Lab for CCNA then CCNP

DashikDashik Member Posts: 7 ■□□□□□□□□□
in CCNA & CCENT
Hi.

I need to change career back to IT although due to my partner having Breast Cancer this has been delayed a little while she was undergong treatment.

I was previously a Senior Field Support Engineer in a past life ;) a few years ago and was involved with basic network support (swap and reconfigure routers/switches etc). I got the inhouse company CCNA course from a CCIE but we did not get the exam.

So I'm going for CCENT/ICND1 in about 3 weeks followed asap (probably another 3 to 4 weeks) after with ICND2 for CCNA. I then plan on going for CCNP fairly rapidly after.

So I was looking at the following kit for CCENT/CCNA -

CISCO 2610XM FAST Ethernet Router 32mb Flash / 128 mb Dram IOS 12.4 Adv Security with 4 Serial Interfaces
CISCO 2610XM FAST Ethernet Routers 16mb Flash / 64 mb Dram IOS 12.4 Adv Security with Serial Interface
Cisco 2620 FAST Ethernet Routers 16mb Flash / 64 mb Dram IOS 12.4 Adv Security with Serial Interface

(2 x WIC-1T for the 2600 routers (100% Genuine Cisco)
(1 x NM-4A/S comes with 2600 Router 100% Genuine Cisco)
A Cisco 2950-24 Port Cost effective Switch with an Enhanced IOS
A Cisco 2950-24 Port Cost effective Switch with an Enhanced IOS

Cables & Other Stuff to go with the Lab.
2 x Back to Back DCE/DTE Serial Crossover Cable,

3x Cat 5e Straight through Crossover Cables,
5 x UK power cables (uk/ireland),
3x Cat 5e Crossover Cables,
1 x Console Cable

I can get it for around £250 from ebay (it's a 12 Port Networks kit) CISCO Lab CCNA CCENT CCNP CCIE(Router Switch WIC-1T 2610XM 2600 2620 2950 ) | eBay

So I think it should be ok for CCNA but what would I need to add/change for CCNP?

Thanks in advance for the feedback.

James
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Comments

  • alan2308alan2308 CISSP, MCSA 2008, MCSA 2012, CCNA R&S, CCNA Security Ann Arbor, MIMember Posts: 1,854 ■■■■■■■■□□
    The equipment you're considering is fine, but we generally recommend staying away from the prebuilt kits and looking at piecing the lab together yourself. You usually save money doing it yourself. But I'll leave it to someone from the UK to chime in on whether or not that's a good price for the equipment.

    For the CCNP, you'll probably need one more router and a couple of L3 switches (you may be able to get away with one, but most generally recommend 2). The 3550 or 3560 are the commonly used models.
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  • matt333matt333 Senior Member Bay AreaMember Posts: 246 ■■■■□□□□□□
    Save your money, CCNA doesn't require a physical lab.. i used packet tracer and passed without any problem.

    Packet tracer is GREAT. free, portable and easy to use. personal I dont see the appeal of spending money on physical equipment on a "entry-level" cert if I dont HAVE to, you can always buy it later. Up to you tho

    CCNP, yes you should get a lab together Packet tracer doesn't have L3 switches
    Studying: Automating Everything, network API's, Python etc.. 
    Certifications: CCNP, CCDP, JNCIS-DevOps, JNCIS-ENT
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  • antohesorinantohesorin Member Posts: 8 ■□□□□□□□□□
    Well, he said that he will go for the CCNP after he gets his CCNA. I also saw this on ebay uk, is 235 GBP a good price for this package?
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  • DashikDashik Member Posts: 7 ■□□□□□□□□□
    Thanks for that Guys.

    I'm thinking of getting the starter kit as its always good to have some 'Hands on' and I can use it pretty much straight after CCNA for CCNP with the addition of a couple of L3 switches
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  • SomnipotentSomnipotent Member Posts: 384
    Dashik wrote: »
    Thanks for that Guys.

    I'm thinking of getting the starter kit as its always good to have some 'Hands on' and I can use it pretty much straight after CCNA for CCNP with the addition of a couple of L3 switches

    you'll eventually want an access server (a 2511 or a 26XX with an NM16AS) and something dinky for a Frame Switch + 8/16 port module installed. You won't really even need hardware until you hit SWITCH. but i'm a rack junkie myself so hardware FTW.
    Reading: Internetworking with TCP/IP: Principles, Protocols, and Architecture (D. Comer)
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  • JeanMJeanM Member Posts: 1,117
    Yep, if you have room and cash for even the lowly 2950/26xx you can't go wrong with these for lab/practice :)
    2015 goals - ccna voice / vmware vcp.
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  • zrockstarzrockstar Member Posts: 378
    matt333 wrote: »
    Save your money, CCNA doesn't require a physical lab.. i used packet tracer and passed without any problem.

    Packet tracer is GREAT. free, portable and easy to use. personal I dont see the appeal of spending money on physical equipment on a "entry-level" cert if I dont HAVE to, you can always buy it later. Up to you tho

    CCNP, yes you should get a lab together Packet tracer doesn't have L3 switches

    Well Packet Tracer isn't free. It is free to Academy students. Other than that it is illegal. Maybe he isn't attending a Cisco academy and actually has a conscience?
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  • X10MMXX10MMX Member Posts: 81 ■■□□□□□□□□
    I agree with Alan.. I would defo put the lab together yourself. My lab I brought 5 2950's for £95 and 5 2611xm for £150. The other bits and pieces you can get separately. It depends if your patient enough to keep looking around on eBay. I manage to pick up a 3550 for £70 as well.. :)
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  • petedudepetedude Member Posts: 1,510
    zrockstar wrote: »
    Well Packet Tracer isn't free. It is free to Academy students. Other than that it is illegal. Maybe he isn't attending a Cisco academy and actually has a conscience?

    You could also buy a simulator such as the ones from Boson, or rent rack time.

    But rockstar, let's be reasonable-- the people who are using GNS3/Dynamips aren't completely following the rules either.
    Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there.
    --Will Rogers
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  • alxxalxx Member Posts: 755
    gsn3 it works very nicely for the routers
    CBT Nuggets


    If you can get all 2600xm's , preferably the 2621xm's or 2611xm's with two FE ports, you'll need it for ccnp.

    Avoid prebuilt kits unless you like getting ripped off.

    Other option is use the free online labs like packetlife.net and freeccnaworkbook.com
    or pay for some rack time.

    Paying for racktime should get you access to much newer equipment.

    Don't forget ine has their ccna vids for streaming for free at the moment.
    Goals CCNA by dec 2013, CCNP by end of 2014
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  • radixradix Member Posts: 34 ■■□□□□□□□□
    alxx wrote: »
    gsn3 it works very nicely for the routers
    CBT Nuggets.

    i get this Server not found: rtmpte:///cfx:80/st/ when i access the link
    If you ain't pissed off for greatness that means you're okay with being mediocre
    _________________________________________________________________
    Studying CCNA
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  • DashikDashik Member Posts: 7 ■□□□□□□□□□
    Ok so I'm happy to go the build it all myself route but as I understand it I need at least IOS 12.4 for most of the kit.

    So seeing as the routers and switches for these home labs are end of life/2nd hand where do I get a 12.4 IOS if none of the kit I buy has it already?

    I'm assuming I can of course backup the IOS on say a 2610XM and then use that to flash the others etc.

    Thanks again for the replys guys :D
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  • Darthn3ssDarthn3ss Member Posts: 1,096
    zrockstar wrote: »
    Well Packet Tracer isn't free. It is free to Academy students. Other than that it is illegal. Maybe he isn't attending a Cisco academy and actually has a conscience?

    If thats the case I sure hope he's got a service contract with Cisco for those IOS images.
    Fantastic. The project manager is inspired.

    In Progress: 70-640, 70-685
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  • DashikDashik Member Posts: 7 ■□□□□□□□□□
    Ok so I just pulled the trigger on this lot

    CISCO 2610XM FAST Ethernet Router 32mb Flash / 128 mb Dram IOS 12.4 Adv Security with 4 Serial Interfaces
    CISCO 2610XM FAST Ethernet Routers 16mb Flash / 64 mb Dram IOS 12.4 Adv Security with Serial Interface
    CISCO 2620 FAST Ethernet Routers 16mb Flash / 64 mb Dram IOS 12.4 Adv Security with Serial Interface

    (2 x WIC-1T for the 2600 routers (100% Genuine Cisco)
    (1 x NM-4A/S comes with 2600 Router 100% Genuine Cisco)
    A Cisco 2950-24 Port Cost effective Switch with an Enhanced IOS
    A Cisco 2950-24 Port Cost effective Switch with an Enhanced IOS

    £253 Delivered and I've had the memory etc maxed out.

    I know you can shop around and get a slightly better deal, and while I'm far from made of cash, what with my partners pending Cancer op, I decided just to get it and save faffing around for weeks trying to save £20.

    I'll add another couple of the Routers and a 3550 L3 Switch, which according to Wendel Odom's site CCNP Build Lists (who writes the Cisco CCNA Cert Guide) Gives me pretty much everything I need for a Large CCNP build after I get CCNA out of the way.

    Thanks for the feed-back guys its been very useful.

    I'll post pic when it all arrives.
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