2504 Router Any Good For CCNA/CCNP ??

[markjrees]

Could somebody advise me on this one? Are 2504 routers any good for setting up a ccna/ccnp lab?

I want to connect all 3 routers together and asume each router is in a different country for connectivity purposes.

The routers are all token ring.

thanks in advance.

ps. presumably it won't be possible to configure ethernet ip addressing etc on them will it? If not i probably won't bother getting them

http://www.accountantjokes.co.uk

http://www.markjrees.co.uk

http://www.mjrcomputersolutions.co.uk

http://www.mjrfm.co.uk

 

[CiscoGuy33]

markjrees,
The 2504 Routers are as you said Token Ring routers, but they do have 2 serial interfaces on each and an ISDN S/T interface.

If the price is right they are ok to suppliment a CCNA or CCNP lab. I have several 2502 and 2504 routers in my CCNP lab, bought them because they are normally much cheaper then Ethernet routers. I even got a MAU for $5 on Ebay and some Token Ring cables and NICs very cheap and hooked up an old PC.

I feel networking is networking and the more practice you have configuring different interfaces the better - but only if the price is right.

Since they have 2 serial interfaces you could use one as a frame relay switch for a very, very simple frame relay network - normally you would use a 2520,2521,2522 or 2523 for this.

You would want several 2501 or 2503 routers for your Ethernet labs.

E.A. Broda
CCNA, CCDA, CCAI, Network +

 

[markjrees]

I got an 802.5 media filter with them - one end connects to the token ring port and on the other end is a female rj-45 connecter. i guess this is some sort of converter?

http://www.accountantjokes.co.uk

http://www.markjrees.co.uk

http://www.mjrcomputersolutions.co.uk

http://www.mjrfm.co.uk

 

[CiscoGuy33]

markjrees,
I have a Cisco Token Ring switch (got it very cheap on Ebay) that I connect these DB to RJ45 conectors/cables to. Don't spend alot on Token Ring but most people will almost give it to you to get rid of it - and networking is networking - name of the game = PRACTICE.

You need to go on Ebay and get some serial cables -
DTE DCE Back to Back Crossover Cable CAN BE USED TO CONNECT TWO TO MORE CISCO ROUTER 36xx / 4xxx / 25xx.

I have also bought alot of cables and other stuff for my lab from Anthony Panda, he is in Hong Kong, prices are GREAT and he has lots of hard to find items -

http://www.anthonypanda.com/

He also has FLASH and RAM for the Cisco routers if you need to increase to the max of 16/16 on the 2500 router.

E.A. Broda
CCNA, CCDA, CCAI, Network +

 

[jdl508]

Price is key, you can always set up a loopback interface to emulate you lan. You want many wan interfaces to generate routing traffic.