Hardware For Lab On a Budget

Hey Guys,

So I want to tackle the CCNA doing the Two Test router CCENT then CCNA what hardware do you recommend using to practice for this my budget is Under $500.

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YFZblu

Grab yourself a couple switches to lab VTP and inter-VLAN routing - 2950 switches can be had on Ebay, Amazon, or Craiglist for around $40.

I was using 2600-series routers and got them for about $50 a piece on Amazon. I would say get three of them so you can lab not only routing, but you can simulate equal and un-equal cost load-balancing this way as well. You can use packet tracer for frame relay, but I hear a 2500 router makes a solid frame relay switch, and that will run ~$30 I believe, I never used one though.

If you use three routers you will also want 6 serial NIC's, I bought them on Amazon @ $20 each. The serial cables can be found pretty cheap online - For three routers, you'll want three DTE/DCE crossover serial cables.

My two cents.

Vik210

There are enough of equipments available on eBay at very low price but soon after CCNA, they become very less valuable. Getting some thing that will also help in building CCNP lab (if you want to go further), will have a decent price tag.
Why don't you practice with simulators and rent few hours of online lab if required.

FloOz

2x 2950 switches
2x 2610 routers (get the 2610XM models if you can afford them)
2x WIC-1T modules (these will support a back to back serial connection between your two routers.)

thats the advice i was givin when i asked a similar question to yours about building a home lab

MAC_Addy

First off - don't give in to kits on eBay. Usually people will post outdated crappy CCNA kits. You'll be better off piecing it together.

Like others have said, get:

2x 2950 switches
2x 2600xm - there's 2610xm 2611xm blah blah, just look to see which you can afford. Look to see if you can get a router that has at least 1x WIC-1T in it when you buy it, if not go ahead and buy 2x WIC-1T. This will be perfect for CCNA lab material.

Vik210

MAC_Addy wrote: »

First off - don't give in to kits on eBay. Usually people will post outdated crappy CCNA kits.

This is a good advice if you really want to buy equipments..

mapletune

I currently have a 2514, a 2611, and a 1721 router. 3x 2950 switches. However, I'm going to transition away from physical routers, keeping only their IOS so that I can run them on GNS3 + hardware switches.

Seems like a budget way to go for me =p

inscom.brigade

I just want to throw this idea out there; my ideas are always the unthought-of.
Get free gear, spend the money for Cisco net academy at yourlocal college.
The gear,
I did it, it is not easy, and you need to be in the right place at the right time, but it is out there. All the schools, hotels, and banks have old gear in the closet.
What they got for free? 3500xl ~3548xl 2600,2610,2612,2611, wic dsu/csu, dte/dce cables.
Can you use this stuff, you becha!
That’s how I got my first 4 cisco pieces.
You know if you beat the streets call the schools, talk to the IT guys, and tell um what you’re doing. I went to the Cisco Networking Academy; I feel it is valuable and highly recommendable. If you are young I strongly advise it, if you are old I strongly advise it.

dollarbillz

Where do I find 2950 Switches I'm getting prices in the $2000 plus range I am in Canada

NetworkVeteran

REMOVED UNNECESSARY QUOTED REPLY FROM PREVIOUS POST

$45 2950s and $65 enhanced 2950s. This vendor has a reputation for higher prices but less headaches. It's up to you which approach best fits your style.

dollarbillz

REMOVED UNNECESSARY QUOTED REPLY FROM PREVIOUS POST

Will This be Fine then??

2 x http://www.certificationkits.com/product_info.php?products_id=1501{3}2
2 x CertificationKits
2 x CertificationKits

Is extended warranty needed? and Also is the enhanced switch $20 difference worth it?

*****
So will this do and also Is a 2950 Enhanced going to make a difference....

Here it is

2 X CertificationKits
2 X http://www.certificationkits.com/product_info.php?products_id=2826{3}2
2 X http://www.certificationkits.com/product_info.php?products_id=1542{3}2
Got the 3 year warranty on each one is it worth it?
Total = $432.78 Before Shipping

Or

2 X CertificationKits
2 X CertificationKits
2 X http://www.certificationkits.com/product_info.php?products_id=1542{3}2
With 3 year Warranty again is it worth it?
Total = Sub-Total: $315.78

I'm trying to spend as less as possible but if i need to buy new equipment for the second half of the CCNA I'd rather future proof

Illumanati

dollarbillz wrote: »

Hey Guys,

So I want to tackle the CCNA doing the Two Test router CCENT then CCNA what hardware do you recommend using to practice for this my budget is Under $500.

Main hardware you need is your brain for the CCENT because there is a LOT of terminology and technology alphabet soups you have to sample thoroughly and swallow! You can probably get away with an online lab simulator that's not even a mini or quasi OS based but just a "checker" lab sims like testout.com just so you can get some CLI experience.

For CCNA or ICND2, a lot of labbing so home-lab would come into play significantly more! Mainly though, a lab gives you the hands on experience or seeing the layer 1 cables and layer 1 and 2 cards as well as layer 1 mode or status lights in the front and also get you used to working with config files easier and really getting hands on in order to work with it.

oli356

Illumanati wrote: »

For CCNA or ICND2, a lot of labbing so home-lab would come into play significantly more! Mainly though, a lab gives you the hands on experience or seeing the layer 1 cables and layer 1 and 2 cards as well as layer 1 mode or status lights in the front and also get you used to working with config files easier and really getting hands on in order to work with it.

I have to agree with the physical lab part. Like I wiped my flash "accidentally", it meant I had to learn how to put an IOS image back onto the device through xmodem for my switch. Also updated the IOS on my router, just bits of experience which is somewhat more "real world".

I doubt I will ever see serial cards though in the real world (I assume so anyway) - they are slow aren't they? So when I start in Cisco's AS lab I imagine it will all be fiber.

odysseyelite

For a real low budget you can still use 2500 routers. The days just before my exam I was using a 2600 router with a 4 serial port card and three 2500 routers. I was able to do all the labs in Chris Bryant's study guide. I did have 2600 xm's in my lab, but I didn't have enough wic cards. Pick up three 2950's switches and you are good to go.

If you can afford better routers, go for 2600 xm, and 3640. Just remember you may have to upgrade the boot rom and memory.

I never cared for packet tracer. I never could get the frame relay setup working. Your other option is GNS3, but having hands on is well worth it. I also had to learn how to xmodem into the router and upgrade the IOS.

dollarbillz

Ok So what is the difference between the regular 2950 and the enhanced and If i order through certification kits should i buy warranty?

I priced it out and it works out to be under my budget I would like to get a cheap rack too any suggestions?

Vik210

How about something like this..
Raxxess Rack Rails (Pair) Black 8 Space | eBay

astrogeek

Here's a lot of three 2950 switches for bid on E-bay....I'd watch this and try to score them all for a good price. You don't need a warranty for any lab equipment, but you do always want to check out a seller's return policy and make sure you aren't buying something that hasn't been tested to work, (which usually means they know its dead/faulty but are pretending to be dumb).

E-bay is your best friend when it comes to buying lab equipment, the only thing I buy from dedicated websites selling Cisco gear are usually cables or rack ears if they don't come with the switches/routers. That's another thing, try to find equipment that comes with rack ears....sometimes the sellers don't realize they could make an extra $10 taking those off and selling them separate

Also, don't worry about what IOS version it ships with. Usually sellers charge for enhanced images even though they didn't pay to download it...these images are not hard to find in a google search! Just make sure whatever you buy is capable of running current IOS versions. This is why you should avoid non-XM routers because they don't support IOS 12.4.

Personally I would say only buy 3 switches and use GNS3 to emulate your routers. That's all you really need for CCNA studying, having some 2600XM routers would be nice but those are going to run you at least $150 a piece. Other that looking at the 3 blinking lights there is no difference than emulating them in GNS3. You can learn about basic IOS upgrades with the physical switches, no need to buy a physical router for that since the process is not that much different.

Patel128

I buy all of my parts from eBay ( and sometimes CablesAndKits.com when the price is right). When you are buying routers try to go for the XM routers. Also check to see how much flash and ram the router has. Some IOSs will not run if there is not enough ram and/or flash. If you find a steal and it does not have the amount you want, they can be easily upgradable.