CCENT/CCNA lab from CiscoKits - Please review & critique

I’m new to Cisco Certifications.

After reviewing several threads in this forum, I’ve decided to put together a personal lab.

I’ve reviewed first three chapters in odem’s CCENT/ICND1 book.
I’ve reviewed first three videos in CBTNuggets CCENT/ICND1 series.

I recently purchased following resources:
* CCENT/ICND1 - Odem 2nd edition
* CBTNugget Videos ( CCENT/CCNA )
* Boson ExSim Max ( icnd1 & icnd2 )
* NetSim 8 for CCNA
* Cisco CCNA Network Simulator 640-802
* Cisco CCNA Portable command Guide

My goal is to complete following:
* CCENT/ICND1
* CCNA
* CCNP
* CCDA

Before pulling trigger on purchase I would like and appreciate opinions and critique of others since I’m so new to this field…

Please comment on following:

CiscoKits:
1) do they have good reputation
2) anyone have any problems with them in past
3) appears they can only be contacted via email, no phone #s

Equipment:
1) what changes if any would others suggest to configuration below
2) will I be able to perform all “Hands on Lab exercises for CCENT/CCNA “ using equipment below?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Price:

$1075 - Premium Plus CCNA & CCNA Security Combo Lab Kit
$0182 - Three year warranty - not sure what comes with this
$0055 - CBT DVD - CCNA 640-802
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hardware:

Tested and Guaranteed working!!
Two Cisco 2610XM 256/48 12.4 Routers
One Cisco 2611XM dual Etherent 256/48 12.4 Router
One 3550 Layer 3 Switch
Two Cisco 2950 Switches
One NM-4A/S Serial Module
Two WIC-1T Serial Modules
Two DTE/DCE back to back cables
Six Power Cables
Console cable kit
Two Ethernet Crossover Cables
Five Etherent Patch Cables
30 Day Warranty!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Additional items:

Cisco Academy CCNA Security Lab Workbook($39.99 value)
CiscoKits CCNA Security Lab Workbook($39.99 value)
CiscoKits CCNA Lab Workbook($29.99 value)
CiscoKits CCNA CRAM Sheet($14.99 value)
CiscoKits CCNA Study Poster($9.99 value)
12.4 IOS on CD
CiscoKits CCENT Test Engine
CiscoKits ICND1 & 2 Test Engine
CiscoKits CCNA Test Engine($29.99 value)
CiscoKits BSCI Test Engine
CiscoKits BCMSN Test Engine
CiscoKits ISCW Test Engine
CiscoKits ONT Test Engine
50+ articles covering Cisco Test concepts
TFTP Server
Subnet Calculator Trial Tool
Port Scanner Trial Tool
Password Recovery Trial Tool
CCNP Pix Firewall & IDS Trial Tools
CCNP IOS Configuration Trial Tools
CCNP Router & Switch Simulator Trial Tools
CCNP Network Design Trial Tool
CCNP VOIP Packet Sniffer Trial Tool
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks in advance…

-simply

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Comments

impz

One thing : Expensive. You could shop around ebay for kits (if you don't like to buy everything piece by piece) that are usually cheaper than certificationkits. Extra DRAM and FLASH usually retail for around $10-30 with free shipping so no worries if the hardware you bought doesn't support the latest IOS cuz of limited memory. However, to get the best deals, you need patience and time.

captobvious

impz wrote: »

One thing : Expensive. You could shop around ebay for kits (if you don't like to buy everything piece by piece) that are usually cheaper than certificationkits. Extra DRAM and FLASH usually retail for around $10-30 with free shipping so no worries if the hardware you bought doesn't support the latest IOS cuz of limited memory. However, to get the best deals, you need patience and time.

+1

If you use that as a guide and search eBay you could get all that for half the price.

jamesleecoleman

One thing that I've notice is that cisco kits have extended warranties. How many sellers on ebay have the same or better deal? To be honest, I think you could build a cheaper lab by picking out seperate peices of gear on ciscokits instead of buying kits.

IRONMONKUS

I was also checking out there site for a kit and it looks like they do trade-ups as well. So, if what you have doesn't work for say the CCNP, then you can trade up, send your router or switch back and pay the difference for the newer hardware. This only works if they are still selling the hardware you want to trade in.

Looking for and trying to find the right networking gear is like a kid in a candy store and your mom will only let you get one piece of candy.

QHalo

There are plenty of companies on eBay that offer 1 year warranties to non-corporate buyers. One year should be plenty enough to get your money out of it. I use these companies and other ones to get an idea of what they're offering and go straight to eBay to pick up what I need. I find it rather exciting to build it on my own rather than just buy a kit. You learn about the hardware so much more.

VAHokie56

Packet tracer is all you need for the CCNA. That is a very large dollar amount. I could never imagine paying that much for lab gear...but I use all the crap we have laying around work so I guess I am lucky