Cisco lab, is this enough?

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Hi all.

I'm going to be starting self study of CCNA within the coming months and i have gathered some free Cisco equipment and wondered if i had enough to make up a cisco lab for learning.

I'm hopefully going to get a job in Networking (currently studying the CompTIA N+ and will take the exam in the next month or 2)

So far i have.....

1 x 1601 router
1 x 1603 router
2 x 1721 routers

2 x 2516 router/switches (rackmount router with built in 14 port 10/100 switch)

1 x 7906 ip phone

I know i wont need the ip phone for CCNA but saw it at a car boot sale for £1.50 and couldnt pass it up hahaha!!

So, do i have enough to start with???

I'm buying my own house and get the keys 2 weeks today and have been given the go ahead to have a small network lab setup in my garage so im looking to turn it into a learning lab and have a few setups in there.

Any help and advice is appreciated!!

Thanks

 

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Hi Paul,

The routers are ok for CCNA, the switch isn't really that great. I would advise getting hold of a 2950. They are End of Support with Cisco so there are plenty on ebay that people want rid of.

The best thing for you to do to save money would be to use an emulator. This takes the Cisco IOS image and virtualises it into something called GNS3. This is how I learn't and best of all it doesn't cost anything.

Have a google or look on youtube at GNS3. What study materials are you planning on using? I would highly recommend Cisco press books and CBT nuggets Videos.

If you have a bit of money to spend (approximately 100 - 150 quid) Id get the following:

2 x 2600 series routers, with WIC1T serial cards in both.
2 or 3 x 2950 series switches.

These will be great for CCNA and most of the kit can follow you into CCNP R&S.

Feel free to send me a PM, and I can clear any questions you have up.

 

Thanks very much for that. Right now i dont have the cash to spend on newer kit so im scouring freecycle/ebay etc for free/cheap versions and have collected what i have over time.

I would prefer to get the actual hardware so may look out for cheap 2950's on ebay and maybe pick up one at a time when i see them cheap as i want to get the experience of using the actual hardware rather than the emulators (even though it will be the same outcome, i just prefer the physical feel of having the actual gear)

A very nice freecycler who gave me some cisco kit today has said he will email me over some study material so im unsure as to what it is as yet but happy to look at the books you recommended, thanks.

 

Right, i'v got a bit more gear now so im wondering if someone could tell me out of the below list what i need to make a decent enough lab to get me through CCNET & CCNA

1 x 1601 router
1 x 1603 router
2 x 1721 router
1 x 2621 router
1 x 2503 router
2 x 2516 router
1 x 2950 switch
1 x 7906 phone

I have a few serial cables, console cables etc but dont know what else i would need.

If someone could point out what is best to keep out of the above, im going to pass on the rest on freecycle, thanks.

 

I would recommend another 1 or 2 switches. You seem to have too many routers really IMO.

You only really need a couple of routers but maybe keep 3 of them and get another switch. Then as long as you have WIC cards in the routers, some RJ45 cables for the switches and some DCE to DTE serial cables to link the routers you'll be set.

I would then recommend getting hold of some labs for the CCNA so you can practice, lab lab and more labbing is the key. Obviously read too but to really understand the stuff you are reading you need to lab it. That is unless you are already doing this stuff on a daily basis, which it doesnt sound like. You really want to be getting real world experience then backing that up with the CCNA cert.

Just my 2 penneth.

Good luck with it, any other questions just ask.

Millsie

 

The best router you have there is the 2621 as that is dual fast ethernet. How much dram and flash is in it?
The 1600s are total garbage. The 2500s are less desirable. But if you don't have any serial modules for the 2621 or 1721, we may still be able to use them so grab them too if you can. Again, how much dram and flash does each have?
Then out of what you have left, I would keep the two 1721 units. Again, what is the dram and flash in them. I want to see if they can support IPv6.

As far as the one switch, grab the 2950. The phone can't hurt for the future, but you won't use it for CCNA.

Can you list the exact serial modules you have access to as that will dictate what else you need.

 

I found 4 routers for CCNA helpful, could get a nice frame-relay config going. Although that may be out of the newer syllabus.

 

Hi Paul,

You should purchase at-least 3xCisco 2600 series router and 3x3550 routers for complete labs practices.
As 1600 and 1700 series routers and switches are end-of-life now and they have old IOS installed. To meet market challenges you should practice on the latest equipment.
If you need any more assistance feel free to contact me.