Am I done with the lab setup? Please advise

Greatly appreciate all people's info and sharing! I have gone through the FAQ and tried to build my home lab based on them. Here's what I have got:
.
1 Cisco 1760 router w/ CME 4.0
1 Cisco VG200 router w/ 1 NM-1V Voice Carrier Module and VIC2-2FXS card(2 FXS ports)
1 Cisco 3810 router, 64 Meg Memory
--1 2-DSP(slot2) High Performance Compression Module(v01.A0) card
--1 Six-Slot Analog Voice Module (v07.B0)
--4 FXS voice slots
--2 FXO voice slots
--T1 Multiflex T1(slot 3) RJ45 interface(v03.A0)
--2 Serial(sync/async) network interface(s)
--1 Ethernet/IEEE 802.3 interface(s)
1 Cisco CCM 6.0 server
1 Cisco CCM 4.1 server
1 Asterisk IP PBX
Several IP phones and analog phones
.
hmm, I guess they should be good for my CIPT exam. Would you correct me if I miss something?
Thanks in advance!!

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mikej412

More MC3810s!! More!! More!! More!! But try to coordinate wtih Crunchy so you don't bid up the prices for each other

Grab at least one more MC3810 now so you can do the T1s back-to-back. Read the Dial-peers via T1 crossover thread -- that should start you thinking about how you could build your PSTN cloud.

What interfaces do you have in the 1760? Do you have the PVDMs? VWIC-1MFT-T1 or VWIC-2MFT-T1?

Flyingput

But try to coordinate wtih Crunchy so you don't bid up the prices for each other

haha, I will, I will.

Shall I buy another identical 3810 as I list or one like this w/ T1 port & 6-DSP:
http://tinyurl.com/5eosg9
(I hate feeBay's freaking long URLs)

Or, I live in Chicago area as well. May I buy one from you?

By the way, the 1760 router is just for CME 4.0, no interfaces installed. Thanks...

mikej412

Flyingput wrote:

Shall I buy another identical 3810 as I list or one like this w/ T1 port & 6-DSP:
http://tinyurl.com/5eosg9

Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay Overpriced and they are E1 interfaces.

After losing out on an VWIC-1MFT-E1, I just went with a couple MC3810-MFT-E1s -- one for a Branch Office (in the Europe side of my lab) and one for my PSTN Cloud (the part that was also in Europe). A Pair of E1 interfaces would be nice, but not both in the same router. Of course people in Europe may want to use E1s all around, and toss in a couple T1s for their "US Branch Office."

For every HQ/BO PSTN connection, you'll need a corresponding connection in your PSTN Cloud. So an MC3810 with the DVM and 2 MFT t1s and another MC3810 with an AVM6 and an MFT-E1 might be your PSTN Cloud (assuming your 2nd Lab Branch Office was in Europe). Toss in at least one phone (analog or IP) and maybe a Fax machine and you can call or fax anyone in your "Lab World" from your Lab Offices.

You definitely want to think about pimping out the 1760 for Voice.

You may also want to think about how you're going to handle Emergency Calls in your lab. Lab Emergency calls, not real life emergency calls -- since you don't want to be connected and routing 911 calls out an FXO interface on your home phone line while you're learning and practicing the configurations. I may tweak a 1760-V routers for occasional emergency services duty in my PSTN Cloud.... still haven't decided (and I'm still shopping).

qplayed

thanks for the shopping list

Flyingput

hey buddy, I love your detail explanations! Especially for the PSTN cloud and the 911 experiment, which I have never thought about.

Let me start from here to accumulate my CCVP lab little by little. I will be right back with more questions regarding pimping the 1760 for sure. Have a nice evening..

Flyingput

mikej412 wrote:

You definitely want to think about pimping out the 1760 for Voice.

You may also want to think about how you're going to handle Emergency Calls in your lab. Lab Emergency calls, not real life emergency calls -- since you don't want to be connected and routing 911 calls out an FXO interface on your home phone line while you're learning and practicing the configurations. I may tweak a 1760-V routers for occasional emergency services duty in my PSTN Cloud.... still haven't decided (and I'm still shopping).

Hi Mike,

Here's the update question for the 1760 pimping:

http://tinyurl.com/3vspmj
This one seems to be the complete package for the 1760 router, w/ 2 FXS, 2 FXO, 3DSP PVDM. But it doesn't have T1 slot, and is fvcking expensive!!

http://tinyurl.com/6d8fwm
PVDM and T1 ready but no FXO/FXS ports.

Could you tell me if I am on the right track to collect these WIC/VIC cards? I can't find VWIC on eBay though....

Thanks!

mikej412

First one is waaaaaaaaaay overpriced. For $300 you should be able to shop around and put together a basic 1760-V.

The 1760s are a good deal when you find one for under $150 (and already 128/64 memory). Look for one with the 32F on the back above the Ethernet port -- that's a model with 32Mb of built in flash, so it's one you can max out on memory. But the version with just the 16Mb built in flash is also okay -- just pay less.

The PVDMs can get expensive. The "cheap" PVDM-12 sell for between $20-80+ each and you've got 2 slots on a 1760 for PVDMs. kyatlanta68 looks like the best current deal out on eBay right now at $28 each plus $5 each shipping.

The VIC-2FXS and VIC-2FXO have been going for around $50 each.

There are lots of VWIC cards available on eBay.... if you don't mind risking the counterfeit ones or the -DIR versions that only work in a specific wireless router model. Once you pass on the "cheap ones" from China -- you may find a VWIC-1MFT-T1 for around $120. When you look at the VWIC-2MFT-T1 or VWIC-2MFT-T1-DI you'll see those go for over $200 each.... so then you'll see why there are so many VWIC-2MFT-T1-DIR cards out there for $200 and under. Several of the vendors selling the -DIR versions are honest and if you read their description they tell you the one wireless router model the VWIC-2MFT-T1-DIR will work in -- but some of the others don't. Plus some of the sellers on the VWIC-2MFT-T1 cards have no description and a blury picture of a VWIC-2MFT-T1-DIR

When you start pricing those VWIC modules, you'll appreciate the MC3810s with their MFT-T1 ports that much more

longkat

can you tell me what your total cost of the setup was like? i like to do same with additional components

Flyingput

When you start pricing those VWIC modules, you'll appreciate the MC3810s with their MFT-T1 ports that much more

So true! At the beginning I didn't understand them but now I am getting it little by little. Maybe I should just leave the 1760 as the CME server sitting on my LAN. Price wise and configuration wise, MC3810s still have SOMETHING for home lab.

Appreciate your time again!

As to the costs, I spent about $1200 for equipments listed above. I am looking for another MC3810 this week to set up IP WAN over serial crossover cables. Good luck!

mikeeo

I love being a partner and getting 70% off list

lol with that said I always look on ebay for good deals.