my Cisco Home Lab purchase experience

I'll start this thread to document my experience in researching, purchasing, and using my Cisco Home Lab. Hopefully others can benefit from this information.

Dec 2004
I began researching used Cisco gear on the Internet. eBay was my primary focus. I started looking just at 2501 routers, but soon expanded my search for home labs that included a switch, cables, documentation and software.

03 Jan 2004
I spent a number of hours finalizing my research (and asking questions on this forum). I contacted several vendors via email and telephone to ask questions about what was included in the lab and if their price was firm or negotiable. It takes me a while to purchase groceries, so I really labored over buying networking gear

04 Jan 2004
I had an ongoing email discussion with Chip from ChipSet Technologies and finally made the purchase. I've ordered the CCNA Deluxe Lab Kit. I didn't haggle price, but rather provided Chip with a comparable offer I received elsewhere and we agreed to the final cost. Also, I will receive a discount membership to certificationzone.com as part of the purchase agreement. Hopefully it will ship this week and I will receive it next week.

I will update this thread over time with the kind of information I was looking for when I began this journey last month.

Brian

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Comments

Jerz

So... what is in the "Deluxe Lab Kit"? Any links?

I just started purchasing yesterday and so far have two 2507 routers with 16/16 and 12.something ios....

I'm still kicking around what switch to get the 1924 or 2950 but the 2950 seems to be 4-5hundred bux so I'm holding off a bit. Besides, I need to finish up my last test (291) for MCSA 2003 then I'll be able to play with all of this cool cisco gear..

albin1e4

Here is the link.
http://store.yahoo.net/chipsettech/ccnabascerki.html
Note that I did not pay this price. My total cost (including shipping) is under $500 for the Deluxe kit.

For the CCNA, I didn't feel the cost of the 2950 was justified. This is a purchase that I can make in the future while purchasing additional routers.

Brian

Jerz

albin1e4 wrote:

Here is the link.
http://store.yahoo.net/chipsettech/ccnabascerki.html
Note that I did not pay this price. My total cost (including shipping) is under $500 for the Deluxe kit.

For the CCNA, I didn't feel the cost of the 2950 was justified. This is a purchase that I can make in the future while purchasing additional routers.

Brian

Hmmm.... This is where I am so far:
2507 @ ($99.00x2)+shipping=$228.00
CCNA Certification Library+shipping (at amazon.com) = $43.26
Cisco CCNA Network Simulator+shipping (at amazon.com) = $92.46
CBT Nuggets CCNA Videos and Exam Pack = $318.90

Total without switch = $682.62

So if I go with a 1912 switch (about $110) the total is $792.62
or
if I go with a 1924 switch (about $130) the total is $812.62
or
if I go with the 2950 switch (about $500) the total is $1,182.62

OUCH, didn't realize how much I've spent so far...

I see your point about the 2950 but it would be nice to replace the linksys switch at the house with a cisco

... there's a certain coolness factor that I have to weigh in there... (just don't tell my wife)

Edit: Forgot to add in cbt nuggets...

albin1e4

FYI ...

If anyone lives near Hanover, PA. The Ollie's Bargain Outlet is selling older versions of Sybex and McGraw Hill books for CCNA and CCNP for next to nothing ($0.75 to $7.50). I purchased about $20 worth of books (all new with software unopened). They are one version out of date, but the basic material is still the same.

Brian

Fu Loser

jesus, that link to that ebay store is a rip off. You guys need to be more careful when buying crap to many sites out their are way over priced.

tunerX

That is way too expensive. I was thinking of selling 3 2503s and a 1924 for 400 bucks; I was thinking that I was expecting way too much.

albin1e4

Are you looking at the list price or my discounted price. The total cost was $480 (including shipping and insurance) for

2 2501's fully loaded (16/16 with IOS 12)
1 1912 with Enterprise software
1 Intel hub
all required cables and transceivers
loads of documentation
discounted membership to certification site

It might not be a steal. but I don't consider that to be a ripoff.

Brian

Jerz

tunerX wrote:

I was thinking of selling 3 2503s and a 1924 for 400 bucks; I was thinking that I was expecting way too much.

Really? Way too much? I'm a noob... the wife showed me a 5day CCNA boot camp for a thousand bux so that gave me the green light to go about this cert my way which was basically getting reference materials and gear that I would always have instead of 5days of instruction... so off I went. Pretty much from what I've seen on ebay the routers with 16/16 and 12.xx ios are around a hundred bux with shipping and the switches the same so without shipping based on ebay I would say the 400bux was just about right. Of course that is based on a week or two of looking, since I was originally going for the MCSE after MCSA instead of CCNA. I'm looking for a change in study of MS and this cisco stuff just looks very cool and kindof ties right in with the 70-291 stuff....

Let's see... so without knowing anything about how this stuff works... (and I'm thinking out loud here) a router at the mountain house and a router at this house with maybe a demand dial link initiating the connection since internet is not available up there? Maybe connecting the 2950 switch in the house to the pvrs, receivers, clients, servers, ps2.... I don't know, something about throwing all of this stuff along with some cat5 cable, connectors and what not in a pile and trying to figure out how it all works together is just way cool...

Ok, I'll stop drooling now...

Cheers!

Jerz

albin1e4

Thanks for the reassurance that I wasn't ripped off.

I thought about and researched this purchase long enough. It was time to either buy some equipment or use the money to play poker in Atlantic City.

Brian

Jerz

albin1e4 wrote:

Thanks for the reassurance that I wasn't ripped off.

Well, to be frank (and someone please correct me if I'm wrong) I still think you paid too much... but if you're happy that's all that matters. I'm not sure what else is included with your deal but two routers and a switch should be $300.00 (based on my very limited <2weeks of research); tunerx has 3 routers and a switch and he was thinking 400. I don't think that intel hub is worth anything and I'm not sure what kind of network card you got but I'd say $30 for the hub and $30 for the network card would be more than fair, so that's $360.00. I make my own cables and have plenty of extras so I'm not sure what $ amount to put on that or any of the other throw ins that were included.

Bottom line is if you're happy that's all that matters... Now, that orginal price on the link was definately a ripoff and because of that bogus price I don't believe that I would ever do business with that guy... but that's just me.

Jerz

Fu Loser

www.ciscokits.com

They give you many labs and programs that are "trial period".

Comes with everything you need make good quality labs.

They sell 2501's for $97.50 or something very close to that.

Last I checked they were out of 2501's, but their stock chages very fast, don't expect them to be out of a product for more than a few days from what i have seen.

shadown7

At first I was set on ChipSet for my router lab but after getting advice from this forum I realized that Chipset is too high. This is what I got from Virtualrack.net.

2 2501 16/16 with 12.x w/ IPSec and FW
1 1924 with ent. IOS
2 DTE/DCE cables
1 Console cable RJ-45 to DB-9
2 mounting bracket sets.

297.00 with no tax or shipping charges.

You can also get a 2507 kit minus the mounting brackets and one DTE/DCE cable for 299.99.

Here is the link if anyone would like it.

http://www.virtualrack.net/promotions/january2005.html

BTW, if you want IPSec and FW you have to request it otherwise you don't get it. But, there is no charge for it.

albin1e4

Ok ... let's go with that quote from www.virtualrack.net.

My hardware is comparable (12 or 24 port switch is of minor concern for my home lab) so your cost for this is $297.

Add in some other stuff that I received (I'll stay very low with my cost estimates):
hub and NIC card - $25
additional cables / transceivers - $25
Sybex CCNA book - $35
discounted membership to certificationzone.com - $36
other documentation - $10

total cost = $428

I paid $480 so maybe I spent about $50 too much. However, I have one vendor to deal with, one credit card transaction, and a 90 day warranty so that balances out that overpay enough to make me happy. Hopefully, the equipment arrives soon so I make use of this purchase.

Brian

Drakonblayde

Yeah, I think you paid a bit too much for a pair of 2500's and a 1900 Cat. I picked up my 2500 for 50 bucks + 20 for the shipping. I think the Hub and NIC card are probably unnecessary.. at least the hub is, and unless you have a computer that actually needs a NIC (you can find 10/100 NIC's at local computer shops for in the range of 5 to 10 bucks). 25 bucks for cables and transceivers is a bit much as well, I've found the transceivers for 3 bucks a pop at a local Radio Shack, and I've got a vendor I can order 6ft patch cables for $.75 each. Since this is just for study, you should be looking for DTE/DCE crossover cables instead of paying for real v.35 cables.

The Sybex book is good, you got that for about 15 bucks cheaper than store value, assuming it's the most recent edition, uhm, I think a membership to a certification website is pointless, there's enough free resources out there and folks willing to ask questions and hey, you have the hardware... that's where most of your learning is going to come from.

Honestly, you could have shaved $100-$150 bucks off the price by dealing with multiple vendors, but I'll admit it's a pain tracking down all the stuff you need and then making sure everything gets to you and so on. I'd have been willing to overpay just a little bit for the added convienence, but I would have had them knock all that extra crap off and just send me the hardware and the DTE/DCE crossover cables.

IF you're happy with it though, cool beans man. Have fun setting up the lab and be warned it has a tendancy to grow with the more you learn. Plan your setup space for expansion hehe

Jerz

Shadown7 -

Thanks for posting that link you got me a $40.00 credit

I sent an email to virtualrack.net with that link saying that I was disappointed that I missed the sale (didn't ask for a credit or anything) and they emailed me back saying they'd give a credit anyway.

So I got the 2950-24 and two loaded 2507's for $513.00 shipped. I know not a stellar deal but I'm happy with it.

shadown7

Jerz wrote:

Shadown7 -

Thanks for posting that link you got me a $40.00 credit

I sent an email to virtualrack.net with that link saying that I was disappointed that I missed the sale (didn't ask for a credit or anything) and they emailed me back saying they'd give a credit anyway.

So I got the 2950-24 and two loaded 2507's for $513.00 shipped. I know not a stellar deal but I'm happy with it.

No problem, Glad I could help

I think virtualrack is not a bad place to get your equipment from. Best of luck with your studies!!

Keith