WIC-1T or the WIC-1DSU-T1?

My goal is to complete a home lab with three 2620 Routers three 2950 switches.

I already have 2 2950 switches and am about to pickup two 2620 routers that have available WIC slots but do not come with any.

Would it be recommended to pick up WIC-1T cards or the WIC-1DSU-T1.

Obviously cost is a factor in this project, I wouldn't want to spend more on the WIC cards than I did on the router itself.

ALSO, thinking ahead, it seems I can get my hands on some Cisco 2500 series routers that I can use later as a frame relay device or access server.

So considering that, the WICs I pick up now may or may not have ramifications for that later.

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Comments

JeanM

Up to you... there is also WIC-2T so you get 2 serial interfaces with 1 card.

4_lom

Get the Wic-1T. The WIC-1DSU-T1's are for T1 lines, and this is not covered in the CCNA.

spd3432

The answer is "it depends". If you have 2500s in the mix, I believe the serial port is the same as on the WIC-1T cards. If you get the WIC-2Ts, its the smaller connector and uses a different cable. To set up frame relay, you need three routers, four serial interfaces, and two cables. The cable connectors will have to match the serial interfaces on the routers.

The 2500s don't have interchangable network modules, so there's specific models you'd need to look for if you're seeking one to use as an access server.

I've not attempted to configure frame relay using the WIC-1DSU-T1s (if I get a chance, I'll try it tonight) but they are recognized by the IOS as serial cards and with some CAT-5 and a set of crimpers, you can make your own T1 crossover cables and connect them to each other.

itgl72

Thanks for the feedback thus far. I think I do prefer the WIC-1T cards for now, however they seem a few bucks more expensive. Oh well, can't have it all. I'll keep searching. Between cablesandkits and ebay I usually find a good deal.

JeanM

Keep in mind also they do have cables that are smart serial on one end and serial db60 on another, so you can easily mix and match wic1t and wic2t depending on what you need.

alan2308

4_lom wrote: »

Get the Wic-1T. The WIC-1DSU-T1's are for T1 lines, and this is not covered in the CCNA.

True, but the WIC-1DSU-T1 not much more difficult to figure out and use, plus the modules and cables are cheaper.

spd3432

Spent a few minutes. It is possible to do the frame-relay with the WIC1-DSU-T1. I don't know how they cost compare with the WIC-1T / WIC-2T but it would have to be compatible interfaces on each end of the cable.

DSU-FR.jpg

itgl72

Thanks for looking that up. Im going to go have a look at the cable options in the morning. As a side note, and good FYI I found this piece of info on the cisco support forum that may be of interest to others trying to do the same:

https://supportforums.cisco.com/thread/2028581

itgl72

Anyone know if there is a crossover cable that would allow one end to be T1 (ie: WIC-1DSU-T1) and the other end a DB25 RS232 DTE Male which I believe would plug into a 2500 series router?

awitt11

I used WIC-1DSU-T1 in my setup because of the cost of a serial DCE-DTE cable. The configuration is different, but experimentation and learning is what this is all about.

JeanM

awitt11 wrote: »

I used WIC-1DSU-T1 in my setup because of the cost of a serial DCE-DTE cable. The configuration is
different, but experimentation and learning is what this is all about.

Dantrak sells these cables CHEAP in case anybody is looking and does not want to spend 3x-4x as much on cisco cable.

itgl72

Going the WIC-1DSU-T1 route.

heh, I said route...

Maybe I'll get lucky down the line and find a lot of WIC-1DSU-T1 at a fair price, and another good deal on a modular router I can make a FR out of that.

Lab is coming together.

cpartin

The only problem that I've found with using WIC-1DSU-T1's is the low port density compared to the serial cards. You're stuck with 1 port per slot. If you're only going to have 2-3 routers that's not a huge deal but it will limit how creative you can get with topologies and if you decide to grow your lab that will get even worse. But they are substantially cheaper and the cables are basically free if you have a crimper and some cat5 laying around.

They do make multiport T1 cards (NM-4T1-IMA) but apparently FR isn't supported on them.
Inverse Multiplexing for ATM (IMA) FAQ* [Inverse Multiplexing over ATM (IMA)] - Cisco Systems

As for the T1 <-> RS-232 cable that's not possible.
https://learningnetwork.cisco.com/thread/44258