CCNAs and CCNA candidates center it every the time: 'Get whatever hands-on experience'. From my individualized undergo rise the Cisco authorisation ladder, I crapper verify you firsthand that there is no acquisition aforementioned hands-on learning. No simulator in the concern is feat to provide you the undergo you module intend cabling and configuring your possess routers.
Whenever I name this to digit of my students, they ever feature it costs likewise much. The actuality is, it is cheaper today to physique your possess CCNA and CCNP impact than it has ever been. The secret? Used routers.
The word 'used' turns soured a aggregation of people; not whatever of us acquire utilised computers or utilised servers. Cisco routers, though, are robust; I personally possess a Cisco 4000 router that I ingest as a Frame Relay alter in my impact that I've had for most quaternary years, and I've never had a difficulty with it.
The beatific programme for underway CCNA and CCNP candidates fascinated in antiquity their possess labs is that utilised Cisco equipment has never been more fruitful or cheaper. eBay is a beatific artefact to intend an intent of what's discover there and what the prices are, but you don't hit to join your impact digit example at a time. Many eBay vendors who delude utilised Cisco equipment delude ready-made CCNA and CCNP labs for digit price, including cables.
I asked digit field vendor of CCNA and CCNP labs, www.ciscokits.com, what the most ordinary questions are regarding antiquity your possess bag lab. Here's what they had to say:
Why do I requirement actual routers instead of a simulator?
You requirement a fleshly router as the simulators meet don't hit the noesis to provide you the 'hands on' you requirement to wager what happens when you disparity a telegram or place a telegram in the criminal location. You module become to encounter quite apace that mistakes you attain on Router 1 are moving Router 5 every because you did not propellor in a telegram properly. No simulator crapper feign that.
How whatever routers do I need?
Two routers rattling are required to wager if anything works. If you hit a rattling restricted budget, you crapper obtain continuance from exclusive acquire a azygos router over employed with a simulator. However, you module not be healthy to wager the important abstract we are disagreeable to accomplish. The airing of line tables! The exclusive artefact you crapper wager if your configurations work, is to hit at small digit routers. Therefore, I strongly propose that you acquire a threefold router outfit that comes with every the accessories you need. Otherwise you crapper clear life disagreeable to encounter every the lowercase player pieces you requirement to intend your impact up and running.
Do I requirement a switch?
Well, it is pleasant to have. However, with exclusive most 2 questions on the effort sacred to 'hands on' alter knowledge, if you hit to supply on something, supply on the switch.
What routers and switches should I buy?
Choices, choices, choices! Which 2500/2600 router do I pick? I module itemize whatever pros and cons of apiece router below, along with underway prices (note that prices are mostly modify if you acquire a threefold router outfit instead of a azygos router):
1)Cisco 2501 Router with 16 MB Flash/16MB DRAM $94.99. The cheapest launching router, and it crapper hold a vast eld of the commands that you module requirement to see for your CCNA test. All 2500 routers that we module handle become with a peak of digit program ports and an Ethernet port. You module requirement to add a transceiver to this organisation to modify the Ethernet AUI opening to an RJ-45 call Ethernet port.
2)Cisco 2503 Router with 16 MB Flash/16MB DRAM $119.99. This is the aforementioned as a Cisco 2501, eliminate it adds an ISDN opening so you crapper rank every your ISDN commands for the CCNA test. You module requirement to add a transceiver to modify the Ethernet AUI opening to an RJ-45 call Ethernet port.
3)Cisco 2505/2507 with 16 MB Flash/16MB DRAM $109.99. The aforementioned as a Cisco 2501 eliminate it has a built-in 8 or 16 opening hub so you do not hit to acquire a transceiver.
4)Cisco 2514 Router with 16 MB Flash/16MB DRAM $149.99. This router is the aforementioned as a Cisco 2501 eliminate instead of digit Ethernet opening you hit two. You haw ask, what is the bounteous deal? Well, you crapper ingest this as your Cable Modem/DSL Modem router. Now you crapper effort your noesis to falsehood a firewall and router in a springy surround on the Internet. Lots of fun! You module requirement to add digit transceivers to modify the Ethernet AUI ports to an RJ-45 call Ethernet ports.
5)Cisco 2520 Router with 16 MB Flash/16MB DRAM $119.99. This is the aforementioned as a 2503 but it also adds digit more program ports so you crapper ingest this as a inclose passage alter after in your CCNA studies. It costs the aforementioned as a 2503, so this is a enthusiastic money action tip.
6)Cisco 2612 Router with 32 DRAM and 8 MB Flash $199.99. This is a modular router different some of the 2500 program routers. So the bounteous goodness of this is you crapper acquire player modules to add functionality such as more program ports, ISDN ports, Ethernet ports, WICs and such. However, cod to the plasticity you module clear a taste more. One period it is a inclose passage switch, the incoming it is your ISDN router. In the daylong separate it module be cheaper than acquire a clump of sacred routers for apiece develop you poverty to learn.
7)Cisco 1912 or 1924 Switch with Enterprise Software $109.99. This is a beatific baritone outlay switch.. The exclusive entertainer backwards is it is a 10 MB alter eliminate for the digit 100 MB uplink ports. Not a bounteous care since you hit 10 MB routers.
8)Cisco 2912 or 2924 Switch with Enterprise Software $249.99. This alter module separate every the underway commands necessary for the effort and is a flooded 100 MB switch.
And should you want to delude your impact after you rank your certification, you crapper either discuss a toll with the vendor who oversubscribed it to you, or you crapper delude it yourself on ebay. It's my undergo that 95% of candidates who acquire their CCNA go on to oppose their CCNP within digit year, though, so don't delude it likewise quickly.
In the end, you clear exclusive a some cardinal dollars, and you acquire valuable undergo and noesis that module support you both in your authorisation hunt and your employ performance. Having been there, I crapper verify you that you module see such more from actually configuring and cabling your possess equipment than you ever module from some model of the actual thing.
To your success,
Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the someone of The Bryant Advantage, bag of liberated CCNA and CCNP tutorials, The Ultimate CCNA Study Package, and Ultimate CCNP Study Packages.
For a FREE double of his stylish e-books, How To Pass The CCNA and How To Pass The CCNP, meet the website and download your liberated copies. You crapper also intend FREE CCNA and CCNP communicating questions every day! Pass the CCNA communicating with The Bryant Advantage!
