ICND and IOS access question.

[ProviderReborn]

Hi all,

Have just done my week long ICND 1 course.
Now home I want to set up a lab. ANy ways our instructer gave us a emulater that actually runs the ios. So I do not have to get routers off ebay.

Is there any where that I could down load some IOS for testing purposes any where.

Thanks

ACA - IP Office Implement
ACA - IP Telephony
ACS - IP Office Implement (Aug 30th)

 

[brianinms]

What emulator would that be?

 

[norteldude78]

its probably dynamips, try IOS Hunter

 

[ProviderReborn]

dynamips it is.

Thanks norteldude. I will have a peek now.

ACA - IP Office Implement
ACA - IP Telephony
ACS - IP Office Implement (Aug 30th)

 

[CiscoGuy33]

TheProvider,

I will say it again and again until I am blue in my face - sims and emulators are great but nothing like REAL Cisco routers.

Get yourself a few routers on eBay and figure out what cables you need and get them all networking with each other, practice your TFTP, password recovery etc.

Having 2 PCs, 2 switches and 3 routers all setup in a little network will teach you more then you ever thought about networking and network trouble-shooting - which is what CCNA is ALL about.

Just my $.02 !


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

 

[ProviderReborn]

Thats a valid point and I do take that on board. Thanks for the input on that.

ACA - IP Office Implement
ACA - IP Telephony
ACS - IP Office Implement (Aug 30th)

 

[C0mmUN1cAt0r]

i am keen to setup my own test lab. couple of questions which may be obvious. Once I have several routers, cables and 2 pc's by plugging a pc in one router and a pc in another, what else will be required to start connectivity. Reason I ask I once looked at setting up a small network at home, however one of the laptops I was using connected to my works network and so I found it hard trying to configure the laptop to logon at home on a seperate network. Will I need some sort of server on my test lab or will/can everything be set through the routers??

 

[CiscoGuy33]

andymartin2006,

First - in most cases you would plug your PC into a switch or hub and then connect that to the router. I have used Cisco Fast400 hubs because they are dirt cheap on eBay along with Cisco CAT 1912s and 2924s. For CCNA practice you really need a Cisco 2900 switch, the 1900 are very cheap on eBay but no longer on the CCNA exam.

I do it this way because I want my little "test" network lab to be as close to how "real" networks are setup. In the "real" world - PCs are connected to switches and then switches are connected to other switches or to the routers.

If you are going to bypass the switches/hubs you will need crossover cables to connect the PC directly to the routers Ethernet ports - just as you would use if connecting 2 PCs directly together.

As for connecting your laptop to your home lab - this is why having a "home" lab with real equipment is SO important - you need to understand how networks work and how to get things connected! This includes how to make your laptop work in this network.

That would lead us to a major dialog on Windows and domains vs work groups etc. I would suggest a "Dummies book on Networking" to start I love the "Dummies" books because they are quick reads and get you the basic background you need before moving onto more complex books! You DO need to understand how all this works to be a good CCNA - no one said it would be EZ

Have fun !


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