Many people ask me what would have a good CCNA lab? Well, which can be a wily subject formed on your bill and destiny Cisco aspirations. So let’s begin off with a couple of simple concepts I goal we can all determine on. Real Routers

You need a earthy router as the simulators usually don’t have the capability to give you the “hands on” you need to see what happens when you undo a cable, put a wire in the wrong place or usually plain configure the interface incorrectly. Dependant on what you do by mistake, you competence see possibly the interface or custom go down and formed on which it should give you a thought of where to begin troubleshooting(hint, what covering is the interface at and what covering is the custom at?). Anyway, you will come to find utterly fast which mistakes you have on Router 1 have been inspiring Router 4 all since you did not screw in a wire properly. No simulator can copy that, so a router is invaluable.

I additionally get spasmodic asked if someone can have have use of of their D-Link “router” or such in their lab. That category of home “router” in all does not await protocols such as RIP, OSPF, IGRP, etc. nor do they await the Cisco IOS which is a infancy of the CCNA exam. So the answer is they have been not unequivocally germane to office building your Cisco CCNA lab.

How Many Cisco Routers Do I Need?

Two routers unequivocally have been compulsory to see if anything works. If you have a unequivocally singular budget, you can embrace worth from usually purchasing a singular router over operative with a simulator. However, you will not be equates to to see the main thing we have been perplexing to accomplish. The propagation of track tables and the routing of data! The usually approach you can see if your configurations work, is to have at slightest twin routers. That said, if you can equates to a pack with some-more than twin routers, it will capacitate you to use some-more formidable scenarios. Therefore, I strongly indicate which you squeeze a twin router pack or improved which comes with all the accessories you need. Otherwise you can outlay days or weeks perplexing to find all the small additional pieces you need to get your lab up and running. I discuss this as a small alternative resellers have been offered their kits with 2500 routers and they have been not together with transceivers. Well how will you have have use of of the Ethernet AUI ports but them?? So this is fundamentally how I viewpoint it. One router will give you the capability to run the commands on it and concede you to learn by heart the scold syntax and context in which to run the commands. Two routers will concede you to be equates to to see track list report propagate, interpretation propagation and trail election. In addition, you will see simple device elections. With 3 or some-more routers you will get all of the on top of and full device elections. Hopefully these tips will assistance you collect the right CCNA lab pack for you budget.

Can We Build A Lab That Will Cover Every Single CCNA Exam Concept?

We get this subject utterly often. Yes, we can, but it is not picturesque for most business who have been self study as this will cost well in additional of $5,000. If you have which arrange of bill available, we indicate you collect on of the CCNP kits as which will get you by your CCNA examination and well on your approach to your CCNP certification.

How Many Cisco Routers & Cisco Switches Do I Need To Complete Your CCNA Lab Workbook?

Our CCNA Lab Workbook was created with the believe which most of the business can’t equates to a large lab. Keep in mind, which you will see a accumulation of labs which were created for 3 of 4 routers below. That does not meant you can’t finish most of them. It usually for the most partial equates to they will not be as formidable as they could be.
Number of labs requiring usually one router – 7

Number of labs requiring twin routers – 11

Number of labs requiring 3 routers – 19

Number of labs requiring 4 routers – 4

Number of labs requiring one or some-more switches – 8

What Are Some Things I Need To Consider For My CCNA Lab?

Two brand brand new topics have popped up for the brand brand new Cisco CCNA 640-802 exam. They have been IPv6(IP Version 6) and SDM(Security Device Manager) which is a GUI formed approach to configure your routers and switches. A usual subject is can the Cisco 2500 array routers await IPv6? Yes, they can if they have been maxed out with 16MB of DRAM and Flash. Here have been a small some-more specs on Cisco routers and compulsory DRAM and Flash to await IPv6 presumption you have the scold IOS. To have your hold up a small easier, I have enclosed a accessible draft illustrating the smallest DRAM and Flash compulsory to await IPv6 per indication height below.

DRAM/Flash Memory Required for Feature Support

Model_________IPv6__________SDM_____________________Max IOS Ver.
Cisco 2500_____16/16 ______Not Available_____________________12.3
Cisco 2600_____64/16 ______Not Available_____________________12.3
Cisco 2600XM__128/32 _____128/32__________________________12.4
Cisco 3620_____64/16 ______Not Available _____________________12.3
Cisco 3640_____128/32 ______64/16 __________________________12.4

If you took a good demeanour at the chart, you will additionally notice I referred to the mandate for SDM too. As referred to before, SDM is Cisco’s Security Device Manager and is the GUI choice to configure your routers. It is not upheld on a small of the comparison models. But the good headlines from a lab viewpoint is which you do not need it on each router to get a good learn on how SDM works. The Cisco 3640 router is going to be the cheapest approach to get SDM with a 10mb Ethernet interface and the Cisco 2600XM array seems to be the cheapest approach to get SDM with a 100mb Ethernet interface.

Finally, I additionally have an IOS chronicle column. As you can see above, the Cisco 2500, 2600 and 3620 models usually await 12.3 since the Cisco 2600XM and 3640 units await 12.4. So if you wish to have bearing the ultimate IOS which is using on routers in the genuine world, right right away which is 12.4. But if your bill does not concede for it, you will still find worth in the routers which have been using the comparison 12.3 IOS.

Why Do You Sell Routers With Memory That Can’t Run IPv6?

Not everybody has the bill to await each feature. So you will see which we still indicate Cisco 2500 router kits with 8MB of DRAM and 8MB of Flash as being equates to to use on routers which await 85% of the concepts is improved than zero at all if you bill is tight.

How Do I Know What Interfaces & Options Are Available On A Router?

In an bid to equivocate any difficulty and give you one place to demeanour to review models and interfaces/options, I done this subsequent accessible small draft to give you an thought of what to design on each router.

Summary of Router Interfaces

Model________________Ethernet__________SyncSerial_____Async/Sync_______NM Slots________Wan Slots
________________________________________(DB-60)_______Serial Ports_______Available________Available

Cisco 2501___________1- AUI 10mb___________2______________0______________0_______________0
Cisco 2503___________1- AUI 10mb___________2______________0______________0_______________0
Cisco 2507/16_________16 Port Hub10mb_______2______________0______________0_______________0
Cisco 2514___________2- AUI 10mb___________2______________0_______________0______________0
Cisco 2520___________1- AUI 10mb___________2______________2_______________0______________0
Cisco 2610___________1- RJ-45 10mb_________0______________0_______________1_______________2
Cisco 2611___________2- RJ-45 10mb_________0______________0_______________1_______________2
Cisco 2612___________1- RJ-45 10mb_________0______________0_______________1_______________2
Cisco 2610/20XM______1-RJ-45 100mb________ 0______________0_______________1_______________2
Cisco 2611/21XM______ 2-RJ-45 100mb________0______________0_______________1_______________2
Cisco 1720___________1- RJ-45 100mb_________0______________0_______________1_______________2
Cisco 2620___________1- RJ-45 100mb_________0______________0_______________1_______________2
Cisco 2621___________2- RJ-45 100mb_________0______________0_______________1_______________2
Cisco 3620___________0_____________________0______________0_______________2_______________0
Cisco 3640___________0_____________________0______________0_______________4_______________0
¹AUI = connection territory interface.

Anything Else You Can Suggest?

Well, a couple of things. The Cisco 2500s have been workable routers for your CCNA studies still as prolonged as you have the scold IOS and maxed out mental recall with all the accessories you need. You competence say, but they have been usually 10mb routers. True, but they still work. The vital obstacle on top of the aforementioned miss of SDM and 12.4 await is which with 10mb routers you can’t do your inter-vlan routing labs with them(which is loyal of any of the 10mb routers). So usually have certain you have at slightest one 100mb router in your lab so you can do inter-vlan routing and which takes caring of which emanate and helps to keep the cost of your lab down for those with a parsimonious budget!

You wish to have certain your router can await IPv6 as you do those labs will unequivocally assistance the IPv6 concepts penetrate in. Finally, SDM is some-more than expected the call of the future, so you competence as well begin to get used to it now!

Do I Need A Switch?

This can be debated a couple of opposite ways. First a small people will contend which 80% of the examination is formed on routing. To which I will agree. But with usually a small domain of blunder in in in between flitting and failing, not entirely bargain switching concepts such as VLANs, STP, and base elections could be the one subject which stands in in in between you flitting and unwell your exam. There will be a small switch questions which have been memorization formed such as “What is a Layer 2 custom used to contend a loop-free network?” Thank integrity we memorized STP. That said, it would be good for us to be equates to to essentially “see” the switching concepts work. So this is fundamentally how I viewpoint it. One switch will give you the capability to run the commands on the switch and concede you to learn by heart the scold syntax and context in which to run the commands. It will additionally concede you to do a small of the VLAN labs. Two switches will concede you to see VTP Domain & VLAN report propagate. In addition, you will see simple device elections. With 3 or some-more switches you will get all of the on top of and full device elections. Remember, we have been usually at the CCNA turn right right away so we will not need a Layer 3 switch identical to a 3550 usually yet. But it is a cool judgment of your CCNP studies. Finally you competence ask since do a small of my twin router kits not have switches in them. Well since you can utterly simply go to the territory on the site labeled Switches and supplement the switch you would identical to to be a partial of your kit. The switches do not need additional transceivers, ports and such so I do not unequivocally have to pack them up with the routers. We do have a small of the incomparable kits which have both routers and switches in them too.

What Switch Should I Get?

This is one which there is so most discuss on these days. I will give you my thoughts on it and there have been a hundred opposite ways you can set up a lab. I will give you the report and let you confirm how you wish to set up your lab.

The Cisco 2950 switch is the switch which is lonesome on the examination and has the expect IOS authority set which you will see on the lab. So if you can equates to one, it is good to get. But infrequently when business usually have a $200 budget, I can’t indicate for them to get a switch and abstain the routers. After all, the examination is 80% routing! Back to the Cisco 2950, this is the most appropriate switch for the examination if you can equates to it.

But let’s contend you can’t equates to which switch , but still wish a switch, what is next? We have the Cisco 2900 series. This is a step down from the Cisco 2950 and supports all the same CCNA examination commands solely the switchport and tellurian vlan command. So with which knowledge, this switch competence usually work for you.

Finally, there is the Cisco 1900 array switches. There is not a lot of direct for these so they can be purchased unequivocally cheap. Some people contend they have positively no worth in a CCNA lab. I lend towards to remonstrate for the most part. You competence ask me, hey, what have been you smoking? The IOS which the Cisco 1900 array switches await is not the IOS which is on the examination so how can it be useful? Well, let’s go in to meaningful which they IOS commands on the 1900 array have been not the ones which have been on the test. Ok, so we have been not going to concentration on them(remember, there have been usually a unequivocally couple of switch IOS commands on the CCNA examination in courtesy to syntax), but concepts which I find most people carrying a tough time bargain in how STP works, how the device elections have been rubbed and such. Those concepts work only the same approach on a 1900 as they do on the 2950 switch. Not to discuss which you can do your VLAN, VTP and alternative identical labs on the switch to get an bargain on how they work. So hopefully you can see since I still lift them to assistance business who have been on a parsimonious bill get bearing to such concepts. *Note, as of Jan 2009 the prices have come down on the 2900 array switches to the point it does not appear to be of good worth for us to still lift the 1900 switches. The cost in in in between the twin switch sorts is so close it is improved to outlay the additional couple of dollars and get a 2900 array switch.

As I did with the routers above, I have additionally enclosed a switch underline draft subsequent to assistance you have your Cisco switch selection.

Summary of Switch Features
_____________________________Summary of Cisco Switch Features

_______________________1912/1924_______2912/2924_______2950____________3550
Port Speed_______________10/100MB_______100MB_________100MB___________100MB
VLans____________________X______________X_______________X________________X
Trunking__________________X______________X_______________X________________X
Port Aggregation____________X______________X_______________X________________X
Mirroring__________________X______________X_______________X________________X
ISL______________________X______________X
802.1Q__________________________________X________________X_______________X
QoS _____________________________________________________X_______________X
Layer 3 Switching___________________________________________________________X
IOS Version_______________9.007___________12.x____________12.x______________12.x

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