I want to set up a CCNA lab

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I am looking into setting up a CCNA lab. I am studying with whatever material I can get my hands on but I am wanting to set up a CCNA lab (with possible upgrades to include the Cisco Voice track).

What sort of configurations of gear are recommended? I see a lot of different lab "setups" that some people state you can get by on but I'm not sure *what* should be used.

I might have some (or all) of the gear at work so it might be even cheaper than getting a simulator. I do realize that Boson has a 90% chance of being suggested and I'm not completely against that because of the labs that accompany the software. I just like the idea of having the physical gear sitting in front of me if possible).

I've looked for other threads and saw GNS3 and even Packet Tracer mentioned. I do have access to packet tracer from the academy program I was in but, again, I like the idea of physical hardware if possible.

Thanks!

 

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Hello.

CCNA lab may be really minimal. There is not much that you need to involve in CCNA lab as majority of material can be covered by PacktTracer and GNS3 - cheaper alternative. However nothing will give you that real hardware smell, fan noise and extra power consumption in your house.

I can tell waht I do have in my lab:

1. 2x 2611 router with serial cards and ethernet cards,
2. 3x 2900 series switches with different IOS versions as you'll work with them in real world,
3. 1x 3660 modular router which gives me a lot of expansion possibilities,
4. 1x 4000 series Catalyst - it's not necessary as this one is huge but I got it for good money - this is more advanced stuff which you may work on in enterprise environment,

Still need VPN card for 3660 as I'm planning to take CCNA Security after my CCNA exam.

I also have PIX and Fortinet firewall. These SOHO grade things but really great from studying perspective.

Obviously my lab is not yet finished. Need more routers and couple of more expensive switches with more features available. But that must wait till next year as I do not see any reason to spend to much money...

 

Yeah, yeah, we all know that. However using GNS3 is legal, it's just a matter of IOS you using with it...

 

Exactly. A rediculous decision based on a stock cut and past reply from the Cisco licence terms from 2007.

It's now 3 years later and the official Cisco learning portal actually has a whole section dedicated to how to set up GNS3.

 

I'm with you however I have accepted Forum Term and I do not intend participating in any argument. However GNS3 ban is something weird and yes I do participate in Cisco Learning Network Forum...

 

Cool. Thanks for the list of gear. Your right, theres NOTHING like having that gear at your fingertips. You might be able to use a simulator but its just not the same ;) When I have stack of routers and switches sitting on my desk i'm more tempted to mess with them rather then some software..but both are good for sure.

Thanks again.

 

Yeah I wasn't sure what was up with that. Does Boson run this forum? I set up GNS3 because of the Cisco Learning Network...odd.

 

Hi,
I can point you in the direction of an excellent post by Wendel Odom regarding building your own CCNA Lab, have a look at the link below:

Cisco Cert Zone: Building a CCNA lab, Part 1

I believe you will find his coments and advice on building a CCNA Lab interesting

 

The only reason BM enquired was out of pure self interest, nothing to do with the forum. No coincedence that any discussion we've ever had on it in the forum has included a push from him for a ruling from the Mods of the site as to whether a legal piece of software can be mentioned. What answer do you think Cisco were going to come back with?

"Yeah sure, it's perfectly fine to use the IOS with GNS3, we'd love to leave a gaping hole in our licence terms by allowing someone to use our IOS outside our own platforms therefore inviting everyone else to do it."

Myself and I'm sure hundreds of others have also contacted Cisco at some point for clarification, we all get the same stock reference to their licensing terms, but it's also made pretty clear by them that these terms are aimed at vendors ripping off their equipment and its not in their interest to pursue it.

Their own forums have guides on it.
Their learning network has pages dedicated to it.
Official Cisco learning products published by Cisco press make mention to it and recommend its use.

There seems to be a bit of flat-earthers syndrome regarding this resource on the forum.

If I'm violating the forum rules, then so be it. I've had enough. Mods please delete my account.

Thanks for the memories chaps.

 

I have a few choices of equipment that i'm trying to choose to see whats best.

I have read 3 routers and 3 switches is a good lab setup and it could take me into other certs as well.

I have some 2620's, a 2801, 2621's, and 2611xm's from routers to choose from. Also, for switches I have 1924-a, 2924M-xl-en, and 2922-xl-v.

First, are all 3 switches worth using or should I look for 2950's? Also, which routers might be best to use in a lab. (note: these are in a spare pile at work so I can set up a CCNA lab at work).

Thanks

 

From what I'm hearing on other sites (rumors), Cisco is getting close to retiring the current CCNA exam and that the new exam is going to be more focused on ISR routers and possibly version 15 of the IOS. Don't know if any of this is true but in any case you have a 2801 which is a ISR router so you should be covered on that.

For switches I would go with a 2950 since the 1924 if I remember correctly doesn't use the normal Cisco IOS but a menu driven operating system that is no longer tested on the CCNA. If you have the money and think you are going to go for your CCNP I would go with a Catalyst 3550 instead of the 2950 switches since they are not too expensive and being a layer 3 switch it can be used as both a router and switch and also it has everything you need for the vLan settings, I don't know if the 2924 and 2922 has what is needed for the current CCNA (would have to research that).

But otherwise those switches will be fine to use otherwise if you don't need to do vLan's or if they can do the vLan settings that are for the current exam and CCNP then you are golden for that.

GW

 

I do want to proceed with the CCNP Voice (at least) so I could see the ISR's coming into play as well. Since I have the 2801, do I still need the 2 other routers (ive read that 3 switches and 3 routers are a good lab set?)? Even if just for the CCNA at the moment Im curious if the 2620's will *work*. These are routers that we already have on hand (and I have more of the 2620's than anything else). I have some (~4) 3560's but they could be put in the field at any time so I neglected to include them.

Is there a good resource to find out what routers/features you need for the different certifications? Its just so hard to find this stuff I feel.

Thanks for the reply.

 

The 2620s are fine for the CCNA.
If you have a 2621 even better as it has 2 fast ethernet ports.
IOS 12.3 should cover all you need.