Home Lab question

Hi all,

I'm new to the site and am putting together a home lab to study for my CCNA. I like the Ciscokits for their reputation and warranty, but the vendor on ebay appears to have newer equipment. 2600's vs 2500's, but one less switch. I also ordered the sybex book. I'm open to other options I haven't seen as well.

Thanks for the advice!

Jason

I'm considering two options

Option one
$489 free shipping from a vendor on ebay Horizon Datacom He has 99.9% positive feedback

Two 2610 - 64D/16F
One 2611 - 64D/16F
Two 2912-XL-EN
Two WIC-1T
One DTE/DCE cables (cab-crossover)
Two Crossover cables
Two Straight Through cables
One Console kit

Or

the Cisco CCNA 3 Router & 3 Switch Lab Kit!

from Ciscokits.com
It's about $399 or $540 with shipping and a 1 yr warranty. It includes

Three Cisco Routers
Two 2501 routers with16/16
One 2502 or 2504 router with 16/16 to act as mini frame-relay switch or middle router
Two transceivers(can't use the Ethernet port w/o them)
Two Cisco Back to Back Cables
Six Power Cables
Console cable
Console cable adapter
Three Cisco Switches
One 2924 or 2924-M switch supporting 12.0.05(the 2916 only supports 11.x)
Two 1900 Switches(upgrade to a 2924 for $69 each)
30 Day Warranty!
Additional Items Include:
12.3.24 Router IOS on CD
12.0.05 Enterprise IOS for the 2924 Switch
9.00.07 1900 Series Enterprise Switch IOS
TFTP Server & 8 other programs
50 Advanced Cisco Labs covering:
RIP, OSPF, IGRP, EIGRP, OSPF, BGP
IP & IPX Routing
Queueing, Multicast, DLSW
Appletalk, IP Firewall, HSRP, NAT
300 Cisco CCNA review questions
List of all Cisco CCNA router commands
List of all Cisco CCNA switch commands
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100+ articles covering Cisco concepts
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Comments

Netwurk

Horizon is a great company, but I wouldn't get a kit with two 2912's - you want at least one 2950

Ciscokits is OK, but definitely stay away from the kits that include 1900's. Upgrading to 2924's for $69 each is not worth it either as 2924's are only worth about $50 each (if that).

Shopping around and getting things piece by piece on ebay is usually the way to go. Think of it as having your lab grow as your knowledge grows.

dynamik

Welcome to the forums.

As far as switches go, don't waste your money on the 1900s, 2912s, or the 2924s. Look for 2950s or better.

Besides that, they both seem kind of expensive. I see 2610s on eBay now that are $65-100 with 2611s being slightly more.

I don't know how much weight I'd put on the warranty. As long as their guarantee that it won't be DOA, you should be fine. If it's not broken, it's really not too likely that it's just going to die.

There are many quality sellers on eBay that sell cisco gear, and you will save a decent amount of money if you put your lab together yourself. If you want to go with a kit, be sure to get one with better switches.

Also, be wary of all the free resources that come with kits. They may not be legitimate.

jakwi

Netwurk wrote:

Horizon is a great company, but I wouldn't get a kit with two 2912's - you want at least one 2950

Ciscokits is OK, but definitely stay away from the kits that include 1900's. Upgrading to 2924's for $69 each is not worth it either as 2924's are only worth about $50 each (if that).

Shopping around and getting things piece by piece on ebay is usually the way to go. Think of it as having your lab grow as your knowledge grows.

Thanks for the reply,

So what would you recommend for $500 to $600

It looks like 2950's can be had on ebay for $140 plus shipping
What about the routers? should I go with 2500's or 2600's? or a mix?
I found a 2610 with no modules for $125

How many of each do I realistically need?

Thanks for the help

jason

Netwurk

Here's what I would go for if I was building from scratch:

1 x 2621 or 2651 (non XM's with dual fast ethernet i/f's)
1 x 2500 (2501, 2514, or 2516)
2 x 2950

You'll need transceivers if you get a 2501 or 2514

After that, you can add routers as needed

and a third switch isn't bad for STP studies, it can even be a 2912 or 2924

There are better labs, but the above should be affordable

dynamik

No 2520 for frame relay?

Also, consider getting a 2509 or 2511 as an access server if you have the money.

Be sure to factor memory and modules into the equation as well. That "great deal" may not be so great after you've upgraded the memory, etc.

jakwi

Ok Here's what I've found

qty Model Price IOS ver Memory

one 2621 $235 12.3 64/16
or
one 2650 $138 ??? 128/32

one 2516 $120 11 16/4
or
one 2514 $135 12.3.2 16/16 w/transceiver

two 2950 $155ea 12.1 21/8

So I have a couple of questions

are these good prices?

is the memory sufficent?

Where there is an "OR" which of the two is the better deal?

How important is the IOS Version?

One of the above items comes with IOS12.3 on cd, can it be loaded on any cisco device with sufficient memory?

thanks again for the help,

Jason

jakwi

I almost forgot

one 2520 $143 ?? 16/16

All prices are with shipping

also do I need all of this stuff? anything else?

phantasm

Thos prices seem hi to me. You could get a 2610xm for $199.99 instead of the 2621 for $235. The 2610xm is capable of running 12.4 as well, you would just have to make sure it had enough memory.

Netwurk

Prices are high - there's a 2514 I just saw on ebay with a buy it now of $19.99

Take some time and shop around

freetech

To re-iterate what has been said, be patient.
Look at what an item has sold for in the past and set a reasonable limit in your mind and stick with it. Sometimes you may have to wait a few days for a good deal to come up.
Be patient and wait. Somebody who really wants to sell will come along.

dazerski

The more I read these "Home Lab" threads, the more I feel like I may have just wasted 100 dollars.

I was following what I thought was a good "Build a CCNA" home lab guides and I bought 2 2501's and a 1900 switch all together for about $100 including shipping.

Now I am thinking I may have just wasted my money. I haven't even got to the portion of my CCENT material where I would start using these but... is what I bought even going to be of any use?

If I am going to have to purchase more up-to-date routers and switches, can what I already have still be of any use?

Thanks,
Dale

Vito_Corleone

ddzierzek wrote:

The more I read these "Home Lab" threads, the more I feel like I may have just wasted 100 dollars.

I was following what I thought was a good "Build a CCNA" home lab guides and I bought 2 2501's and a 1900 switch all together for about $100 including shipping.

Now I am thinking I may have just wasted my money. I haven't even got to the portion of my CCENT material where I would start using these but... is what I bought even going to be of any use?

If I am going to have to purchase more up-to-date routers and switches, can what I already have still be of any use?

Thanks,
Dale

The routers should be fine for the CCENT, you don't go much beyond point to point connections. There isn't much, if anything, on the exam dealing with configuration of switches. If you're going for the CCNA eventually, I'd look into the 2600s and one or more 2950s.

dazerski

Great! Thank you! I feel a bit better now. I'll look for those other models once I get to that point.

mikej412

The 1900 lets you practice OSPF DR/BDR elections while you shop for the "good switches" -- and for the CCENT it would still work as a switch for when you practice backing up and restoring IOS files and configurations to a TFTP server.

The 2500 are still good little routers -- but you'll also want something that lets you do 802.1q trunking for router-on-a-stick intervlan routing. Any 100 Mb interface router (except the 1720) should let you do it, or you can use a cheap 2610 with the proper IOS which will let you do it on the 10Mb interface.

Your other consideration will be SDM -- check the CCNA FAQ for more information.

Some people get by with just 2 switches, even through 3 are preferred -- so you could use the 1900 as a 3rd or 4th switch when you get heavily into the CCNA switching sections. It is fun watching the 1900 get elected root bridge because of its MAC address.

dynamik

mikej412 wrote:

It is fun watching the 1900 get elected root bridge because of its MAC address.

"What are you going to do with your Friday night?"

"I'm going to watch my 1900 get elected root bridge. It's fun."

It's funny (or sad, depending on your perspective) because it's true. I'm going to work on ICND2 all night

Also, ddzierzek, don't feel bad about wasting money while learning about home labs. I've wasted over $100, and I've seen others who have wasted much more than me. It's a learning process; don't beat yourself up over it.

dazerski

Thank you for all the info! today is payday, I will troll ebay tonight and get some more gear now that I have a better understanding on what is needed.

Thanks!

mwgood

Piecing your own lab together is probably the better way to go - just make sure that you don't forget to include the right cards and cables. This delays gratification, but you learn more that way.

For example - if you get a "modular" router such as the 2600 series - make sure you also get the appropriate T1 card(s) for your serial port(s). Check to see whether they have an integrated DSU, or whether it is a 60-pin connection requiring a V.35 cable. You will need the appropriate cross-over cable to connect your serial connections. IOS versions, RAM, Flash, etc are all important as well - but usually not too much of an issue.

The 2500s are a steal since they are so cheap, and they have their serial ports fixed in the router itself. Make sure you get an ethernet transceiver for the ethernet port when there is no RJ-45 jack available on the router.

CCNA students should probably skip the 1900 & low end 2900 switches, IMO. Best just to start with a 2950 switch.

The "frame-relay switch" is optional for a CCNA student, though a good idea to best practice setting up frame relay and getting used to the commands and config. Even more optional (though nice) is a terminal server like a 2509 or 2511. Fun to play with, and convenient - but not required for a CCNA. If you do get a terminal server - make sure you get an octal cable to break out your console connections - and be sure they terminate in RJ-45 connectors.

This is probably not required, but it's also a good idea to get yourself some unterminated ethernet cable, crimpers, and rj-45 connectors and practice making some straight-through and cross-over cables. Use a cross-over to connect a router to a PC, or to connect two routers via ethernet. Just for practice and basic networking literacy.

As to the question of how many to buy of what - each to their own, I suppose. I passed my CCNA having used some simulators and a couple of loaned routers for a short period of time. I now have a collection of 2501 routers, 2610XM modular routers, 2950 switches, a 2511 terminal server, and a 2521 "frame-switch." It just depends on how much you want to spend and how much "hands on" you think you need. An "average" CCNA lab would be fine, I think, with a 2501 (w/ transceiver), a 2610XM with 12.4 (for SDM), 2 2950 switches (vlans, vtp, trunking, etc), and a 2500 series frame-switch. On this scenario, you should have a couple cross-over cables for your serial connections, 1 transceiver for your 2501, a serial card or two for your 2600 router. There are many variations on this theme - but this would be a good start.

Also go here - http://www.techexams.net/techlabs/ccna/lab_fr.shtml for help setting up your frame-switch and frame-relay network.

Also, go over all the resources here - http://www.techexams.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=7268 if you haven't already.

Finally, you'll want to ask yourself whether you really need to expose yourself to the newish SDM. If so - make sure you get a router and IOS that support it, such as a 2610XM with 12.4.

Vito_Corleone

I didn't think to post this earlier, but now that it's getting technical, here's Wendell Odom's blog:

http://www.networkworld.com/community/odom

He has 5ish posts dedicated to building a CCNA lab (he follows it with posts about a CCNP lab also), it's good info.

One thing to definitely look out for is equipment with less than max memory. You will usually need max memory on older devices if you want to use the newest (for that model) IOS versions with the most features. I'm learning this the hard was with my 2611 and 3640..

Netwurk

It's not hard to upgrade memory or flash. The modules for the 2500 and 2600's are pretty affordable. I upgraded my 2500's to 16/16 a while back with no problems.

dazerski

Again, thank you all for the info. Last night I just purchased a 2610 off of ebay for $55 dollars. The ad said it had version 12.3 on it.

It is my understanding (and most likely misunderstood) that I can upload the 12.3 IOS to a TFTP server and then replace the IOS's on my 2501's?

Am I even in the ball park on that assumption?

If not, all is well because now I'll have three routers to play with anyways.

--Dale

Netwurk

ddzierzek wrote:

It is my understanding (and most likely misunderstood) that I can upload the 12.3 IOS to a TFTP server and then replace the IOS's on my 2501's?

Am I even in the ball park on that assumption?

You need a 2500 version of the 12.3 IOS. The 2600 version ain't gonna work.

lildeezul

You need a 2500 version of the 12.3 IOS. The 2600 version ain't gonna work.

Yep, Cisco IOS' are made specifically for their intentioned device. Such as, cisco 2600 ios is made for cisco 2600 series routers, and none else, cisco 2500 ios' is made for cisco 2500 series routers and ect.

hope this clears this up.

dazerski

DOH!

Alrighty... well... I'll see if I can pick up the 2500 with 12.3 off of ebay as well... then I'll have 4 routers in my home lab. I guess more couldn't hurt.

Thank you for the help!

Dale

yukky

lildeezul wrote:

You need a 2500 version of the 12.3 IOS. The 2600 version ain't gonna work.

Yep, Cisco IOS' are made specifically for their intentioned device. Such as, cisco 2600 ios is made for cisco 2600 series routers, and none else, cisco 2500 ios' is made for cisco 2500 series routers and ect.

hope this clears this up.

Yup, some are even specialized for a single type of machine! ie: the 2691 needs its own blend of IOS.

itdaddy

ddzierzek

dude totally cool avatar! freaking coool!

Mystery69

ok, just picked up a 2516 router of ebay for $35 shipped and realized that it doesn't support FastEthernet(yeah, I know). Now I have a 2620 router and a 2516 router(I'm just starting to build). I will also be getting a couple of 2950s and a 2612 router soon, but for now my questions is: In this scenario how should I setup this 2516 router? Will it work with my other equipment? What purpose can it serve? Should I get rid of it?

I appreciate your help in advance!

Netwurk

The 2516 router will work with your other equipment.

Also, you won't need a transceiver with it. Just remember that it's a hub, so in most cases you'll just want to use one of the ports. There's console, aux, and BRI (ISDN) ports too, so make sure you use the right one.

Mystery69

great, and what about compatibility? say I'm configuring a 2620 and 2516, will 2620 work at 10mbps ?

Also, in a scenario of 3 routers and 2 switches, where would be best to place the 2516?

Thanks.

Slowhand

Something worth noting, if you're putting together a lab. In leau of the 2500 and 2600-series routers, you may want to have a look around eBay for 3640 and 1721 routers. They'll the 12.4 version of the IOS, support a lot of the cards you'll need for various lab-tasks, and are fairly inexpensive. Plus, if you plan on going on to CCNP, CCIE, or otherwise, those routers will still be excellent for your lab. Something to think about, as you're looking around for equipment.

Mystery69

thanks for the advise, 3640 is a bit expensive, but 1721 I'll definitely look into. But as of now, I'm deciding on what to do with already purchased 2516