over....640-802

So... After the recent failures I have decided to attempt to approach this damn test a different way....

Step 1- Buy lab equipment for home.

There were a few things that pissed me off about the simulation on the exam. I wanted to try and duplicate it and Boson really was weak. My solution: Buy gear. I have a web server / ftp /whatever else i want here at home so that will help in developing ACL's and give me a host to test with. I also have a few spare PC's to run tests from/to.

Step 2- Buy new books for the 802. Already stopped at B&N and found what I need.

Step 3- Read one chapter, taking no more than 2 nights to read. Spend the rest of the week performing simulations based on the chapter.

Now for the lab equipment....

I have a 2621 with 48Flash and 128DRAM. Plenty.... I need to order some serial cards for it.

I have a 2502. Yeah this thing is a piece of crap, but it has two serial interfaces. I should be able to figure something out. If not its garbage material...

I have a 2900XL switch. I need a second to do VTP and VLAN stuff. Should I buy a 2900XL as well for its mate?

What other routers should I get? Just order some 2501's from ebay? Arent there some 2500 series routers with Ethernet ports so I don't need transceivers?

How about just an all-in-one package I can buy for about $500?

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Comments

networker050184

Probably not going to find a good package with routers and switches for $500. I'd say check out ebay for some more 2600 or 2800 routers and 2950 switches. If you buy the bottom of the line equipment you may have some issues running the latest IOS needed.

phreak

I am looking at Ciscokits.com right now. The have some 2501's with 16/16.....

The 2621XM that I have just needs an IOS update to get it fixed up for SDM.... That's the easiest thing of all haha (and cheapest).

networker050184

Cisco kits is ok, but a little expensive an some older gear. You would probably get more for your buck getting equipment individualy off ebay.

phreak

Does anyone have a no BS answer for a CCNA/CCNP lab?

It seems no matter where I read, there is always "You can get this or, maybe you can get that! There is always the possibility of getting this one though...".

Straight forward answer....... "Buy this......"

dtlokee

If you have a 2611xm you can run IOS 124 on it so you can do any of the 12.4 specific commands, but I'll tell you there are no 12.4 specific commands on the CCNA. So you can use pretty much anything that will run 12.2 or 12.3. You should be good for all the routing stuff with a couple 2500's, I like the 2505, the 2507 etc. because they don't need the transceivers. I would look into 2-3 of those (2505, 2507, 2516 or even 2520) and atleast 1 2520 for a frame switch. Add in your 2621 that you have and you have a good 3-4 router lab you can work with. You can put 12.3 on the 2500 and they will run IPv6, OSPFv3, RIPng along with your other routing protocols you need and you're set.

If you have an IOS version you can run it in dynamips also.

networker050184

There are many different ways to do it that is why there are so many answers. People have preferences and you can do the same thing with many different routers. I just ordered a lab for work and got all 2800 and 3750 switches. That would be my no bull answer, but that lab was over $40,000. If you are financing this yourself, my no bull answer would be some 2600 and 2950 with at least two L3 switches for the BCMSN. There really is no no bull answer though....

phreak

I found some 2507's on ebay....

I just remembered we have a spare 2950-12.... I could probably rob that for a temporary lab until i can wing the cash for my own. That'd give me two 2900 series switches to play with for VLAN and VTP. Adding the third would give me a lab for STP.

Where do you guys get your DTE/DCE cables for cheap?

Time to go to B&N and get books.... BBIAF

redgren

amd phreak wrote:

Where do you guys get your DTE/DCE cables for cheap?

I don't know how cheap is cheap, but this is where I've gotten mine from: http://www.monoprice.com/products/subdepartment.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10206

I've bought probably 3-4 items from them over the last few months and everytime it was shipped either the same day or the next day. I think they sell on ebay as well.

phreak

Thanks for the link. I'll bookmark it for purchases.

This Dynamips thing... Can I use it like a regular router lab? What if I want like a whole rack of routers and computers?

Does it only simulate IOS-based equipment?

phreak

Hmm

Well I am looking at just shy of $300 for 2 x 2507's and 2 x 2924-XL-EN's. Add DTE-DCE cables and it'd be $320 or so.

I can't decide if I should buy a pair of WIC-1T's for the 2600 or if I should get the 4 or 8 port module?

If I had something like the 4 or 8 I could simulate a frame switch, if I had extra routers to play with.

Any suggestions on the WIC-1T?

357

WIC-1T:

http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-CISCO-WIC-1T-WITH-DB60-DB60-back-to-back-cable_W0QQitemZ300168780661QQihZ020QQcategoryZ67290QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Cisco 2501:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Cisco-2501-Router-Great-Condition-Great-for-CCNA_W0QQitemZ190170827575QQihZ009QQcategoryZ28033QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/Cisco-2500-Series-2501-Router-w-WRNTY_W0QQitemZ290177777518QQihZ019QQcategoryZ28033QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Cisco 2507:

http://cgi.ebay.com/CISCO-2507-ROUTER-WITH-16MB-DRAM-AND-16MB-FLASH_W0QQitemZ280170455678QQihZ018QQcategoryZ67312QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Cisco 2505:

http://cgi.ebay.com/2-X-Cisco-2505-2500-series-switch-router-lot_W0QQitemZ270182455207QQihZ017QQcategoryZ67317QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Cisco 2516:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Cisco-Series-2516-Router_W0QQitemZ110186767469QQihZ001QQcategoryZ67317QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I hope will help.

itdaddy

phreak

I failed tooo and I think I would have passed but something went wrong with my exam.
The test blanked out and stopped me half way through. I had 25 questions done with
600 pts the exam lady said. And I had 28 questions to go. So I know I could have passed.
But I study under chris bryant

www.thebryantadvantage.com
he is awesome

I have boson. spent 200.00 worse thing I had ever done. And preplogic
sucked. Nothing on my prep exams were even on there. Thank God
i studied under Chris Bryant.
I have a great home lab and am working on buidling up better and much more clearer!
i was pissed too!
Bryant is awesome cause he is a CCIE and gives his personal assurance yu will pass.
you need a mentor like hime man!
hang tough!

janmike

I have read that more than one person likes Bryant. I got his new CCENT package. I like his style of presentation, and, no doubt, he is very skilled with Cisco.

His promotion was to get the CCENT package and then, when he releases the 640-816 portion in December, I will automatically be able to download it as well.

I have a couple of routers and a switch, but I want to add the 2950s when I get to the 640-816 part--I may wish I had them for the CCENT!

Good luck to all who are going Cisco!

phreak

Ah yeah....

This has been a rough few weeks.

Does anyone really know what kinds of stuff they will cover on SDM?

I started today at work setting up 3 2811's each with a HVWIC-2MFT-T1E1 card, and a 3850 with 3 HVWIC-2MFT-T1E1'S. They all run SDM. I logged into it but it was kludgy as hell. I went out to the CLI and configured the thing that way....haha. Not to shabby for a feller who cannot seem to pass his CCNA, bwwwahahhaah!

I didn't see anywhere in the SDM where you could initialize the HVWIC, as you have to tell the router what it is.

phreak

1X Cisco 2610(64D/16F) router (IOS c2600-advsecurityk9-mz.124-12 loaded)

1X Cisco 2620(64D/16F) router (IOS c2600-ik9o3s3-mz.123-15 loaded)

1X Cisco 2516(16D/16F) router (IOS C2500-is-l.123-20 loaded)

2X Cisco Catalyst 2924 switches (IOS c2900XL-c3h2s-mz.120-5.WC16 loaded)

1X Cisco NM-4A/S network module

1X Cisco WIC-1T interface card
2X Cisco WIC-1BU ISDN BRI interface card

2X Cisco serial back-to-back cable 3ft (new)

1X Cisco DB9/RJ45 Console kit (new)

4X Ethernet Straight Cables

3X Ethernet Crossover Cable

5X power Cords

All routers loaded with max memory max flash and one of the latest IOS. The Cisco 2620 has 12.3(15) IP/FW/IDS PLUS IPSEC 3DES IOS, Cisco 2610 has 12.4(12) Advanced Security IOS, the Cisco 2516 has 12.3(20) IP Plus IOS. Also included are two Cisco 2924 (both are 8M Enterprise switches) all loaded with one of the latest IOS c2900XL-c3h2s-mz.120-5.WC16. Two 2924 and 2620 are essential to practice key LAN concepts like inter-VLAN routing. The set has a total of 7-serial 3-ISDN BRI 1-FastEthernet 2-Ethernet interfaces and 14 Ethernet repeater ports.

How do those specs look?

I'd like to possibly use this for the CCNP later, is that possible?

shednik

phreak wrote:

Does anyone have a no BS answer for a CCNA/CCNP lab?

It seems no matter where I read, there is always "You can get this or, maybe you can get that! There is always the possibility of getting this one though...".

Straight forward answer....... "Buy this......"

like it has been said there is no defined path to gain the knowledge and skills needed to pass any exam...everything is building your own methods...

for my ccna i did the following - bought routers a 2501, 2502, 2514; as well as 2 2900 switches...now i had a limited budget so i had to choose wisely.

my style is to use some type of CBT to break into the new material...then read a good book or two on the exam while labbing it up, and on th efinal week i would do the practice questions. it's worked well for me thus far...but this is your "no bull" answer buy what you can afford!

dtlokee

Don't invest in the wic-1bu they are not needed and you should get 1-2 more of the dte/dce cables if you want to crate some additional paths, or to use one the nm4-a/s as a frame switch and as frame DTE at the same time.

phreak

Well that list i posted was a kit i found for $595 and $75 shipping.

Think it is ok?