how to choose the IOS to install to your router

esswok

My routers are 2600 series I have 1

1 is a 2610;
other is a 2612

can any 2600~2691 IOS be installed on this router a 2600 series router?

Do you just keep trying different files and whatever hyperterminal will load is good?

Are their any IOS in this series which are more benificial to use?

mikej412

The 2691 routers have their own specific IOS images that start with C2691.

A 2610 or 2612 is limited by which image can fit in it's FLASH -- and the DRAM required to run it. In a lab, some of the later C2600 images that are for the 2600XM routers and too big to fit in a 2610 router's FLASH may be able to run after booting the image via TFTP server -- but since a MAXED 2610 may not meet the minimum DRAM requirement, it make flake and crash if you push the router to hard in your lab.

For an older router like the 2610 or 2612 you'd want to run at least an IP Plus image -- but if you can find an Enterprise Plus that will fit in memory, that would be even better.

You can ponder the supported IOS images using the Cisco IOS Feature Navigator: Cisco Feature Navigator - Cisco Systems

For the old routers, you usually want to max out the DRAM and FLASH and run the biggest and baddest IOS Feature set available -- and the last and highest version number available.