Setting up home lab question

Hello!

I am currently halfway through my CCNA course in a local college. We unfortunately are not doing any hands on with equipment, its all simulated.

My question is, how are you suppose to test, run and troubleshoot all the protocols with just 2 routers? Wouldn't you need at least 4 pc's, 2 switches and a router to test everything?

Sorry if its a silly question. I don't want to offend anyones intelligence

Kai.

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Comments

alan2308

At a minimum, you would want at least 2 routers and 2 switches. With 3 or 4 of each, there's obviously more that you can do, but you can live with 2. A couple PC's definitely helps, but that can be worked around.

Kai123

How can you configure and test routing protocols between just two routers?

Alot of people are having great successes with limited hardware. Im missing something here

Kai.

Heero

if you want to do stuff with routing protocols, look into dynagen. Packet tracer is decent enough for the exam when it comes to switching (though far from amazing).

Monkerz

Kai123 wrote: »

How can you configure and test routing protocols between just two routers?

What do you mean? CCNA doesn't dive too deep into routing protocols. Look into loopback interfaces, keepalives, and extended ping command. With these, you should have no problem studying routing protocols (CCNA Level) with two routers.

The problem comes when you setup frame-relay. You'd need a third router to emulate a FR switch.

mikej412

Kai123 wrote: »

How can you configure and test routing protocols between just two routers?

You can use loopback interfaces on the routers and source network traffic from those interfaces in place of PCs (or other routers) connected to additional router interfaces.

But at the CCNA level it is easier to learn routing when you have 3 or 4 routers, and switching when you have 3 switches.

Kai123

Thanks for the replies

I didnt know you could use it like that.

Wiki sums it up

Some network equipment uses the term loopback for a virtual interface used for management purposes. Unlike a proper loopback interface, this loopback device is not used to talk with itself.
Such an interface is assigned an address that can be accessed from management equipment over a network but is not assigned to any of the real interfaces on the device. This loopback address is also used for management datagrams, such as alarms, originating from the equipment.

thanks again.

Kai.

Kai123

I am thinking of buying this home lab

Two 2600 routers will cost 50 euro on another ad. The full lab with cables and all costs around 350 euro. I could buy this but I would be very broke for a good while. If I were to use this for my CCNP as well it would definitely be a worthy investment.

I want some thoughts on this before I do buy this, just incase im better of buying bit by bit as im learning or the whole set.

Kai.

seekrit

It's a solid lab for the ICND1 and ICND2. I have a couple 3640's in my pod. Grab a NM-4T and a few more DB60 cables and you'll have your basic PPP and framerelay setup..

If you can be patient you may save some money on equipment. The problem is being patient

alan2308

seekrit wrote: »

It's a solid lab for the ICND1 and ICND2. I have a couple 3640's in my pod. Grab a NM-4T and a few more DB60 cables and you'll have your basic PPP and framerelay setup..

If you can be patient you may save some money on equipment. The problem is being patient

According to the description, the 3600 already has an NM-4. I would look into a second WIC-1T for each router (unless they mean 2 per router, it's not clear and I always assume the worst) and another serial cable or two.

Normally I recommend staying away from the pre-built kits (they usually have crap gear and you learn more and spend less doing it yourself), but I can't find anything to argue with on this one other than the price seems high. Though that may actually be the going rate for this gear in Europe.

seekrit

Indeed, 4T included.. I didn't read the description well enough.