CCNA and CCNP candidates do not always hear you: "Get some information". From my experience of climbing the Cisco certification ladder, I can tell you personally that there is no such thing as learning by hand. There is no template in the world that will give you the information you will get from the cable and set up your own routers.
Whenever I mentioned this to one of my students, they always said it was too expensive. The fact is, it is cheaper now to build your own CCNA and CCNP lab than ever before. The secret? Rugs used.
The term "used" closes most people, and not many of us who buy used computers or used servers. Cisco routers, however, are robust. I personally carry a Cisco 4000 router that I use as a Frame Relay switch in my lab, which I have had for about four years, and I have never had a problem with.
The good news is that the current CCNA and CCNP candidates are interested in building their own labs, that the Cisco equipment used has never been more or less expensive. eBay is a great way to get an idea of what’s available and what the prices are, but you don’t have to cover your lab one piece at a time. Many eBay retailers that sell Cisco accessories sell CCNA labs and CCNP custom labs for the same price, including cables.
I asked one major CCNA vendor and CCNP lab, www.ciscokits.com, what the most common questions are about building your home lab. Here is what they said:
Why do I need real amulets instead of a simile?
You need a real route, as the templates do not have the ability to give you the “hands” you need to see what happens when you cut the cable or put the cable in the wrong place. You will soon find out that the mistakes you make in Router 1 affect Router 5 because you did not wrap the cable properly. There is no simile that can mimic that.
How many rats do I need?
Two routers are really needed to see if something is working. If you have a limited budget, you can get value by buying only one route using a template. However, you will not be able to see the key that we are trying to achieve. Route table distribution!
The only way you can tell if your configuration is working is to have at least two routers. Therefore, I strongly recommend that you purchase a dual router kit that comes with all the accessories you need. Otherwise, you could spend days trying to find all the extra pieces you need for your lab to work.
Do I need a switch?
Well, it's nice to have it. However, with only 2 questions in a given "hand's open" test to change the information, if you have to skip something, skip to the switch.
What carts and switches should I buy?
Choices, choices, choices! Which 2500/2600 router do I prefer? I will list the pros and cons of each router below, as well as current prices (note that prices are usually lower when you buy a double router kit instead of one router). Please note that prices are estimates.
1) Cisco 2501 Router with 16 MB Flash / 16 MB DRAM, $94.99. The cheapest introduction router, and can support many of the instructions you will need to read in your CCNA exam. All the 2500 routers we will be talking about come with a minimum of two serial spaces and an Ethernet port.
You will need to add a transceiver to this unit to convert the Ethernet AUI port into an antitype Ethernet port.
2) Cisco 2503 Router with 16 MB Flash / 16 MB DRAM, $119.99. This is similar to the Cisco 2501, except that you add an ISDN port, so you can complete all your ISDN test for CCNA exam. You will need to add a transceiver to convert the Ethernet AUI port into an RJ-45 style Ethernet port.
3) Cisco 2505/2507 with 16 MB Flash / 16 MB DRAM, $109.99. Same with the Cisco 2501 except it has an 8 or 16 built-in port hubs, so you don't have to buy a transceiver.
4) Cisco 2514 Router with 16 MB Flash / 16 MB DRAM, $149.99. This router is similar to the Cisco 2501 except that instead of one Ethernet port. You have two. You may ask, what’s the big deal? However, you can use this as your Cable Module / DSL module. You can now test your ability to set firewall and router live online. Very sweet! You will need to add two transceivers to convert Ethernet AUI ports into RJ-45 style Ethernet ports.
5) Cisco 2520 Router with 16 MB Flash / 16 MB DRAM, $119.99. This is similar to 2503 but also add two more serial holes, so you can use them as a frame transfer switch later in your CCNA lessons. It costs about 2503, so this is a great tip to save money.
6) Cisco 2612 Router with 32 DRAM and 8 MB Flash, $199.99. This is a modular router unlike any other 2500 series routers. So the main advantage of this is that you can purchase additional modules to add functionality such as multiple serial ports, ISDN ports, Ethernet ports, WIC and more. However, due to flexibility, you will pay less. One day, a frame relay switch, following your ISDN router. In time, it will be cheaper than buying a lot of dedicated volunteers for each discipline you want to learn.
7) Cisco 1912 or 1924 Switch with Enterprise Software, $109.99. This is a good replacement for low cost. The only drawback is that the 10 MB switch without two 100 MB uplink ports. It is not a big deal as you have 10 MB drives.
8) Cisco 2912 or 2924 Switch with Enterprise Software, $249.99. This switch will use all the current commands needed for testing and is a full 100 MB switch.
And if you wish to sell your lab after completing your certificate, you can negotiate the price with the seller you sold it to, or you can sell it on eBay. It is my experience that 95% of students who receive their CCNA continue to pursue their CCNP within one year, however, so do not sell it immediately.
In the end, you spend just a few hundred dollars, and you get valuable information and information that will help you in your quest for a certificate with you.
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