I'm kind of new at cisco ,I'm in the process to get a cisco 1721 router. I want to play around with vpns and such. MY question is I have broadband connection( cable modem,grap ip dhcp) ,will the cisco 1721 work with this . Can you enable dhcp on the 1721 on one of the interfaces?...also, can anyone point me to a good site or book to learn about this router and it's commands. Thanks
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cisco 1721
- Thread starter spivy66
- Start date
is the best place to learn ios commands.
The 1700 series is EOL
UnaBomber
ccnp mcse2k
The 1700 series is EOL
UnaBomber
ccnp mcse2k
- Thread starter
- #3
Spivy,
The 1721 will work fine with any broadband connection. You will however need to get a hold of a Wan Interface Card (WIC). I have a WIC1-ENET (10 Base-T Ethernet) connected to my DSL modem for internet access at home, and I'm guessing this is best option for connecting to a cable modem. You can also get ISDN and ADSL WIC's if that suits. Note that you cant use High Speed WIC's on the 1721 (HWIC'S) so ADSL2+ or other > 10Mb (or so) connections are out
The unit has recently gone End-of-Life (EOL) but they are still a pretty handy router.
Hope this helps...
The 1721 will work fine with any broadband connection. You will however need to get a hold of a Wan Interface Card (WIC). I have a WIC1-ENET (10 Base-T Ethernet) connected to my DSL modem for internet access at home, and I'm guessing this is best option for connecting to a cable modem. You can also get ISDN and ADSL WIC's if that suits. Note that you cant use High Speed WIC's on the 1721 (HWIC'S) so ADSL2+ or other > 10Mb (or so) connections are out
The unit has recently gone End-of-Life (EOL) but they are still a pretty handy router.
Hope this helps...
- Thread starter
- #5
When you say " Note that you cant use High Speed WIC's on the 1721 (HWIC'S) so ADSL2+ or other > 10Mb (or so) connections are out" are you talking about a hight speed connection like a T1 line? do I need a special WIC1-ENET card to work with a cable modem ( model number)? and theses WIC1-ENET are only 10baseT ?,cause I see the built in nic is 100baseT?When I get this router and have the extra WIC1-ENET card ,do i need to use the WIC1-ENET card for the external ip or the trusted side( does it really matter?) Last question. As you can see i'm new to the cisco world and I'm getting this router to lean but I really need access to setup vpn tunnels,do i need a speacial vpn card in this device?
Sorry for all the questions ,I just need a starting point..thank you for your time.
Sorry for all the questions ,I just need a starting point..thank you for your time.
Hi spivvy
WIC-1ENET is a 10Mb interface card. WIC stands for WAN Interface Card. This WIC has an RJ45 port for ethernet connection to another device/ switch
WIC-1ADSL has an RJ11 port on the back for ADSL connections. You would run your DSL cable straight from the splitter into this port.
You could set it up...
PC ---- Router ---- Modem ---- Internet in which case you may need the WIC1ENET to connect the router to the modem or you could do
PC ---- Router ---- Internet (DSL) in which case you would need the WIC-1ADSL to connect the router to your splitter
In relation to VPN tunnels, are you hoping to do this from the IOS? If so you will probably find it quite difficult if you do not know Cisco at all (I know this from experience - trust me!!)
Arguably the only starting point for a career in configuring neworks using Cisco Routing and Switching devices/ technology is the CCNA.
The Cisco Press books are particularly good reference material also look out for CBT nuggets, KnowledgeNets etc.
Alternatively enrol at a college and get on the Cisco Academy!!
Hope this helps!
Jim :O)
CCNA
WIC-1ENET is a 10Mb interface card. WIC stands for WAN Interface Card. This WIC has an RJ45 port for ethernet connection to another device/ switch
WIC-1ADSL has an RJ11 port on the back for ADSL connections. You would run your DSL cable straight from the splitter into this port.
You could set it up...
PC ---- Router ---- Modem ---- Internet in which case you may need the WIC1ENET to connect the router to the modem or you could do
PC ---- Router ---- Internet (DSL) in which case you would need the WIC-1ADSL to connect the router to your splitter
In relation to VPN tunnels, are you hoping to do this from the IOS? If so you will probably find it quite difficult if you do not know Cisco at all (I know this from experience - trust me!!)
Arguably the only starting point for a career in configuring neworks using Cisco Routing and Switching devices/ technology is the CCNA.
The Cisco Press books are particularly good reference material also look out for CBT nuggets, KnowledgeNets etc.
Alternatively enrol at a college and get on the Cisco Academy!!
Hope this helps!
Jim :O)
CCNA
To create VPN tunnels with a 'router' you will need the High-Security feature set IOS. Which the 1700 Series of routers doesn't support, so you wont be able to do this I am afraid.
You will be able to configure the 1700 with a cable modem (Buzzedman Cable and xDSL are not the same), most probably you dont need any WIC interfaces for you to get this to work with a Cable modem, because you wont have any interface outside your network. If your Cable modem has a Ethernet de marc point then you shouldnt need any wic
UnaBomber
ccnp mcse2k
You will be able to configure the 1700 with a cable modem (Buzzedman Cable and xDSL are not the same), most probably you dont need any WIC interfaces for you to get this to work with a Cable modem, because you wont have any interface outside your network. If your Cable modem has a Ethernet de marc point then you shouldnt need any wic
UnaBomber
ccnp mcse2k
- Thread starter
- #8
Jim,
Thanks for the response, Ok now that you made this clear. I am new at Cisco, yet I know basic commands. I have setup a two 2600's at work with the default ip route 0.0.0.0 to the gateway, dhcp, lease times and what not (basic crap
). This 1721 is for home use and to learn on my own and play around with sa and ike . Right now at home I use a watchguard which I have multiple vpn setups. But from what Unabomber is saying that 1721 does not support vpn..I have read that they do, so i'm a bit puzzled. I would like to state i'm buying this router used prob on e-bay, because they cost too much new. I want to make sure the one I buy has the right ios and wic card or I will buy the wic separately. But like i stated before I deff need vpn capabilities.Thanks again..
Thanks for the response, Ok now that you made this clear. I am new at Cisco, yet I know basic commands. I have setup a two 2600's at work with the default ip route 0.0.0.0 to the gateway, dhcp, lease times and what not (basic crap
). This 1721 is for home use and to learn on my own and play around with sa and ike . Right now at home I use a watchguard which I have multiple vpn setups. But from what Unabomber is saying that 1721 does not support vpn..I have read that they do, so i'm a bit puzzled. I would like to state i'm buying this router used prob on e-bay, because they cost too much new. I want to make sure the one I buy has the right ios and wic card or I will buy the wic separately. But like i stated before I deff need vpn capabilities.Thanks again..
- Thread starter
- #10
UnaBomber,
If you connect a cable modem via ethernet to the FastEthernet interface on the 1721 then how are you going to connect your equipment to the router so you can use it ? you NEED a WIC card to set this up
(unless you are going to run 802.1Q sub interfaces / Trunk to a managed switch)
I do realise that xDSL and cable are totally different - I use a WIC1-ENET to connect to a NEC DSL modem, hence why I suggested the same would be fine for a cable modem (which I understand will also have an ethernet interface).
Dont give up Spivvy !! Just get the basics down pat first. Once you get familiar with the IOS and Cisco terminology you will probably change your mind. You should probably also give some of the router SIMs a look...
Buzz.
If you connect a cable modem via ethernet to the FastEthernet interface on the 1721 then how are you going to connect your equipment to the router so you can use it ? you NEED a WIC card to set this up
(unless you are going to run 802.1Q sub interfaces / Trunk to a managed switch)I do realise that xDSL and cable are totally different - I use a WIC1-ENET to connect to a NEC DSL modem, hence why I suggested the same would be fine for a cable modem (which I understand will also have an ethernet interface).
Dont give up Spivvy !! Just get the basics down pat first. Once you get familiar with the IOS and Cisco terminology you will probably change your mind. You should probably also give some of the router SIMs a look...
Buzz.
- Thread starter
- #12
Sorry about that - I should have been a little clearer...
Have a look around for router simulators. I use Boson NetSim (comes with the official Cisco CCNA training guide on CD) but there are others.
and should get you started
Have a look around for router simulators. I use Boson NetSim (comes with the official Cisco CCNA training guide on CD) but there are others.
and should get you started
Ethernet is not a wide area protocol so why would someone, including Cisco, call an Ethernet interface a WIC? Semantics I know, I suppose some telcos have Ethernet hand off, but that is just for a few meters until you hit the real local loop ...
OK
UnaBomber
ccnp mcse2k
gambler1621
Technical User
Hello,
One thing to watch out for when buying a cisco router to use with a cable modem:
Most cable companies use DHCP option 60. It is used to differentiate customer routers from their own infrastructure routers.
If you are purchasing a used cisco router, you need to get ios 12.3 or higher. IOS's 12.1 and most of the 12.2's will automatically register your router as an infrastructure router and you will get a private ip address (unable to access the internet or surf). There is no way, that I know of, to disable or change the settings in dhcp option 60 on these earlier IOS's.
I learned this lesson the hard way and ended up being required to upgrade my IOS (and memory to support the IOS).
One thing to watch out for when buying a cisco router to use with a cable modem:
Most cable companies use DHCP option 60. It is used to differentiate customer routers from their own infrastructure routers.
If you are purchasing a used cisco router, you need to get ios 12.3 or higher. IOS's 12.1 and most of the 12.2's will automatically register your router as an infrastructure router and you will get a private ip address (unable to access the internet or surf). There is no way, that I know of, to disable or change the settings in dhcp option 60 on these earlier IOS's.
I learned this lesson the hard way and ended up being required to upgrade my IOS (and memory to support the IOS).
- Status