3560 or 3750 for my CCNP home lab?

I have a 3550 but was thinking of getting a 3750 mainly cause I want to stack some 3750's(atleast 2), but of course i'll need to buy them one at a time over the course of a couple months as I'm tight on cash atm and am planning on buying a 2811 router(max mem/flash for $150) . I just want the experience of stacking switches. But if I decide to go for 3560, that would be nice for private vlans. I'm just trying to upgrade my home lab for the new CCNP exams.

Hmm, I probably should have put this in the CCNP section.

Find more posts tagged with

Save $250 on 2025 certification boot camps from Infosec!

Book now with code EOY2025

Button

Comments

TechGuru80

3750 if you could afford it would be nice.

OfWolfAndMan

If you buy a 3750, you are able to stack, but they are not upgradable to the 15.x IOS. If you get the 3560-8PC-S, you'll be able to upgrade to the 15.x IOS and has unique features like advanced QoS you won't be able to get out of the 3750. The correct 3560 model will cover you up to the CCIE.

theodoxa

You can sometimes find the 100Base-FX model (WS-C3750-24FS-S) cheap. I scored one for $67 (including shipping) a few months back. I was going to use it as an extra switch (Stackwise, etc... - It has 2 x SFP Uplinks so I should be able to trunk it to other 3560/3750 switches). I haven't bought a NIC (100Base-FX) and cable yet, so I haven't tried any of the 100Base-FX ports.

clarson

Both the 3560 and 3750 do private vlans. Both can also run version 15 of the ios. the new ccnp test could have questio about stacking technology. You will, of course, need a stacking cable to stack the 3750's.
I sell 2811's with 512D/128F for $80. I'm sure you can find one for less than $150 in Cali. And, if it isn't being shipped, you can probably find a 2851 for even less.

OfWolfAndMan

clarson wrote: »

Both the 3560 and 3750 do private vlans. Both can also run version 15 of the ios.

Not if you buy the stock 3750. The 3750g, 3750v2, and 3750x do, but not the 3750.

Cisco Systems

^example 1

theodoxa

OfWolfAndMan wrote: »

Not if you buy the stock 3750. The 3750g, 3750v2, and 3750x do, but not the 3750.

Cisco Systems

^example 1

IOS 15 will run on the 3750 [or at least every one I've tried]. Same for the 3560. Cisco just doesn't officially support it as they want you to buy the newer 3560v2/3750v2, which is just a "Green" 3560/3750 (Lower Power Consumption) or better (for Cisco) the 3850 (Cisco's newest Access Layer switches with built-in 802.11ac Wireless LAN Controller).

Cisco Catalyst 3850 Series Switches - Products & Services - Cisco

StonedHitman

This is all good stuff guys, really appreciate the input. Another thing on the 3750, is it worthwhile to pay a few extra bucks for a 3750 poe as opposed to just getting a 3750?

gorebrush

I wouldn't panic too much about QoS.

The CCIE doesn't require you know platform specific QoS which makes the switch choice irrelevant.

Anything that runs 12.2(50) is "enough".

davenull

StonedHitman wrote: »

This is all good stuff guys, really appreciate the input. Another thing on the 3750, is it worthwhile to pay a few extra bucks for a 3750 poe as opposed to just getting a 3750?

If you ever see yourself going the Voice path, POE is very nice to have.

StonedHitman

davenull wrote: »

If you ever see yourself going the Voice path, POE is very nice to have.

Thanks man, I was always wondering about that. Voice does sound interesting, I might consider it later down the line.

Zartanasaurus

Stacking config is a practical skill, not a cert skill. So if you can afford 3750 and want to play around with creating a stack, renumbering a stack member, reloading a stack member, go for it. Stacking won't help with your actual labbing though. There's not a whole lot to stack configuration, so don't break the bank getting a 3750.

20 years from now, when 2960S is the standard lab gear, getting into stacking will be automatic.

theodoxa

^^^ The new SWITCHv2.0 exam lists Stackwise as a topic, but only lists "Describe", no mention of "Configure" or "Verify". That should mean that a textbook understanding (what it does and how it works) should be all they're looking for.

RemzRR

theodoxa wrote: »

IOS 15 will run on the 3750 [or at least every one I've tried]. Same for the 3560. Cisco just doesn't officially support it as they want you to buy the newer 3560v2/3750v2, which is just a "Green" 3560/3750 (Lower Power Consumption) or better (for Cisco) the 3850 (Cisco's newest Access Layer switches with built-in 802.11ac Wireless LAN Controller).

Cisco Catalyst 3850 Series Switches - Products & Services - Cisco

Can you elaborate on this
I have 3x Cisco 3750 48TS-S/PS Version 1
I have researched and like OfWolfAndMan mentioned only 3750G,V2 and X support IOS 15
but was silly to me when i looked at the Version 2 features and noticed it was more power efficient
Has a Cisco 3750 V1 been successfully upgraded to IOS15 software even tho its not supported by Cisco ?
This would help me out alot in preparing for IE after my Tshoot exam

theodoxa

RemzRR wrote: »

Can you elaborate on this
I have 3x Cisco 3750 48TS-S/PS Version 1
I have researched and like OfWolfAndMan mentioned only 3750G,V2 and X support IOS 15
but was silly to me when i looked at the Version 2 features and noticed it was more power efficient
Has a Cisco 3750 V1 been successfully upgraded to IOS15 software even tho its not supported by Cisco ?
This would help me out alot in preparing for IE after my Tshoot exam

I could have sworn I'd upgraded a 3750 to 15. But, I just checked the 2 x WS-C3750-24TS-S in my lab at work and they only have 16 MB of Flash. The IOS 15 image I have is 16.4 MB, so it doesn't fit. I'll have to double check my other 3750 at home and my 3560s to see if they have enough flash, because I know I was able to upgrade at least one of them to 15.

Just checked Cisco.com and it appears the 3560-24/48TS has 32 MB of Flash. Strangely, the 3560-24/48PS (PoE Models) only have 16 MB. Most of the 3750s and about 1/3 of the 3750Gs are only 16 MB. The 3750-24FS has 32 MB, so it should be able to take IOS 15. I have one of these at home.

16 MB Flash (IOS 15 Won't Fit) --

3560-24PS
3560-48PS
3750G-12S
3750G-24T
3750G-24TS
3750G-24WS
3750-24PS
3750-24TS
3750-48PS
3750-48TS
3750G-16TD

32 MB Flash --

3560-8PC
3560-24TS
3560-48TS
3560G-24TS
3560G-24PS
3560G-48TS
3560G-48PS
3750-24FS
3750G-24PS
3750G-24TS-1U
3750G-24WS
3750G-48PS
3750G-48TS

It looks like the 3750-24FS is the only 3750 that'll take IOS 15. The Non-PoE 3560s should also take IOS 15.