CCNA Voice, CCVP

Hello experts, I'd like to set up a ccna voice lab that will allow me to add more devices to later for CCVP lab. Can u guys pls help me out on the basic and cheapest devices I can lay my hand on for these labs? I've got a 877w router already.

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mikej412

Did you check out the CCVP FAQ?

And if you just poke through the CCVP Forum you should find a few more recent Voice Lab threads.

For the CCNA Voice a UC520 is what the exam is based on (according to the exam blueprint) -- but you should be able to get by with something like a 2650XM w/AIM-CUE module (and voice module/voice interfaces) and a few phones. A 2nd voice router to connect to acting as the PSTN or HQ would be nice.

You can just page through the CCNA:Voice Forum and find some of the CCNA:Voice Lab threads and equipment suggestions (or someone can post their favorite CCNA:Voice Lab links here and I'll sneak them into the CCVP when I update it next).

mathelize

Thanks for your reply, will i be able to perform all commands on the 2650xm because jeremy suggests buying a 2800 series router.

Fish!

You don't need a 2801. I really don't know what Jeremy was thinking with that reccomendation. A 2650xm with max mem running CME is a fantastic budget start to a CCNA:V lab. You can lab about 60% of what the CCNA:V covers. Add another router with FXS and maybe FXO ports and you can lab dial-peers. Add a catalyst 2950 and you can lab voice vlans. Add a Cisco IP phone or two and you can test your configs. That is about what my lab consisted of and it was comprehensive to a price point. See my thread in the CCNA:V forum on my lab.

An AIM-CUE is spendy, but adds experience with Unity Express. I went without, and read up on it a little extra, and watched The CBTN videos on it twice.

What you won't get with all that gear is experience with the UC520 gui (CCA). Unfortunately, most folks don't have $2k to spend on lab gear for an associate level cert. Worse, the CBT Nuggets videos do a poor job of covering the UC520 gui. There is good news though - the CCNA:V Cisco Press book does a good job of covering the CCA. The BEST reference for studying the UC520 gui in my opinion is the CCNA:V Quick Reference by Valentine. Add that to your study materials and you will be good to go.

Good luck!

mikej412

If you have the money (and want to spend it) I'd actually suggest getting some 2811 Routers and trick them out for voice. I most recently mentioned that in this post: http://www.techexams.net/forums/ccvp/39842-ccvp-home-lab-enough.html#post305519

Most people who don't have state of the art work or school lab to use are usually on a smaller budget when it comes to building a home lab.

mathelize

This might sound stupid because i'm asking too many questions. I've just bought a 2950 switch, already have a 877w router and still have about £700 to spend, any advice on what to buy please? Can u just explain to me what I need to do to get the lab up and running, the voice modules, IP phones and other neccessary stuffs? Is the 877w useful at all? I saw one 1811 on ebay for £600.

Fish!

Assumption: A lab for CCNA:Voice and you plan to look at the CCVP down the road.

Given that you have an 877w and Cat 2950 switch, Work your way from the top to the bottom of the list until you run out of money.

1. CCNA:Voice Cisco Press Book
2. CCNA:Voice Quick Reference by Michael Valentine (Cisco Press)
3. CBT Nuggets CCNA:Voice 640-460 series
4. 26xxXM router - This will be your CME router. The single ethernet models (2650xm, 2620xm, and 2610xm) are generally cheaper than the two ethernet models (2651xm, 2621xm, 2611xm). You don't need two ethernet ports for a CME router. Max out the memory (256 meg total - 2x128M Dimms) and 48 meg flash (add a 32M flash simm to the 16 soldered on board). You may have to upgrade the boot roms (Cisco P/N BOOT-2600XM-256, there is a guy on ebay with them for $15) if your router doesn't already have Bootrom version 12.2(8r).
5. Cisco IP Phones - 7960G is nice with 6 buttons, but a two line 7940G will do. Basically you want two phones at a minimum, one should have as many buttons as you can afford, the other can be a two line or even a lowly one line 7912G if price is an issue. Make sure you buy power bricks too if your switch isn't PoE.
6. Another 26xxXM router with NM-2V and VIC-2FXS card -OR- a 1760 (or 1761-v) with PVDM module and VIC-2FXS card. Maybe even a 1751-v with VIC-2FXS would do. In any case, you are looking for a cheap router with DSP's that can support a cheap VIC-2FXS card. This router will let you practice dial peers with the CME box. The 26xxXM doesn't need max memory, nor does the 1760(v). The NM-2V adds DSP resources to the 26xxXM to support the VIC-2FXS. The PVDM adds DSP resources to the 1760. The VIC-2FXS allows you to plug a plain old POTS phone in and test dial peers by calling your CME IP Phones.
7. VIC-2FXO card to interface the whole thing with the POTS line coming in to your house.
8. AIM-CUE to play with Unity Express voicemail.
9. UC520 $$$$$$$
10. Cisco IIUC training class.

mathelize

Fish! wrote: »

Assumption: A lab for CCNA:Voice and you plan to look at the CCVP down the road.

Given that you have an 877w and Cat 2950 switch, Work your way from the top to the bottom of the list until you run out of money.

1. CCNA:Voice Cisco Press Book
2. CCNA:Voice Quick Reference by Michael Valentine (Cisco Press)
3. CBT Nuggets CCNA:Voice 640-460 series
4. 26xxXM router - This will be your CME router. The single ethernet models (2650xm, 2620xm, and 2610xm) are generally cheaper than the two ethernet models (2651xm, 2621xm, 2611xm). You don't need two ethernet ports for a CME router. Max out the memory (256 meg total - 2x128M Dimms) and 48 meg flash (add a 32M flash simm to the 16 soldered on board). You may have to upgrade the boot roms (Cisco P/N BOOT-2600XM-256, there is a guy on ebay with them for $15) if your router doesn't already have Bootrom version 12.2(8r).
5. Cisco IP Phones - 7960G is nice with 6 buttons, but a two line 7940G will do. Basically you want two phones at a minimum, one should have as many buttons as you can afford, the other can be a two line or even a lowly one line 7912G if price is an issue. Make sure you buy power bricks too if your switch isn't PoE.
6. Another 26xxXM router with NM-2V and VIC-2FXS card -OR- a 1760 (or 1761-v) with PVDM module and VIC-2FXS card. Maybe even a 1751-v with VIC-2FXS would do. In any case, you are looking for a cheap router with DSP's that can support a cheap VIC-2FXS card. This router will let you practice dial peers with the CME box. The 26xxXM doesn't need max memory, nor does the 1760(v). The NM-2V adds DSP resources to the 26xxXM to support the VIC-2FXS. The PVDM adds DSP resources to the 1760. The VIC-2FXS allows you to plug a plain old POTS phone in and test dial peers by calling your CME IP Phones.
7. VIC-2FXO card to interface the whole thing with the POTS line coming in to your house.
8. AIM-CUE to play with Unity Express voicemail.
9. UC520 $$$$$$$
10. Cisco IIUC training class.

Thanks a lot fish, I'll take it step by step

mathelize

I can't find the book by Valentine but found the one by Jeremy. Ebay and Amazon, no joy.
I got one 7940g, two 7910 phones and NM-2v module today. Still searching for 2 affordable 2600xm routers. By this weekend, things should be up and running. Can i use VIC-2E/M Voice VoIP Module instead of VIC-2FXS?

Fish!

The CCNA Voice Quick Reference is available from the Cisco Press web site as a PDF download for $15.

CCNA Voice Quick Reference (Digital Short Cut) - $14.99

NO to the VIC-2E&M. You really need a VIC-2FXS. If you are patient with eBay you will score some deals on both the VIC-2FXS and 26xxXM.

mathelize

Mr. Fish, I've got most hardware, the routers have CME 4.0 c2600-ipvoicek9-mz.124-23.bin
What i need now are the tar files for phones configuration. How do u think I should set up the equipment? one 877w ISR with integrated switch, one 2620xm, one 2610xm, one catalyst 2950, three IP phones, 2NM-v with vc-1fxs and vc-2fxo.
I've got my cbt nugget.