2851 Routers, buy or pass?

We have a local E-waste recycler I've been slumming around lately trying to build a lab for my CCNA. I have the opportunity to purchase four 2851 routers all in good shape. They are untested and I'm not allowed to power them on or come in with a console cable and laptop and tinker... Cheap... I pay just a little over what they get for scrap.

Do these have any value for a CCNA / CCNP / CCIE lab? I already have a bunch of 2611xm's, 2950 switches, and 2509 routers acting as terminal servers. I would only be interested in these 2851's if they are useful for a learning lab. They are all old telecom, T1 WICs, etc.

Thanks!

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RouteMyPacket

SledWrecker wrote: »

We have a local E-waste recycler I've been slumming around lately trying to build a lab for my CCNA. I have the opportunity to purchase four 2851 routers all in good shape. They are untested and I'm not allowed to power them on or come in with a console cable and laptop and tinker... Cheap... I pay just a little over what they get for scrap.

Do these have any value for a CCNA / CCNP / CCIE lab? I already have a bunch of 2611xm's, 2950 switches, and 2509 routers acting as terminal servers. I would only be interested in these 2851's if they are useful for a learning lab. They are all old telecom, T1 WICs, etc.

Thanks!

Save your money, no reason at all to pay for what can be virtualized.

MTciscoguy

That is unless you want and are more comfortable working in the real world like many of us, instead of a dream world!

RouteMyPacket

MTciscoguy wrote: »

That is unless you want and are more comfortable working in the real world like many of us, instead of a dream world!

Care to elaborate or provide some substance for the original poster? You do know all R&S can be virtualized yes? You do know that the lab is all virtualized (IOL)?

Again, there is absolutely no reason to spend money on physical hardware. if you can't figure out how to plug cables into ports, you have no business even thinking of taking any exams.

SledWrecker,

Your goal is to learn the core fundamentals, knowing how to plug a cable up to a specific port is not your goal and that is not what certification is about. If you just want the equipment and have the money, then it's your preference but again at the end of the day R&S is an attractive track due to the amount of material out there coupled with being able to virtualize it all.

MTciscoguy

I know that it can all be virtualized, but I also know, that in my years of experience, having hands on experience with equipment has made a major difference in what will be experienced in the real world, it sounds like the guy already has equipment, if he can get a good price on the 2851's there is no reason not to. There are things I did with my hardware, that I could not do with simulations. The simple fact is, Packet Tracer and GNS3 will get you there, but it will never replace hands on experience.

I believe it is up to us that have the experience to explain the benefits and negatives of each way of doing it, then let the individual make the choice on how he/she wants to proceed, not telling them have to have equipment or you don't need it. Let them make their own choice with objective information instead of biases coming into it.

When I was a training officer in the army, I could simulate everything with a computer, but I also had the ability to take all of the group out to the range, put a gun in their hands and actually teach them how to use it effectively. Guess who was the better soldier? Pilots use simulators, but never become good until they have hands on experience. It is up to the individual to choose their path, he didn't ask if he should get a simulators vs. a piece of equipment, he asked if he was getting the right price, if they were good for his studies.

Folks, it is already known, you don't need equipment to get your certifications, it is up to you, if you want to, if you can get the price that you are comfortable with and want equipment, then get it, if you are comfortable with simulators, then go that way, it is simple the choice is up to you!

Jon_Cisco

I have always taken the approach that having the real equipment is just another resource. You don't need it but it does not hurt.

A bunch of students in my class could use packet tracer but had not idea what to do during lab time. They simply were not use to how to navigate to other machines unless the lines were drawn on the screen.

clarson

The 2851 is a very good router to have in your lab. They are big (2u) and heavy (25lbs) which makes them expensive to ship. But, if you can pick them up locally, they can be had for cheap. and, being they are a beefier model they might use more electricty. The 2851 supports cisco configuration professional which you need to study for security certs. If you have 512mb of memory, you can load cme for voice certs. And, they do have gigabit ethernet ports. And, run version 15 of IOS. they are a big upgrade from your 2600xms
Things for check for:
pull out the cf card to see it's size (you want at least 128mb and more is better)
pull a slot cover and look inside for memory sticks, pdvm and aim modules. (more is better)
be sure you have the network module slot extenders
nice to haves:
slot covers and wics and rack mount brackets and attached face plates
bad to have:
broken cf ejector
slot cover screw broken off in the screw hole. (cant attach a slot cover till the broken screw stud is removed)
just be sure that you can return it if it is crap. I've bought over 10 of these from resellers and everyone has worked fine for me.
of course, if they are just scraping them, see if you can get a few extra cf cards and memory sticks as extras
take a phillips screwdriver with you maybe you can lift the cover panel and take a good look inside.