Just need clarification on Packet Tracer/GNS3 for CCNA prep

I have seen some people say that Packet Tracer or GNS3 is good enough for CCNA and some other people say hands on with real equipment is the best way. Personally I have attended a few ccna classes years ago and have worked with real equipment in the classes. I have been in the I.T. field on the Telecom/Tech Support area for about 10 years. I know Packet Tracer isnt a real IOS and all and GNS3 uses a real IOS so I'm assuming you would be getting pretty much the same thing as with a real router with GNS3 with the exception of a hardware issue or whatever. I guess Im wondering if you understand all the basic configurations for routers and switches and do a lot of labbing with the two simulator/emulators above wouldnt that suffice for you being qualified to get entry level work or would that be held against you just because you did not have real routers. Dont get me wrong if I could afford to get some hell yea I would but there are a lot of people out there that probably feel the same way I do. Just wondering.

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Comments

Aman_saini

In my opinion packet tracer and GNS3 can be used to get knowledge about things but without any real hardware practice you are nowhere. If you are targeting the cert then packet tracer is more than enough, but if you want to get to the ccnp and ccie then real equipment is necessary, Its all your choice.

beach5563

Well I pretty much know you're going to have to get some real equipment for CCNP although I have heard of some people using real equipment and GNS3 for CCNP. I'm sure that you learn SOMETHING from Packet Tracer or they probably wouldnt be using it in the Cisco Networking academy. For me I just want to get as much use out of Packet Tracer as I can and get CCNA and get in some type of atmosphere where I can build upon those skills. I was recently laid of and money is super tight right now, trust me I'd love to have a real lab about now : ).

Aman_saini

For the CCNA level real lab is not that necessary you can take it down with packet tracer easily. Still I had used GNS3 also while my CCNA prep because felt like using something real, you can use it with Vmware to pass real network things and enjoy experimenting stuff also you can use Wireshark with it to sniff packet. So I recommend use packet tracer for prep. of cert and GNS3 for experimenting stuff.

martell1000

i think it always depends on what you want to do. i would stongly recommend to get one or two devices of real gear even for CCNA now. no question it is totaly doable without real hardware, but having real gear humming in your room just gives you the real deal and either gets you to dig deeper into it or tells you that this isnt your thing at all.

when it comes to ccnp a decent switch lab is essential. for the route part i wouldnt get too much hardware involved since its just more efficient to use gns3 because it pretty much feels like the real thing.

so long story short, if you are on a budget get 2 or three 2950s for the beginning, you can use them up to the ccnp level and they are really cheap on ebay. if money isnt an issue the sky is the limit

xbuzz

I don't think the OP is asking really whether having a lab is worth it. I think he knows its worth in regard to training etc. I think he wants to know more of, how it would look to a recruiter.

The question he's asking is do recruiters actually value a CCNA graduate that has studied on a physical lab much more than someone who has only used sim/emulators?

Personally, I don't know. I have a physical lab myself, but I think the only people that would be able to tell you are recruiters themselves maybe. I'm sure a few people around here that could answer.

Ltat42a

There are pros & cons for each. Here are two Youtube sites, one uses Packet Tracer, the other uses live equipment. Take a look at em, should give you an idea of what route you want to go.

Packet Tracer -
danscourses's Channel - YouTube

Live equipment -
ccie12933's Channel - YouTube

HTH

fsanyee

My story is simmilar, I took classes at Cisco Networking Academy a few years ago, and in this January I decided to get a certs. I used GNS3 and Packet Tracer for practice, and passed both ICND1 and ICND2 the first time. I didn't have the money for real hardwer, but when I use GNS3, I cant see too much difference in the terminal, I have the same commands and features. When I played with EIGRP, I built a lab with 12 router in GNS3. This can cost you a lot with real gear.... You dont need rack or more space for the noisy routers.... For switching you can use Packet Tracer, it knows everything what you need for CCNA.
GNS3 is good for CCNP Route too, but for the CCNP Switch exam you realy need a few real switch.

Roguetadhg

Yes. GNS3 is great for routing. However for switches, you'll need to buy switches.

beach5563

Roguetadhg wrote: »

Yes. GNS3 is great for routing. However for switches, you'll need to buy switches.

Thanks so much guys. Yea I think GNS3/Packet Tracer would be good for CCNA. If I can get a few switches I will for CCNP but that would be later down the line because after CCNA I will do CCNP Route first anyway. I have also taken a couple of CCNP classes also years ago. I would love to have some real equipment around me. I have a lot of telecommunicatuions experience and have been in a lot of IDF closets in buildings with switches and all that. It was real cool. Man I miss that stuff. I have been doing some other things sitting behind a desk and all doing stuff thats really not what I want to do but when I talk to the Cisco guys they always inspire me.
One friend of mine was saying how GNS3 allows you to do stuff like virtulization too. I just have to get a powerful computer. A friend of mine is giving me one of his older computers. Its dual core with 4 gigs of ram, is that good enough for GNS3? I heard you need an i5 processor.

Roguetadhg

It should be enough. You'll need to run Idle PC. Everyone uses it - or at least they should, it's a big performance improvement and will allow you to build larger networks.

I run my gaming computer as my all-around workhorse. I'm using a i7 920. It's quite a bit old, but it does the job. Most of the processing comes from running "Start/resume all devices". The green arrow of death will shoot my processor to 100% all 8 cores. I can smell the diesel pumping away. But afterwards all the routers get to a point where they're not loading, the processor load shoots back down to <10%. The larger the network, the bigger the processing footprint when it all starts up.

Thanks to idle pc. It's recommended to run it. You'll notice a big difference in performance as this will bring the processor usage down.
I use Virtual Box, which allows me to add a host to the network and ping, file transfer, ect. It adds a certain bit of realism to the virtual network, as you can watch your pings live, die, be cut in half, faster times. It's just.. awesome.

You can use physical switches with GNS3 as well. But I haven't done that.
Use a virtual terminal you like, not just the built-in terminal for the operating system
It's mobile.
It's free

It does require a real IOS image, as the image is the life blood of the program. You'll need to search google for information for that.

It's an emulator, not a simulator. It's the next best thing to the real thing, as it's free. You don't need to rent racks or an internet connection - just a decent computer or laptop.

...Although I'd rather see the lights blink, physically being able to touch the parts, being able to open them up. All that to me is far far cooler than GNS3 and would definitely weigh better in an interview.

beach5563

fsanyee wrote: »

My story is simmilar, I took classes at Cisco Networking Academy a few years ago, and in this January I decided to get a certs. I used GNS3 and Packet Tracer for practice, and passed both ICND1 and ICND2 the first time. I didn't have the money for real hardwer, but when I use GNS3, I cant see too much difference in the terminal, I have the same commands and features. When I played with EIGRP, I built a lab with 12 router in GNS3. This can cost you a lot with real gear.... You dont need rack or more space for the noisy routers.... For switching you can use Packet Tracer, it knows everything what you need for CCNA.
GNS3 is good for CCNP Route too, but for the CCNP Switch exam you realy need a few real switch.

Thats exactly what I was thinking. I just need to get a powerful computer for GNS3

beach5563

Yea that sounds good. If my finances improve I may be able to get a real lab but for now Packet Tracer will have to be my buddy because I dont know if the one my friend is giving me will b e powerful enough to run GNS3. Yea I like the little lights and all that stuff, I remember how I used to see all that stuff in server rooms and closets and all. I used to test the ports on awitches in the closets to see if I can get an IP address from them. It was cool stuff man.

martell1000

if you configure gns3 correctly (idle pc) it even runs on my 3 years old laptop pretty good if you dont go crazy and trow a 100 routers in there...

GNS3 / Dynamips 100+ Routers - YouTube

Roguetadhg

*shudder*

beach5563

martell1000 wrote: »

if you configure gns3 correctly (idle pc) it even runs on my 3 years old laptop pretty good if you dont go crazy and trow a 100 routers in there... GNS3 / Dynamips 100+ Routers - YouTube

Dont you have to have an i5 or i7 processor to run GNS3. I may be getting a PC from a friend thats dual core with 4 gigs. I mean Im probably not going to be doing humongus configurations just enough for CCNA and maybe ccnp.

itangel

yea GNS3 is good but got to make sure you have the IOS version to use and if I recall they are license. However, Packet Tracer is good because even though you don't get all the commands like GNS3 with the IOS. You get the commands needed to pass your CCENT/CCNA. The way I been studiying for the exam is with CBT Nuggets videos, Cisco Press Book, and Packet Tracer. I have 4 Cisco Serioes 2950 48port routers here. But I am planning not use them I guess.

Specially since I am looking for a degree that might not be networking related.

beach5563

itangel wrote: »

yea GNS3 is good but got to make sure you have the IOS version to use and if I recall they are license. However, Packet Tracer is good because even though you don't get all the commands like GNS3 with the IOS. You get the commands needed to pass your CCENT/CCNA. The way I been studiying for the exam is with CBT Nuggets videos, Cisco Press Book, and Packet Tracer. I have 4 Cisco Serioes 2950 48port routers here. But I am planning not use them I guess. Specially since I am looking for a degree that might not be networking related.

Thanks, that sounds like a good way to study. I use the Todd Lammle book instead though but you can get a lot done with Packet Tracer.

martell1000

beach5563 wrote: »

Dont you have to have an i5 or i7 processor to run GNS3. I may be getting a PC from a friend thats dual core with 4 gigs. I mean Im probably not going to be doing humongus configurations just enough for CCNA and maybe ccnp.

shoud be no problem. i even saw a guy running gns3 on a netbook under ubuntu once (4 routers 90% cpu but it worked

)

beach5563

martell1000 wrote: »

shoud be no problem. i even saw a guy running gns3 on a netbook under ubuntu once (4 routers 90% cpu but it worked )

oh ok cool. Maybe I should just take the computer my friend is giving me which is dual core with 4 gigs of ram and throw ubunto or another linux distro on it or something.

cmitchell_00

You can use Packet Tracer and complete your CCNA but, GNS3 has more additional features. The IOS/CLI for GNS3 gives the real feel as Cisco gear and has more commands than Packet Tracer. I find that GNS3 image can get screwed up and hard to re-load so; I had to start from scratch but; they both are good virtual sim tools which are great for training etc...