Equipment advice for small CCNA lab

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nsafreak

Diamond Member
Oct 16, 2001
7,093
3
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I love learning various things about the computer and networking world. I'm one of those folks that setup a Windows 2008 R2 server as a PDC to learn about it just because I wanted the knowledge. I've done the same thing with Linux, Apache, and various other software and hardware. I've been trying to get into the IT sector but it's been a tough go since I made the unwise decision of only going with an Associate's degree. So, from my viewing of the job market my best bet to at least get my foot in the door at a base or slightly above base level is to have a CCNA certification (I plan on potentially having my future employer paying for a CCNE). I'm willing to learn the material on my own and then pay for the certification testing. Seems it would be the less expensive route to go as well since with places around here I would have to pay for the courses as well as the examination. I'd get to use their equipment while I was in the class but I'm sure I'd want to do work on the equipment while at home as well.

So, tldr portion:

What equipment would you folks recommend to setup a small Cisco lab that I would be able to do enough with to obtain the knowledge needed to pass a CCNA exam? There's plenty of businesses in my area that are upgrading their equipment and getting rid of older Catalyst switches and 2500/2800 etc. series routers. I just don't want to buy equipment that is far too old nor do I want to go into complete overkill.
 
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drebo

Diamond Member
Feb 24, 2006
7,034
1
81
1841s are great routers for lab. Also, Catalyst 2940s are great L2 lab switches. If you want a L3 switch, a 3550 is great.

I wouldn't really recommend any of the 2600 or 2500 series routers anymore.

I would highly recommend GNS3, though,

Also, www.freeccnaworkbook.com and www.ine.com .
 
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Comblues

Member
May 22, 2013
189
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My take:

The CCENT is learning the CLI as it stands today.

So 3 Routers and 3 Switches are kewl.

I like the Terminal Server for an Access Server - the 2509/2510 or 2511/2512 or the NM-16a or NM-32a. They now have much more expensive WIC modules to do the same job.

A frame switch is the 2522 or 2523 model. The 2523 is fine since you only really access this device to manage it by the console cable from the Terminal Server and then the devices hanging off of it are attached to the serial interfaces.

I like the 1721 Router and the 2950-12 or 2950-24 Switches for my CCNA picks.

The 3550 is the best thing as the CCNA exam becomes more advanced. Add one to your pod for more versatility. As 3560's decrease in price switch to one.

Comblues
 
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nsafreak

Diamond Member
Oct 16, 2001
7,093
3
81
Ok BUMP for a quick update. So far I have acquired a 2950 switch, a 3550 switch and an 1841 router. Reading through various sites there are various recommended ways and numbers of switches and routers to have in a CCNA lab setup. Some sites state that you can have 1 router and 2 switches while others state that 3 routers and 3 switches would be ideal. I can easily pick up 2 more 2950 switches at $10 apiece if that will fulfill that portion of the recommended setup but I'm not sure if I should just get two more 1841 routers or if I should get another router pair.

Also does anybody know of a small rackmount that I could get to house all of these units, especially if I go with 6? There are several full size racks available locally but they'd take up too much space in my apartment so I'd like to get something that's pretty small and preferrably easy to move around.
 
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Danimal1209

Senior member
Nov 9, 2011
355
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0
Get 3 or more routers to really see and understand how the routing protocols work. That's the most important thing for you to learn. Learning the commands is useless if you don't understand what is going on on the line.
 
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nsafreak

Diamond Member
Oct 16, 2001
7,093
3
81
Well my lab is almost complete, have another 1841 being shipped via FedEx so I just have to purchase one more. Well, that and a decent rack that isn't too huge since this is starting to become quite the stack of networking equipment. Here's where I stand now:

2 x 1841 routers (working on purchasing a 3rd)
3 x 2950 switches
1 x 3550 switch

I've been reading through a couple of sites on how to setup a CCNA lab and there's 1 part that I haven't decided on yet so I'll ask in this thread. Would it be better to purchase a 2509 Terminal Server and plug the console cables from the switches and the routers into it or would I be able to manage them all by plugging them in to USB to serial converters and then plugging those into a USB hub? Something tells me that I may be inviting trouble by going the USB hub route but I figured I'd ask since it'd take up less space than another 1U rack mounted router.
 
Juddog

Juddog

Diamond Member
Dec 11, 2006
7,851
6
81
nsafreak said:
Well my lab is almost complete, have another 1841 being shipped via FedEx so I just have to purchase one more. Well, that and a decent rack that isn't too huge since this is starting to become quite the stack of networking equipment. Here's where I stand now:

2 x 1841 routers (working on purchasing a 3rd)
3 x 2950 switches
1 x 3550 switch

I've been reading through a couple of sites on how to setup a CCNA lab and there's 1 part that I haven't decided on yet so I'll ask in this thread. Would it be better to purchase a 2509 Terminal Server and plug the console cables from the switches and the routers into it or would I be able to manage them all by plugging them in to USB to serial converters and then plugging those into a USB hub? Something tells me that I may be inviting trouble by going the USB hub route but I figured I'd ask since it'd take up less space than another 1U rack mounted router.
Click to expand...

How much did all that stuff cost you?

I'm studying for the new CCNA test (aborted my plan to complete the old cert, I guess I started studying too late into the game), so wondering for myself when I eventually setup a lab at home. Right now I'm just using the virtual lab, but I know I'll need better equipment down the line.
 
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VulgarDisplay

Diamond Member
Apr 3, 2009
6,188
2
76
I'm paying to take CCNA classes at the local JuCo and I can honestly say that Packet Tracer and GNS3 are no substitute for the real thing.

I've learned more about trouble shooting in 4 weeks of class in an actual lab than I did all last semester using Packet Tracer in the online class I took.
 
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brshoemak

Member
Feb 11, 2005
166
4
81
VulgarDisplay said:
I'm paying to take CCNA classes at the local JuCo and I can honestly say that Packet Tracer and GNS3 are no substitute for the real thing.

I've learned more about trouble shooting in 4 weeks of class in an actual lab than I did all last semester using Packet Tracer in the online class I took.
Click to expand...

That's the fault of the online class then. The troubleshooting when you're using physical hardware is no different than using Packet Tracer except that if you DO have an issue it's going to be like troubleshooting a computer. Cable? Port? Power? The rest will all be in your IOS configs.

I'm not discounting experience on physical hardware, that is somewhat important and you should at least have a switch or router to get your hands on, but you can do pretty much everything for the CCNA level exam through Packet Tracer.
 
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nsafreak

Diamond Member
Oct 16, 2001
7,093
3
81
Juddog said:
How much did all that stuff cost you?

I'm studying for the new CCNA test (aborted my plan to complete the old cert, I guess I started studying too late into the game), so wondering for myself when I eventually setup a lab at home. Right now I'm just using the virtual lab, but I know I'll need better equipment down the line.
Click to expand...

It's amazing the deals you can find on Craigslist although I had to eBay the routers. The switches ran me $10 each locally and each of the routers ran me $70 (had to go with a 1721 for one of them, but I only paid $25 for it locally). So my grand total came to $195.
 
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nsafreak

Diamond Member
Oct 16, 2001
7,093
3
81
alkemyst said:
power bill can be a wake up call.
Click to expand...

Eh since I don't have it turned on 24/7 not really. If I was running my home network off it (which would be silly) then I'd probably see an impact but since I just start it up for doing labs for a few hours I really haven't seen much of an increase.
 
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VulgarDisplay

Diamond Member
Apr 3, 2009
6,188
2
76
brshoemak said:
That's the fault of the online class then. The troubleshooting when you're using physical hardware is no different than using Packet Tracer except that if you DO have an issue it's going to be like troubleshooting a computer. Cable? Port? Power? The rest will all be in your IOS configs.

I'm not discounting experience on physical hardware, that is somewhat important and you should at least have a switch or router to get your hands on, but you can do pretty much everything for the CCNA level exam through Packet Tracer.
Click to expand...

You can learn to pass the exam with packet tracer, but you'll still be useless to an employer.
 
alkemyst

alkemyst

No Lifer
Feb 13, 2001
83,769
19
81
VulgarDisplay said:
You can learn to pass the exam with packet tracer, but you'll still be useless to an employer.
Click to expand...

This is not true.

You are putting too much weight on the physical cable components.

Much work is done via SSH/TELNET anyway...ends up being no different than a simulator.

I do agree some physical familiarity with the hardware (where the console/AUX ports are, what ports are MGMT, etc), but that changes every year or so anyway.
 
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Enigma102083

Member
Dec 25, 2009
147
0
0
Not going to lie to you, just going out and getting a CCNA and having zero experience isn't going to get you anything above an entry level position.
 
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