How to make use of some old equipment?

Cerebro

A friend has given me some equipment he wasn't using, and I'm enquiring as to what upgrades I can make, and how best I can use the equipment.

1 x 2610XM router
2 x 1720 routers

None have wic cards.

Thanks.

DCD

All you can do is pick up some WIC and max out the memory in the routers and add a couple of switches to the mix.

alxx

Add wics but first get it running and work out what capabilities they have.

What ios versions , how much ram and flash and if they have any other hardware (encryption cards etc).

Wics + cables, update ios if ram and flash allow, maybe up ram and flash depending on cost.

The 2610xm is a lot more useful than the 1720's - 1720's (not 1721's) are rather limited in the amount of ram and flash you can install which in turn limits the ios versions.
All still can be used for labbing and practise.