CCNA/CCNP Lab equipment recommendation

mikesz

Hi All,
can you please recommend switches and routers combination?

Thank you

Mikesz

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Comments

networker050184

Do a search through the forum and read through the sticky. This question has been answered numerous times. If you have any specific questions after that I'm sure someone will be willing to help out.

darkerz

Not to brag, but my 2 page topic on the matter pretty much ended up answering the question for myself and went beyond the scope of just building it.

Search function my good friend.

brad-

mikesz wrote: »

Hi All,
can you please recommend switches and routers combination?

Thank you

Mikesz

I started with 3 2610xm routers and 2 2950 switches. That has gotten me through ccent, and i suspect will get me through ccna. what you need to consider is what kind of connection your routers will have to each other. I used WIC-1T's and a NM-AS/4.

You also need to be able to run IOS 12.4 on at least 1 router to use the SDM.

That worked for me, but look around at what others suggest. GL.

darkerz

brad- wrote: »

I started with 3 2610xm routers and 2 2950 switches. That has gotten me through ccent, and i suspect will get me through ccna. what you need to consider is what kind of connection your routers will have to each other. I used WIC-1T's and a NM-AS/4.

You also need to be able to run IOS 12.4 on at least 1 router to use the SDM.

That worked for me, but look around at what others suggest. GL.

Or, listen to this guy.

I'd recommend investing in a third 3550-emi or 3560 after CCNA, and perhaps a third 2950 switch.

After that, look into GNS3 for router EMULATION and get some of those 1k+ routers loaded up via emulated IOS and interconnect your home lab with the virtualized one.

When you find that near-arousing, you know networking is for you.

mikesz

Guys, is this a good deal: Cisco Lab CCNA CCNP ( 2950 2620XM 2924 Router Switch ) | eBay UK - ideally I would like to add another 2950, so I can properly lab RSTP.

Thanks