Perfered Frame Relay Router

geek4god

Is there a preferred frame relay router?

cisco_trooper

2520
3640
3660

geek4god

As it relates to a lab setup..

alan2308

Pretty much any router that you already have on hand is capable of performing Frame Relay switch duties. It's just a matter of which one you can stuff enough serial ports into. I prefer using one of the older routers and saving the newer routers with better IOS versions for actual routing, but you can use which ever one fills the role best.

And if you don't have any router with 3 or 4 serial ports, look at this for another option.

lrb

Frame Relay? never heard of it

Anyway, you can pick up an NM-8A/S pretty cheap on eBay these days.. in AU there are two buy it nows for AUD $89. If you have a router which supports NMs, then your good to go. Thats probably the cheapest/easiest option, depending on what your current lab setup is like.

Oh, the NM-[number]a/s modules are fairly slow, they max out at 128Kbps on each port or something.

geek4god

Is speed even an issue with a lab? If it is would I be better off going with 2 NM-4T versus the 1 NM-8A/S?

QHalo

For my CCNA lab I used a 3620 with a NM-4A/S.

impz

geek4god wrote: »

Is speed even an issue with a lab? If it is would I be better off going with 2 NM-4T versus the 1 NM-8A/S?

The NM-xAS versions run really slow but for lab purposes that shouldn't be a issue

geek4god

Odd question related to this.. I have a bunch of T1 cards could I use a NM-8T1 in frame relay router and connect all of my routers to it using T1 cards and cat5?

Greenmet29

geek4god wrote: »

Odd question related to this.. I have a bunch of T1 cards could I use a NM-8T1 in frame relay router and connect all of my routers to it using T1 cards and cat5?

I don't see why not... I would probably do a little more research on it before buying it, but this link:
http://www.techexams.net/forums/ccna-ccent/63017-my-choice.html

has a link to a page that shows the pinout for a t1 crossover cable.

On this note, does anyone have a good reference on how to setup a frame relay router?

geek4god

Greenmet29 wrote: »

I don't see why not... I would probably do a little more research on it before buying it, but this link:
http://www.techexams.net/forums/ccna-ccent/63017-my-choice.html

has a link to a page that shows the pinout for a t1 crossover cable.

On this note, does anyone have a good reference on how to setup a frame relay router?

Would be a lot clearnier to route the cat5 that is for sure. Wonder if it would be limiting or cause issues?

There is a lab here on the site that is about setting up frame relay. You might check it out, not sure if it is what you need..

TechExams.Net CCNA TechLab: Configuring Frame Relay

Greenmet29

Sweet! That's exactly what I needed! Thanks a lot!

billyr

Here you go. See the attachment. Excuse my artistic abilities.

alan2308

geek4god wrote: »

Odd question related to this.. I have a bunch of T1 cards could I use a NM-8T1 in frame relay router and connect all of my routers to it using T1 cards and cat5?

Yes you can connect things up like this, but no, not with cat5. What you need is T1 crossover cables

How to Make a T1 Cross Over Cable.  T1 Cross over Cables.

geek4god

Thanks! I have not seen any labs setup that way.. Seems like the all use serial. Any others issues like maybe config issues or is it just a preference kind of thing?

alan2308

I'm not sure why it seems so much less common. I'm sure a lot of it is that a lot of people just don't know you can do it.

There's a couple things you'll have to worry about in the config, but it doesn't seem too bad:

Using the Cisco 2524-2525 Back-to-Back [Cisco 2500 Series Routers] - Cisco Systems

zerglings

I use NM-8A/S for my home lab. Here's how it looks like:

geek4god

zerglings the routers conected directly to eachother without going to the frame are connected how? Separate serial card or what?

QHalo

Multiple WIC's. You can tell by the interface numbering. It looks like he has the INE topology which is what I'd expect from someone pursuing CCIE.

How To Build A CCIE Rack | INE

zerglings

geek4god wrote: »

zerglings the routers conected directly to eachother without going to the frame are connected how? Separate serial card or what?

QHalo wrote: »

Multiple WIC's. You can tell by the interface numbering. It looks like he has the INE topology which is what I'd expect from someone pursuing CCIE.

Pretty much what he said. Though, the only one that has multiple WIC is the R3.

CyberNBD

I've seen it in several places, but is there a specific reason for also using direct router to router serial connections when you already have a frame relay cloud where you can make all connections?

Corndork2

I used a 3640 16F 64D with a NM-8a/s

Ive also used a 2520 in a lab environment.

You really don't need much to run a frame relay switch... just as many serial ports as you can get for the least amount of cash

geek4god

Yea, picked up a cheap 2610 and a NM-8A/S 8-Port..

jovan88

I use a 2600 with 4 WIC 1Ts (using a NW-2W), I've never really needed more than 4 devices connecting to the FR cloud.

lwwarner

I use a 26xx with a pair of WIC-2T cards installed plus an NM-16A. This way I get a 4 port FRS and my TS in a single rack slot, leaving more real estate for other toys!

Corndork2

Bill -

After that post, I also built out a 2620XM in the same fashion....great setup.