Is it possible.....

I will be starting my CCNA studies soon, and i want to purchase my home lab, like every other top dog here!
I am not short on money, but I am short on space and I don't want to populate my room with **** load of routers/switches/cables like most of the CCNA home labs I see in here.
So the question is, is it possible to have all the practices I needed to pass CCNA by using only one router and one switch? For only 2 total, I can afford to go for more up to date opinions, such as one 2650 XM and one 3550 switch, would that be enough just for my CCNA study (Not considering future expansion at this moment)

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Comments

networker050184

No you are going to need more than one. The point of networking is connecting multiple devices!

hellolin

True...what's the least amount of switches and routers I need to buy for CCNA? At least 2 routers X 2 switches?

elderkai

I'm sure you could do with two routers and two switches, but I'd go with three of each or at least three routers. Reason is because there are some situations that to replicate and see, you need a third router.

hellolin

elderkai wrote: »

I'm sure you could do with two routers and two switches, but I'd go with three of each or at least three routers. Reason is because there are some situations that to replicate and see, you need a third router.

Thanks man, and I am assuming if I got the 3x3 route it is much easier for me to upgrade my kit to a CCNP kit?

elderkai

Depends on the models. For the CCNP, you'd probably want to have two 3550/3560s, two 2950/2960s, and then routers. I haven't done research on what models people prefer for CCNP for cost, so I don't want to recommend something that's more expensive than you need to buy.

If you wanted a little bit of future proofing, you could do 2x2960/2950 and one 3550/3560. Then you only need to buy another L3 for CCNP.

hellolin

elderkai wrote: »

Depends on the models. For the CCNP, you'd probably want to have two 3550/3560s, two 2950/2960s, and then routers. I haven't done research on what models people prefer for CCNP for cost, so I don't want to recommend something that's more expensive than you need to buy.

If you wanted a little bit of future proofing, you could do 2x2960/2950 and one 3550/3560. Then you only need to buy another L3 for CCNP.

ok, so 2 X 2960 + 1 3550, how about the router? I need at least 2 right? would it prefer to have 3? I see some very popular ones here for the home lab are 2650 XMs, would 2 of those work good and be future proof? Sorry I barely got into CCNA, still gonna be at least a year and half until I graduate from college but I want to get a head start.

Ivanjam

@hellolin - in order not to populate your "room" (really now?!) with "**** load of routers/ switches/cables" "like every other top dog here!", you could try running Packet Tracer or GNS3 - quite enough to pass the CCNA.

elderkai

hellolin wrote: »

ok, so 2 X 2960 + 1 3550, how about the router? I need at least 2 right? would it prefer to have 3? I see some very popular ones here for the home lab are 2650 XMs, would 2 of those work good and be future proof? Sorry I barely got into CCNA, still gonna be at least a year and half until I graduate from college but I want to get a head start.

You can use 3640's for the routers if you want them to be good for the CCNP. They are big and kind of loud, so if you want to look around on ebay for 1841's instead, that'd be a low profile+low noise option. Plus, they support as much as the 3640 do and last time I checked went down in price a bunch.

ciscouser8429

Do you really need all that for a CCENT or even a CCNA? Im currently working with a C3750 switch and was hoping that the only other thing I would need would be a router. I am also currently going for my CCENT. Thanks!

hellolin

ciscouser8429 wrote: »

Do you really need all that for a CCENT or even a CCNA? Im currently working with a C3750 switch and was hoping that the only other thing I would need would be a router. I am also currently going for my CCENT. Thanks!

That's what I am thinking right now, I think I am gonna go for 2 x 2 set up or just buy a sub $500 home lab kit on ebay to work on

theodoxa

Frame Relay: 3 routers (minimum*), 4 routers (reccomended)
OSPF: 2 routers (minimum), 3 routers (reccomended)
EIGRP: 2 routers (at the CCNA Level)
HDLC/PPP: 2 routers
STP: 2 switches (minimum), 3 switches (reccomended)
Port Security: 1 switch

For STP, [even though I had the physical switches] I did my labbing in Packet Tracer. STP at the CCNA level is mostly understanding the differences between the different acronyms (STP, RSTP, PVRST+, etc...) and how the root bridge is elected. PT or probably any decent simulator would suffice for this purpose. Though, it would still probably be a good idea to play around with at least 1 real switch to get a feel for how the IOS differs from that on a router. If you go on to CCNP: SWITCH and/or TSHOOT there are some things that PT and other simulators will not support or have only limited support for. You will need real switches, including at least 2 x Layer 3 switches.

*Technically, I've read that you can do Frame Relay with only 2 routers by making one router both the Frame Relay switch and a DTE. But, I have never actually tried this.

If you want to save space, you could consider smaller routers. The 1811/1841 are smaller and run IOS 15. The 1811 has a built-in 8 Port switch instead vs. 2 HWIC slots on the 1841. The HWIC slots are necessary for Frame Relay and HDLC/PPP labbing, but not OSPF and EIGRP (at the NA level).

DoubleNNs

If space is a problem, go the packet tracer and GNS3 route.

hellolin

theodoxa wrote: »

Frame Relay: 3 routers (minimum*), 4 routers (reccomended)
OSPF: 2 routers (minimum), 3 routers (reccomended)
EIGRP: 2 routers (at the CCNA Level)
HDLC/PPP: 2 routers
STP: 2 switches (minimum), 3 switches (reccomended)
Port Security: 1 switch

For STP, [even though I had the physical switches] I did my labbing in Packet Tracer. STP at the CCNA level is mostly understanding the differences between the different acronyms (STP, RSTP, PVRST+, etc...) and how the root bridge is elected. PT or probably any decent simulator would suffice for this purpose. Though, it would still probably be a good idea to play around with at least 1 real switch to get a feel for how the IOS differs from that on a router. If you go on to CCNP: SWITCH and/or TSHOOT there are some things that PT and other simulators will not support or have only limited support for. You will need real switches, including at least 2 x Layer 3 switches.

*Technically, I've read that you can do Frame Relay with only 2 routers by making one router both the Frame Relay switch and a DTE. But, I have never actually tried this.

If you want to save space, you could consider smaller routers. The 1811/1841 are smaller and run IOS 15. The 1811 has a built-in 8 Port switch instead vs. 2 HWIC slots on the 1841. The HWIC slots are necessary for Frame Relay and HDLC/PPP labbing, but not OSPF and EIGRP (at the NA level).

wow thanks a lot man, very good suggestion here, I will only be studying for CCENT and CCNA first, so do I absoutely need to set up for frame relay? Or i can just get by 2 x 2 set up?

RouteMyPacket

What's wrong with Packet Tracer?

theodoxa

hellolin wrote: »

wow thanks a lot man, very good suggestion here, I will only be studying for CCENT and CCNA first, so do I absoutely need to set up for frame relay? Or i can just get by 2 x 2 set up?

I would think [as I took the old tests, I can't say for sure] you be fine with 2 Routers for CCENT. The only thing [I can think of] you wouldn't be able to do is full DR Elections in OSPF. But, just like Spanning Tree Root Bridge Elections, OSPF DR Elections are more about knowing the terminology and how the DR is selected. I primarily used Packet Tracer for both STP and OSPF Elections, but PT has some limitations and quirks, which is why I suggest having at least 1 real switch or better yet 2.

theodoxa

RouteMyPacket wrote: »

What's wrong with Packet Tracer?

Can't remember which, but at least one of the banners isn't available on switches [even though it is on the real thing.] The Layer 3 (3560) switches are missing some commands/functionality present on the real deal. The PT Cloud is IMHO slightly more difficult to configure as a Frame Relay Switch than a real router. Plus, if you want to continue on to CCNP or worse one of the specialties (Voice, Security, etc...) PT is sorely lacking - No iBGP, Limited EtherChannel, No CCP, etc...

TechGuru80

theodoxa wrote: »

Can't remember which, but at least one of the banners isn't available on switches [even though it is on the real thing.] The Layer 3 (3560) switches are missing some commands/functionality present on the real deal. The PT Cloud is IMHO slightly more difficult to configure as a Frame Relay Switch than a real router. Plus, if you want to continue on to CCNP or worse one of the specialties (Voice, Security, etc...) PT is sorely lacking - No iBGP, Limited EtherChannel, No CCP, etc...

And less fun...