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which router to buy for ccna
- Thread starter tzzzz
- Start date
- Thread starter
- #2
CiscoGuy33
Instructor
tzzzz,
A Cisco 775 is an ISDN Access router - you will get very limited use out of this without a ISDN sim (very expensive) and another ISDN router.
You will want 2-3 routers and 1-2 switches. Cisco 2500 routers make a good choice because they are avail. on Ebay for great prices and they have both serial and Ethernet connections for both the LAN and WAN setups.
Cisco 2501, 2503 and 2514 are all Ethernet and will be the best to look for. You also want 16mg DRAM and 16mgs FLASH with the latest IOS (at least in the 12's).
You can also look for Cisco 806 or 831 (no serial connections), 1700 routers and 2600 routers (more expensive).
When you see one for sale do a google on it and learn what it has or else you may end up with something that you can not use.
You can also go to Ebay and search for "labs" under routers and you will find some ready made labs with cables, AUIs etc. - everthing ready to go. Just read the fine print.
As for switches a 2950(about $700) would be best but you can still get most of the switching concepts from a CAT 1900 with an Enterprise edition of the IOS on it.
I hope this helps!!
E.A. Broda
CCNA, CCDA, CCAI, Network +
A Cisco 775 is an ISDN Access router - you will get very limited use out of this without a ISDN sim (very expensive) and another ISDN router.
You will want 2-3 routers and 1-2 switches. Cisco 2500 routers make a good choice because they are avail. on Ebay for great prices and they have both serial and Ethernet connections for both the LAN and WAN setups.
Cisco 2501, 2503 and 2514 are all Ethernet and will be the best to look for. You also want 16mg DRAM and 16mgs FLASH with the latest IOS (at least in the 12's).
You can also look for Cisco 806 or 831 (no serial connections), 1700 routers and 2600 routers (more expensive).
When you see one for sale do a google on it and learn what it has or else you may end up with something that you can not use.
You can also go to Ebay and search for "labs" under routers and you will find some ready made labs with cables, AUIs etc. - everthing ready to go. Just read the fine print.
As for switches a 2950(about $700) would be best but you can still get most of the switching concepts from a CAT 1900 with an Enterprise edition of the IOS on it.
I hope this helps!!
E.A. Broda
CCNA, CCDA, CCAI, Network +
- Thread starter
- #4
CiscoGuy33
Instructor
tzzzz,
The 1600's are ok - just depends on what WAN interface you have to connect them. From the Cisco docs it seems they all have a WAN slot for an add in WAN card.
Understanding the serial interfaces and Frame Relay, PPP, HDLC and ISDN are a big part of the CCNA exam.
I have always liked the 2500's and 2600's because they are all rack mountable - with my CCNP/CCIE lab - 15 routers, 4 switches and 6 Fast 400 hubs all on the rack it makes it easier to keep neat and in order as I work through different setups.
Here is a link for 2 FREE CCNA Lab Books (pdf download)
Learning by Doing: Cisco Certified Network Administrator (CCNA) Lab Manual Version 4 Volume #1
by Matthew Basham Download: $FREE
and
Learning by Doing: Cisco Certified Network Administrator (CCNA) Lab Manual version 4 volume 2, eBook
by Matthew Basham Download: $FREE
Matt was my train the trainer instructor at a Cisco Network Academy. The books are several hundred pages and will take you though lots of hands on labs with 1, 2 and 3 router setups.
Good luck on your study. I hope this helps!
E.A. Broda
CCNA, CCDA, CCAI, Network +
The 1600's are ok - just depends on what WAN interface you have to connect them. From the Cisco docs it seems they all have a WAN slot for an add in WAN card.
Understanding the serial interfaces and Frame Relay, PPP, HDLC and ISDN are a big part of the CCNA exam.
I have always liked the 2500's and 2600's because they are all rack mountable - with my CCNP/CCIE lab - 15 routers, 4 switches and 6 Fast 400 hubs all on the rack it makes it easier to keep neat and in order as I work through different setups.
Here is a link for 2 FREE CCNA Lab Books (pdf download)
Learning by Doing: Cisco Certified Network Administrator (CCNA) Lab Manual Version 4 Volume #1
by Matthew Basham Download: $FREE
and
Learning by Doing: Cisco Certified Network Administrator (CCNA) Lab Manual version 4 volume 2, eBook
by Matthew Basham Download: $FREE
Matt was my train the trainer instructor at a Cisco Network Academy. The books are several hundred pages and will take you though lots of hands on labs with 1, 2 and 3 router setups.
Good luck on your study. I hope this helps!
E.A. Broda
CCNA, CCDA, CCAI, Network +
spazmahoney
Technical User
Ciscokits is the place to go for CCNA routers. The ones I bought from them were in great working order and they included IOS images AND LABS. I bought another router from jerk called speedy47 and regretted the purchase....he wasn't honest and he wasn't speedy.
mrmoneymatters
MIS
How come some people buy the routers and switches, why not just use a good router sim? Is there something I don't know or something missing from sims?
Network Admin
A+, Network+, MCSA 2000, MCSE 2000
Network Admin
A+, Network+, MCSA 2000, MCSE 2000
- Thread starter
- #9
i ended up selling those 4 x 1600 routers again and picked up a 2514.
router sims cant be as good as the real thing. Everything to characteristics, behavior and even faults compile the real thing.
But having to buy a few routers and a couple of switches is quite expensive.
tzzzzz... depending on the simulator, it CAN be as good as the real thing. Some out there are pretty bad but for example, the Boson Simulator is very good. And I"m a big hardware geek so to endose a sim says something. I like to be able to mock up a network on the road without having to use the clients network 
It's a great way to work out some of the configs and have them ready to go.
With respect for the 1600s.... there is nothing a 2500 can do that a 1600 cant do..short of the terminal server. With the latest code, the 1600s can even do BGP. One model comes with ISDN, another has 56K switched which you can hook back to back and sim a frame connection or T1, one is dual ethernet so they work great. I used three of them along with some other routers when I picked up my CCNP.
And yes, Matt is a great guy.
MikeS
Home of the book "Network Security Using Linux"
It's a great way to work out some of the configs and have them ready to go.With respect for the 1600s.... there is nothing a 2500 can do that a 1600 cant do..short of the terminal server. With the latest code, the 1600s can even do BGP. One model comes with ISDN, another has 56K switched which you can hook back to back and sim a frame connection or T1, one is dual ethernet so they work great. I used three of them along with some other routers when I picked up my CCNP.
And yes, Matt is a great guy.
MikeS
Home of the book "Network Security Using Linux"
- Thread starter
- #11
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