Questions to ask when buying a used router?

EJizzel

I think i found a good router for sale listed on the internet ($50 local pickup, but im gonna try to bring him down to $40) and I was wondering what would be some good questions to ask to see if its right for me. The router is a 2500 series and Im currently studying for the CCENT and would like to use this for some hands on experience.

dynamik

Which 2500 is it? You can get a 2501 for $10 on ebay while the 2511 will go for anywhere from $100-200. How much memory does it have? You may need to spend another $5-10 to max it out. As long as it powers up and you can enter commands, you should be alright.

networker050184

Does it work? That should be your main question.

tech-airman

EJizzel wrote:

I think i found a good router for sale listed on the internet ($50 local pickup, but im gonna try to bring him down to $40) and I was wondering what would be some good questions to ask to see if its right for me. The router is a 2500 series and Im currently studying for the CCENT and would like to use this for some hands on experience.

Ejizzel,

What study materials do you have so far?

Netstudent

I would ask:

has it been tested?
Do all the interfaces function?
What version IOS is loaded?
Are you going to refund my money if it does not work?

EJizzel

tech-airman wrote:

Ejizzel,

What study materials do you have so far?

I have Cisco press CCENT/CCNA , Sybex 5th edition and Boson Netsim.

freetech

These are the questions you must ask, IMHO:
1. May I see a "show version" command output?
2. Look at the show version out put and find the size of the ram and size of the flash. You should see how to read this in your study books.
3. Look at the show version output to see what version of IOS is on it. Should be at least 12.0, 12.2 is the best you can get for a 2500.
4. What kind of 2500 is it? Be sure to go there with an idea of 2500 types and how much they go for on ebay. 2500's may go for $10 + S&H or $100+, depending on what type it is and how much flash and RAM they have. Don't forget to figure shipping and possibly tax in the ebay price. It's best to look at completed sales in your price search.
4. Is there any guarantee? How long, if any?
5. Does it come with the power cord and rackmount ears?
6. Last, do all the interfaces work? Usually a "show ip interface" command will bring up all working interfaces.

Hope this helps.