New CCNA student with some questions.

xbuzz

Hello guys. I just started studying for my CCENT a few days ago, plan to take my ICND1 in first week of next month hopefully (i've alot of time to study atm, already most way through CBTNuggets video and Odoms book).

I decided to buy a lab that would see me through CCNA to be a good base for further studies, but they haven't arrived yet.
2x CISCO2610XM
1x CISCO2610XM Dual Serial interfaces
2x WS-C2950-12

They should arrive today hopefully, but I read that even if you have the gear, it would be worth getting familiar with some simulation software. I downloaded GNS3, but it seems I need an IOS file image, which you can only download from cisco. I don't currently work for any company I could get the IOS off, but since I have bought some routers, would that give the rights to download the IOS software (if so how would I go about it?) or is it possible to pull a copy of the IOS off the routers/switches myself to use in GNS3 (and is this legal etc)?

Any help is appreciated, thanks.

GOZCU

I recommend you to stick with your hardware for now. It is for sure enough for CCNA exam. I have almost the same lab. Also it is possible to connect your lab to GNS3 and use them at the same time.I took the IOS files from my university but I don't know how to find them normally at the public places. Still, if you can not, dont worry. Your lab will get you to the CCNA

alexotec

If you really want to use simulation software and can't use GNS3, Packet Tracer is suitable for CCNA. It has all the commands you need for your CCNA. Of course your own labs are always better.

xbuzz

Yeah guys, thanks for help. Guess i'm just itching to start on the IOS as havent touched it yet but am close to finishing videos/books. I'll look into trying to connecting the gear to gns when I get them if I get bored. Otherwise i'll give packet tracer a go.

xbuzz

Gear just arrive, holy fook, have 1 running and it's loud as hell lol.

blindrox

You can copy your IOS file(s) from your routers to your PC using TFTP. Then you can use that IOS to simulate additional routers via GNS3

xbuzz

Ah thanks blindrox, just what I was looking for, thanks.

xbuzz

Wow, hectic week, but i've gotten through all of the material for ICND1 exam. Gonna book the test for sometime next week.

Gotta say having the home lab is great starting off. I ran into a few problems that took me along time to sort out, that looking back now seems like OMG NOOB problems, but ones I wouldn't have run into had I not have bought the gear.

Tbh though, I think gear might be a hindrance in CCENT. I speant HOURS upon HOURS trying to get 2 routers to speak to eachother lol. I was 3/4 way through the course work and thought it should be no problem. I had watched loads of videos from jeremy and chris bryant when they were doing basic routing between at least 2 routers so I thought I could do the same, except when they connected their routers, they magically appeared to be connected from the offset, whereas mine wouldn't. Little did I know, they had already configured them!

Spent hours trying to figure it out. Problem 1 was I didn't realise how dte/dce cables effected connections, and problem 2 was that I didn't know how to set an encapsulation protocol between the routers, all of which were in the last few videos of the series, which was abit frustrating, but the joy of getting the first ping packet through was immense!!

So my advise to anyone else getting gear when started ICND1, is don't try connecting routers, unti you've gone through most of the materials, cause you'll just get frustrated as hell!

Definitely hooked and looking forward to the test and getting started on ICND2!

Roguetadhg

The encapsulation wasn't set to HDLC between the routers?

xbuzz

Tbh, i'm not sure. When I couldn't get a connection I started googling how to do it. I started messing with frame relays etc, but still couldn't get a connection (obviously wasn't doing it right), so i'm not sure what the default settings were for encapsulation etc.

I tried HDLC earlier today after watching the video, but it didn't work, then I tried PPP and got a connection, that was the first time I got them communicating. Just gonna try out some of the routing for the rest of today, then tommorrow i'll go back and wipe the configs, and try and get the routers connected again via hdlc to see where I get went wrong the first time.

Roguetadhg

If they're cisco routers, HDLC is the default for serial interfaces. I say HDLC as "Cisco's HDLC".

If they're not cisco routers, then you'd need PPP for them to talk. HDLC is proprietary on the cisco routers, I believe. I'm not sure about the compatability of other router's. Juniper, etc.

xbuzz

I just erased both the startup configs to see if they would communicate via HDLC.

I got it communicating now via HDLC. The first time I tried it, I guess I didn't set the clock rate on the DCE device (or any device) as I hadn't read up on the sections involving that! :P