Suggestions for CCNA/CCNP Lab

Curiosityx

Curiosityx

Curiosityx

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Joined
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Hey there, ive slacked off on the Cisco side of things these past months and had to get rid of my old kit for financial reasons.

But im looking to put together a new lab for a CCNA/CCNP spec i have a broad idea of what id like to achieve but suggestions are welcome.

Also from experience has anyone found it more beneficial to use 2600 routers rather than 2500's for there labs?

Currently i have the following in mind.

Cisco 2610 Ethernet Router with 4 port Serial card
Cisco 2503 Ethernet Router 16D/16F IP Plus 12.3
Cisco 2503 Ethernet Router 16D/16F IP Plus 12.3
Cisco 2900XL Switch running Enterprise IOS
2 x serial DB60-DB60 crossover cables
 
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Vanilla said:
Don't they have simulators for that nowadays? Sure i've seen them around
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never as good as a bit of hands on... particularly when you come to actually doing the job you've just got the certification for!

that said, the latest version (4.0) of the official cisco packet tracer is very flash indeed!
 
i'm gonna be heading down this route soon as i'm slowly getting through my CCNA/CCNP. Whats the cost like to set one of these test labs up ?

MW
 
the problem you now have is that cisco have just changed the track for CCNP, and ended the BCRAN and CIT exam, and replaced them with more up to date material, they've replaced legacy stuff with things like MPLS, SDM config, IPS/IDS, voice, etc.... which makes it a lot harder lab wise because you need some of the more modern cisco kit to do this, which costs a lot more money than it did for the routing/isdn/frame-relay stuff..
 
Mr-White said:
i'm gonna be heading down this route soon as i'm slowly getting through my CCNA/CCNP. Whats the cost like to set one of these test labs up ?

MW
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Depends on the hardware being used, the Cisco guys i work with suggest 2600's as they are faster and modular plus if you stick to the 2610 line with single 10-T connections the routers cost ~ £80 a piece with WIC Serial cards installed
 
atomiser said:
have you thought about joining the cisco academy? i started 4 weeks ago, its great, plus the lab we have in college is pretty decent.
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Id rather go through the reading material and teach myself with a little help from the guys i work with, i learn quicker and find it a lot more enjoyable.
 
i'm doing mine home taught too.

when do you actually need to use a test lab, im about 1/3 the way through my CCNA ?

MW
 
I do my CCNA in 6th Form. From this thread:

eXSBass said:
Update 30-09-06

I've managed to acquire the following:
D-Link DES-818 Switch (free)
D-Link DES-810 Switch (free)
Cisco 2501 Router (£30)


ciscolabs001mediumhw0.jpg


ciscolabs004mediumui7.jpg


So far, i'm a happy bunny. Those D-Link switches will go as soon as I need a managed switch (edit: as soon as I need a Cisco Catalyst) :)
Hopefully, i'll be getting a Cisco 2514 in a few weeks.
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The 2600s are faster than the 2500s, and are modular yes. But the 2500s do what the 2600s except for some minor features like VoIP, which isn't in the CCNA curriculum anyway. :)
However, I would say if you have the money, go for the 2600s.

Edit: Forgot to mention, add to that equipment list two laptops. That means i've got my three workstations all jolly good! :) (the third is this computer i'm typing from)
 
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Ive bought myself what has been listed above

Cisco 2610 Ethernet Router with 4 port Serial card
Cisco 2503 Ethernet/Serial Router 16D/16F IP Plus 12.3
Cisco 2503 Ethernet/Serial Router 16D/16F IP Plus 12.3
Cisco 2900XL Switch running Enterprise IOS
2 x serial DB60-DB60 crossover cables

I want to add another two routers in the near future but ive got something to start with

:)
 
i've posted photos before, but i personally used 4 3750s and 3 2621s, it's a setup you can do almost anything with, overkill and expensive for home though...
 
I'm just starting to build a home lab now. So far I have got:

2 x 2610
2 x 2620
1 x 2651
2 x 2924XL-EN
1 x 2950-24
1 x 1601R
1 x 2516
Various WICs and cables etc

I'm planning to use 1 x 2610 as a terminal server and 1 x 2924 as a management switch. This will hopefully mean I can telent direct to each router and also from accross the internet.There is also a plan to setup a vpn to the lab in my office.
Zen gave me 8 static IP's so I should be abe to put those to good use.

I also found an ISDN simulator/switch on ebay which should be good for WAN links.
 
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Doing the CCNA myself, but i am lucky enough to have all the gear i ever need in work. Cant understand how you lot do it at home, i wouldn't have the will power to complete it. I just do the cisco academy whichs means its nicely planned over 30 weeks and also have access to large labs.
 
this is starting to look expensive :(

i do mine at home because it means i can do as little or as much as i like and can fit it in around my life :)

MW
 
Picture of my CCIE kit, all borrowed from work :D

http://tkfiles.storage.msn.com/x1pU...LzDvc4frh_fflaoSKWJY325DfjhtfJKGAFY9NuFNgUhSg

Consists of the following

1x 7507
1x 7206
4x 2821s
1x 3640
3x 2610s
2x 3560s
1x 3750
1x 355012G
2x 2950s
1x Pix 525 ver7
1x 1900

All this, contributes to no life, 30-40 hours of study a week, hair falling out, broken keyboards, weight loss/gain, funny eyesight... apart from that I love it :D
 
i have a quick question about cisco labs, since i plan to do a ccna course (although the course doesnt actuly give me a ccna certification) as part of my degree in ICT in a year or 2 (long way away now, but my question should still be relevent).

what are all the routers in a cisco lab used for? i thought routers are only used to connect 2 different networks together, like WAN and LAN together, if at home you only have 1 ISP, connected to 1 of them cisco routers, what do you use the other routers for that are part of the lab? do you just connect one router to WAN and LAN switch, and the rest simply connected to the LAN switch on its own?
 
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