Ok, I want to build a basic CCNA lab?

mjones

Good evening EVERYONE at Tech Exams, it has been a while since I last posted (September of 2010). I have decided that I want to purchase and build a basic lab HOWEVER with the most current and up to date hardware and software (must have IOS 12.4). EXACTLY how many routers do I need and switches do I need? I want MORE than bare minimum to pass exam without going overboard. Please list in order from A-Z (Please include everything) and the most important aspect is that I want to purchase ALL NEW and would purchasing this equipment directly from Cisco be TOO costly? (several of my friends have been burned BADLY buying used i.e. wrong equipment, not working, no cables with equipment etc....one friend received a VCR instead of switch, after using e-bay). Money is not an issue for me right now, i just want to make sure I have the proper equipment.

Please reply

Thanks

Mjones

seekrit

Cisco Cert Zone: CCNA Lab Main Post Summary | Network World

ehnde

Did you read the sticky? There is some good information in there:
http://www.techexams.net/forums/ccna-ccent/6434-ccna-faq-please-read-before-posting.html

There are some similar threads to what you are asking that you may find beneficial to read through:
http://www.techexams.net/forums/ccna-ccent/61082-ccent-ccna-beginner-lab-setup-help.html
http://www.techexams.net/forums/ccna-ccent/62258-no-ccna-exp-what-equip-lab-setup.html

Or if you want to go the cheaper GNS3 route like me and others are doing:
http://www.techexams.net/forums/ccna-ccent/62200-building-my-cisco-box-gns3-real-switches-i-need-some-guidance.html

Still have any other questions? I'll be checking this thread to see if I can help. Good luck working towards your CCNA!

impz

mjones wrote: »

Good evening EVERYONE at Tech Exams, it has been a while since I last posted (September of 2010). I have decided that I want to purchase and build a basic lab HOWEVER with the most current and up to date hardware and software (must have IOS 12.4). EXACTLY how many routers do I need and switches do I need? I want MORE than bare minimum to pass exam without going overboard. Please list in order from A-Z (Please include everything) and the most important aspect is that I want to purchase ALL NEW and would purchasing this equipment directly from Cisco be TOO costly? (several of my friends have been burned BADLY buying used i.e. wrong equipment, not working, no cables with equipment etc....one friend received a VCR instead of switch, after using e-bay). Money is not an issue for me right now, i just want to make sure I have the proper equipment.

Please reply

Thanks

Mjones

I think that paying for the latest and new equipment from cisco could cost you $10k+. Stick to Ebay and if you really dont want to take any risks what so ever, you can buy from the reputable sellers in Ebay with refund policies that usually specialize in selling used Cisco gear. If they arent working, you could always send it back.

This might help :

http://www.techexams.net/forums/ccna-ccent/61388-complete-newb-setting-up-home-lab-ccna.html#post483163

mikej412 wrote: »

Certificationkits is fine -- but you pay for the convenience of someone else doing the shopping (and storage, and any upgrades) and you lose out on the learning experience.

I thought 2501 routers were only worth $25 back when I built my lab -- and now I think they are worth only $10 and should come with MAX memory and flash (and preferably the $5 transceiver without paying for it). Of course other people were always bidding them up over $50 so I didn't get one for a long time -- but I survived with $9 maxed out 2513s and paid $1 for an 8 port IBM Token Ring switch and $5 for a transceiver (since a 2513 is just a 2501 with an ADDED Token Ring port).

The 2500 series still has some life, but is losing steam for lab use with the rise of IPv6. But even today they can still be used as backbone routers in a CCIE Lab.

Oh -- if you can't find a cheap $10 2501 switch, you can hunt for a $15-$20 steal on an old PRE-XM 2600 series router. They support more DRAM than the 2501s but still have only 16Meg flash. There may have been a BIO update that let you upgrade a 2620 series to 32Meg..... but it's been a while so I could be wrong.

A 2610 or 2611 could do "Router on a Stick" (ROAS) with it's 10Mb Ethernet Interface if you had the the 12.2( 8 ) IP Plus IOS image. But with the last CCNA exam upgrade you also need at least one router to support SDM.

The cheap routers above DO NOT support SDM. The routers below do support SDM. In the old days you needed at least one router that supported ROAS. Today you need one router that supports ROAS and SDM.

The 1721 is a good little $50 desk mount router -- but some people sell the older version that only comes with 16Meg flash. You want the version with 32 Meg Flash -- since the flash CAN'T be upgraded. And you want the POWER BRICK. No Power Brick -- no Sale. And you want either the big and bad 12.4 Enterprise IOS (and the DRAM to run it) or the 12.4T Advanced IP Services (still good for CCNA) for the Zone Based Firewall support for the CCNA:Security Certification.

The funny thing is the rack mount 1760 routers are great little (slow booting) routers that can be upgraded for voice. I've actually seen them sell for less than the 1721 -- but you may need to upgrade the memory. Look for the models with the "32F in white letters within the black square" above the Fast Ethernet port. That means 32Meg Flash that's fixed on the motherboard -- but these do have slot for a Flash upgrade, its just that the 32Meg onboard and the max upgrade give you all the room you need to load Cisco Call Manager Express software if you do some Cisco Voice studies later. You want 32Megs of flash, so the older model with 16Megs of onboard flash is still fine as long as it has been upgraded and has the biggest and baddest and latest and greatest IOS image.

The 2600XM series prices vary depending on the supply and who is cleaning out their warehouse (and which company has recently upgraded all their routers and flooded the market with tons of used 2600XMs).

I got my 2650XM and 2651XM routers (0 is single lan port, 1 is dual lan ports) for less than the slower 2610XM and 2611XM routers were selling for at the time. A lot of people trying to save money chose the cheaper and slower 261xXM routers over the faster 262xXM routers -- and don't even look for the "more expensive and faster" 265xXM routers.

The 265xXM series has models that shipped with 256Meg DRAM and 48Meg Flash -- so look for those (but the 128 DRAM 32Meg FLASH models are fine).

If you can find a 2610XM for $40 -- it's a good deal. But most of the time they'll start around $60 each. Someone may value a 2611XM router more than a a 2620XM routers because of the dual LAN ports versus the single LAN port on the 2620XM.

I paid between $125-$140 for my 2651XM routers and got some of the 2650XM routers for between $60-80 -- but for a while it seems prices shot back up (because the company dumping pallets of them on the market finally ran out). I think I actually saw the 2651XM selling under $100 for a bit. But again -- prices change with time (up and down) so if you do your own research and bid patiently (and only buy from sellers who list the output of a show version command and have a good return policy and fair shipping -- and are recommended by members here with more than 1 or 2 posts ) then you'll score some good deals.

---

The 4 routers are basically a router you can use as a frame relay switch, 1 hub router and 2 spoke routers.

A 2600XM series with an NM-4A/S is a good frame relay switch option. The NM-8A/S gives you a bigger frame relay switch if you plan to build a bigger (CCIE) lab later. A 2610 router with an NM-4A/S is a CHEAP option. There are 252x models with 4 or 10 serial ports that are nice frame relay switches.

I've used my first 252x series router as a frame relay switch and still used it as a "another router" in my lab via the AUI Ethernet -- but I never tried hooking up one serial port to another serial port and using it as both the frame relay switch and one of the hub or spoke routers at the same time.... but I don't see a reason you can't do it. You can try having one router pull double duty and save the cost of the 4th router -- but since I've always had a dedicated router to use as a frame switch you'd want someone else to confirm they've done this.

Chose your frame relay switch solution, make sure you have a router that does SDM and ROAS, and make sure you have 1 hub router and 3 spoke routers for frame relay.

Toss in 2 $25-50 2950 switches, and a 3rd if you can't find a cheaper $10 2924XL-EN switch.

Then don't forget to figure in the shipping. I've had 5 routers show up in one box for $20 shipping -- so now I'll usually avoid any auction where the shipping cost is greater than $20 (unless it's a really big router) or factor in if I think I can "steal the auction." But I tend not to trust eBay seller who overcharge on shipping. I've bought a $185 3745 router with FREE Shipping.

While you're watching the bidding and vendors on eBay, make sure you check out the Buy-It-Now deals -- and look for free shipping. It's funny when people bid up auction prices beyond what's available Buy-It-Now.

Everyone here has there favorite vendors on eBay -- and some of us will agree on the ones you can trust for reasonable deals (and sometimes great deals) -- so at some point you might want to ask about favorite eBay vendors.

That covers the CCNA.

To start the CCENT -- if you're trying for cheap -- pick up a 1721 router and 2950 switch to get you started on the CCENT. Then page ahead in the books and try to figure out when you'll need more routers (or GNS3) and the rest of the switches.

When I did the CCNA, the INTRO exam portion of the CCNA topics didn't even touch a switch. If trunking (and ROAS) is in ICND2, then you may only need the one switch for the CCENT. You do create a small network in ICND1, so you may need at least 2 routers and some WAN interfaces (or GNS3).

Remember the cheap 2501s have the 2 serial WAN interfaces built in (DB60 connectors). The 1721 router would need a WIC-1T (DB60 connector) or WIC-2T or WIC-2A/S. I think both of those may be Smart Serial Connectors. For each WAN connection, for lab use, it's just easiest a back-to-back cable. There are various combinations of DB60-DB60 and DB60-SmartSerial cables. The DTE/DCE ends don't matter for the DB60-DB60 cable since the connectors are the same -- and probably don't for the DB60-SmartSerial cables in a CCNA lab. But you will have to pick which connector you want to be the DCE end -- and that's the router you set the clock rate on in your lab because you're using a back-to-back cable.

tiersten

Mmm. I hope you've got money just burning a hole in your pocket with nothing better to do with it as wanting current, up to date hardware/software and to get it all brand new will mean its going to cost a lot.

I'd say 3 routers and 3 switches would make a pretty decent lab where you can do nearly all the tasks.

For routers, get 2811 with Advanced IP Services should cover you for anything you ever want to do in CCNA and be a good starting point for anything past that. The maintenance contract is extra if you want to get new versions of IOS.

For switches, get something like a 2960-24TT which gives you 24 FE ports. Consider the 3750s if you want to do further study/certification.

You'll want a few WIC-2Ts which give you two sync serial ports. You'll most probably want 1 in each router.

Add some Smart Serial cables to connect the WIC-2Ts together. Don't forget a bunch of regular network patch leads + some crossover leads. You may need a USB serial adapter if you laptop/desktop doesn't have RS232 serial on it.

mattau

basically what tiersten said. I recently got my lab delivered yesterday from a place who sells kits. I got a few bits n pieces, enough to do some good labs and frame relay.

i got a few CISCO2611XM
x 1 CISCO2501
a few switches 2950 and 2924
also got a 3550 plus several cross over cables , DTE DCE crossovers etc

One word of advice based on my experience as I have no experience in any of this stuff.

if you do want to do frame relay make sure u do get 3 or 4 routers. all with WIC.

I got 3 WICS plus 1 4A/S serial network module to act as my frame relay switch so I can plug 3 other routers into it so I can make a few PVC's and play around.

and I said to my supplier make sure ios 12.4 is on them. needless did i know until i got them that i couldnt do what i wanted to do on them. like ipv6 and frame relay encapsulation. So i had to spend a full day upgrading the ios to 12.4 adv enterprise.

my last word of advice is make sure you get at least 128m of ram because you need that to run adventerprise. luckily 2 of my routers came with 128

seekrit

mattau wrote: »

So i had to spend a full day upgrading the ios to 12.4 adv enterprise.

A full day?

mattau

lol. well not a full full day but a few hours. hey im a noob this is my first time so had to get a tftp server etc.