2x Cisco 2501 Routers - Lab & IOS questions!

qsub

I'm pretty close to purchasing these routers I just need a bit moe information please bare with me.

- What's the latest IOS for these routers? I tried looking on the cisco website and I couldn't find any information abouve 2500 series routers or the IOS. But what I wanted to also know was, what's the minimum flash/dram memory it required

- Another question I had about this was will I be able to use this aswell for the CCNP exam or will I need to be getting rid of these 2501 routers and purchasing 2x 2503 series router since they have a ISDN connector.

- Last thing, is there any online websites that have labs I could do?

and that's all i was wondering

oh and here's the kit I was getting

2x CISCO2501 with max memory 16D/16F
2x Ethernet Transceivers (makes the ethernet port on the router into RJ-45 for your cables)
2x DTE/DCE cables for connecting the serial ports
console cables and power cords

That should be all I need to prep me for the CCNA exam correct?

Thanks!

EdTheLad

I think the best IOS you could get for those routers would be rel 12.2.29
Enterprise Plus,this requires 16/16.Software code is c2500-js-l.122-29.bin
You will be able to use these for CCNP but you will need to add alot to your lab.This is a basic lab which will do for CCNA it would be nice to have a couple of switch too,but its not 100% necessary.

2lazybutsmart

My 2520s run IOS 12.3. I just wish my other 2600s were running that version.

But hey, remember IOS 12.3 doesn't support IGRP. It only supports IGRP for OSI networks (which I frankly have no idea what it is ). Strange but true.

2lbs.

QUIX0TIC

Whether you are moving on to NP or any further certification... the 2501 will be useful. They might not be your primary routers but you can defintely use them for a backbone router or intermediate routers.

2503s are good only for the ISDN interface they provide but when you start purchasing more advanced routers... you can get the ISDN on the WICs. All you will really need is 2 routers that have the ability to use ISDN for studies. Most labs out there will only use two routers for ISDN.

Whatever you pick up... your next purchase should aim for:
1. 2950 switches (expensive but you only need 1 but two helps for use of VLANs and trunking.)
2. 2509 or 2511 terminal server. I recently got the 2511-RJ which looks like a big switch but it is only for console cables and you do not need the octal cables. (I always hated purchasing the octal cables bc they seemed to always break on me)
3. 26xx series routers. If you can... try to pick up a cheap 2621 with 2 FE so you can do VLAN routing. There are IOSs out there that will allow it to use a 10mb port but too much hassle just to find that one code that will be out of sync with the rest of the code.

Even though it is extra money... always try to get enough Dram/ Flash so you can put an Enterprise plus IOS on there. It helps.