CCNA Newb

[WFComm]

I have read alot of the posts for setting up a lab and such. While surfing ebay looking for routers I found a package deal. Just wanted to hear your thoughts on just buying package outright. Im sure I could save alittle piecing it myself but wouldnt be easier to just buy package?

http://cgi.ebay.com/Cisco-CCNA-CCNP...6|66:2|65:12|39:1|240:1307|301:1|293:1|294:50

Also is there a way to get more hands on experience then just going through the class? I really like what Im learning and I find this stuff very interesting. Is there anything more I can do to learn cisco? I would even work some where for free in spare time for the experience. Any ideas?

(by the way Im in second semester of cisco net academy)

Thanks guys!

 

[WFComm]

Hey guys got a quick question. This is more just to make sure I dont mess up and buy something I dont need or not right. I found a great deal on a 3640. I asked if they could add two serials to it. He said he would send it with a wic 2t. Does that mean it will come with a ethernet as well or will I still need the network card?

 

[lerdalt]

Your best bet to be sure, is if you could have the seller send you the output of a "show version". That's going to give you some good information on the memory, interfaces, etc that are included.

 

[silverhairb]

To add to lerdalt's comment, 3640s are pretty much skeleton routers. Interfaces are added as needed via Network Modules (NMs). A "WIC" card needs some kind of expansion NM. Fortunately, a WIC-2t will usually work well in a NM-1E2W, one of the least expensive network modules you can get. The "1E" of that NM means that the network module has 1 ethernet (10mbs) port, the "2W" means that there are 2 WIC card expansion slots.

Not all WIC cards will work in all NMs (firmware limitation), but IIRC most of the cards that are useful in a lab router will work in a NM-1E2W.

[the other] Bill

 

[CiscoGuy33]

WFComm,

Don't worry about asking the seller a follow-up question and as lerdalt said a "show version" will tell you a lot about the router, including the amount of DRAM, FLASH, IOS it is running as well as the interfaces installed.

WIC-2T's are nice WIC's - that is what I use in our Network Academy just be aware that it has a mini "D" connector so it will take a little planning on your part depending on what you are connecting to.

With the right cable, you can connect the WIC-2T to a WIC-1T or a NM-4A/S. Follow the links I gave you above and learn the 2 different connectors that these WIC's and NM's use. If you use a NM-4A/S for your Frame Relay switch, you will want to make sure that the cables you get have the DCE end with a connector that will fit the NM-4A/S and the DTE end could be one that fits a WIC-1T or WIC-2T or even another NM-4A/S.

A good place to start is at Anthony Panda, he has almost any cable you could want and lots of pictures and descriptions -

http://www.anthonypanda.com/prodlst.php?cat_id=1

If you are not sure what you need - ask us!!!!

I like the shorter 3 ft back-to-back cables rather than the "real" Cisco cables that are 20 feet long with the 2 halves joined, that are ment for production areas. When we bought are lab equipment in 1999 we bought from a Cisco seller that setup production sites and not labs, so we got all "Cisco" cables and PAID a lot for it (like $100 a cable) for labs the cables that Anthony Panda has or Ebay has for $8 to $15 will work just fine!!!!!

Have fun, hope this helps!

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