How to best make use of these routers?

kryowyrm

Hi everyone,


I'm a long time lurker here, but this will be my first post.


First off thanks to everyone here for making this site what it is. It was instrumental in getting me through the process of getting my A+ and Network+ Certs.

I'm currently studying for CCNA. My work was getting rid of some old equipment this week and I was given 6 old routers, and I'm wondering how best to make use of them.

5x Cisco 1760
1x Cisco 2610

They have quite a few cards installed in them as well, a number of which I have no idea the function of.

5x WIC1 DSU T1
4x WIC1 DSU T1V2
5x VIC2 FX0
1x VWIC1 MFT-T1
1x WIC1 ADSL
1x WIC4 ESW


This just happened so I have not had a chance to open up or test any of them. I was thinking since 3 routers is most often the number I see thrown around for labs that I might take cards and memory from a couple and only keep 3 running(space and wife constraints)

Anyway, I'd like your opinions on what to do with what I have and what might be the best additions to have a decent hardware lab starting from this list.

Thanks again for all your help TE!

Zartanasaurus

You have a complete Cisco lab on your hands as far as routers go. Sell off the WICs and use the money to buy WICs with serial ports. Maybe the VICs would come in useful for a Voice Lab, I dunno. You could sell off 2 of the 1760s to fund 2950 purchases too. That's a pretty lucky deal there for getting started on CCNA. Just be patient with the 1760s, they are very slow.

bub9001

Also let me know if your wanting to sell a few of those Cisco 1760 routers. I am trying to pickup some Routers and Switches for my CCNA lab.

Thanks

kryowyrm

Thanks for the replies. Bub you get first dibs once I decide what I'm doing.

So should I keep 3 1760s or is there any reason to keep 2 1760s and the 2610?

Jollycork

I've bought some really cheap cisco 2950 switches and some routers and IP phones from them. as others mentioned, definitely need at least 1 switch [2950] . and the WIC-DSU/CSU 1Ts for each. They work great on 1760s as I've got 3 of them for my voice lab. [which is really what you got there with the 1760s and all the voice cards]. you "could" keep the 2610 , buy a NM -4AS for frame-relay, if you want to study voice, if those 1760s have Cisco Callmanager Express on it, you can setup a whole voice lab there [need switches], [and IP Communicator or some IP phones]