CCNA lab with an eye towards CCNP compatibility

Zartanasaurus

I've spent the last couple days reading as many threads as possible on putting together labs (thanks mikej!). I just want to put this out there to make sure I'm not missing anything. My knowledge of Cisco type stuff is nearly nonexistant.

Here's what I'm buying:
2x 26**XM
1x 2610/2620 for a Frame Relay router
1x 2509 for a terminal server
3x 2950

Now about getting the routers connected... Do I need both a WIC-1T to get the 26**XMs connected and throw in a WIC-1DSU-T1 to connect those two to the 26*0 via a T1 crossover cable or something else?

Seems like the 26**XMs come standard with 128/32F for ~$100 looking at completed auctions. Is it worth the couple extra bucks to max them out at 256mb or will 128 be enough? Should I be holding out for a better price or is $100 "good"? Is it worth paying a premium for a 26*1XM router to get the extra FE port? Money isn't really a concern for my lab, but I don't want to buy something "just because".

TIA

alan2308

Functionality wise, there isn't any difference if you go with the WIC-1t or the WIC-1DSU-t1. The WIC-1DSU-t1 is a bit cheaper, and the t1 crossovers are much cheaper, but if you're getting an NM-4A/S for the frame relay switch, you're going to need to go with the WIC-1t to connect to the FR switch. AFIK, there's no way to connect a DB-60 (which is what's on the WIC-1t and the NM-4A/S) directly to a T1. And its a lot neater and simpler if everything has common serial interfaces.

I'll leave the issue of memory to someone else.

fly351

You could really use at least 1 (recommended 2) Catalyst 3550's, or 3560/3750's if you have a massive budget. 3550s do not support private VLANs, but you should be able to do everything else with them.

Zartanasaurus

fly351 wrote: »

You could really use at least 1 (recommended 2) Catalyst 3550's, or 3560/3750's if you have a massive budget. 3550s do not support private VLANs, but you should be able to do everything else with them.

When I was studying for my MCSE/MCITP stuff, I spent about $1200 on a beefy server to run a bunch of VMs on simultaneously. I just checked out the completed auction prices on 3560s and it looks like just one will run me about half of that. The 3550s are more reasonably priced at $150 a piece. What can they do that a $30 2950 can't do?

Edit: From playing around on the feature navigator and portable product sheets, it seems like the 2691 or 265xXM is ideal for the right price as they both support 12.4T and MPLS whereas the other XM models don't support MPLS.

Funny how much you learn just trying to pick out your lab.

deth1k

Honestly? I wouldn't spend any money on the gear anymore, well maybe switches for rest i'd use GNS. But since you are starting from ground up i'd sugest getting just enough to prepare you for CCNA and get familiar with the hardware, sell that off once you've pass your NA.

Perfect for CCNA would be two 1721 with dual wic1t's, 2520 and two 2950s, four DCE-DTE and some traightthroug/crossover cables.

HTH

mens

Zartanasaurus wrote: »

Edit: From playing around on the feature navigator and portable product sheets, it seems like the 2691 or 265xXM is ideal for the right price as they both support 12.4T and MPLS whereas the other XM models don't support MPLS.

About the MPLS, I've heard 12.3 adv.ent. support it for 26xxXM's, even if the the feature navigator doesn't say so

Zartanasaurus

Finally bought it all.

I currently have a 2691, 1760 and 2610 sitting on my desk. Hopefully the 2509 will be here by tomorrow along with the 2x 2950s. Going to be booting up and poking around for the first time. Excited and nervous all at once.

2691 = 256D/96F
1760 = 160D/32F

$568 got me all that, plus a WIC-2T, WIC-1DSU-T1, Octal Cable, NM-8A/S and a bunch of crossover cables and RAM upgrades. Waiting for another good deal on a WIC-2T and I'm good to go. Also hoping on a good deal for a 3550, but I'm not holding my breath.