Good / Cheap CISCO equipment for home use / practice ?
Trumandrummer
Taylor Michigan Icrontian
Any Cisco guys here?
Im on my second Cisco class, and I really enjoy it.
Someone told me that you can get some older Cisco routers/switches for fairly cheap prices.
So the idea popped into my head, to use some of my college funds on a small cisco setup for home practice. I would love to be able to use and configure the equipment on a day to day basis. That way I can remember all the commands, and just learn better.
I tend to learn much quicker with more hands on. Actually almost instantly. But when it comes to reading books, it never seems to stick.
It might be a long shot, but if there are any networking/cisco guys here, could you maybe recommend a few older/cheaper routers and switches ?
Im having difficulty looking up what might be good for a cheaper home setup, without getting something completely outdated and useless.
Thanks a lot,
Nick
Im on my second Cisco class, and I really enjoy it.
Someone told me that you can get some older Cisco routers/switches for fairly cheap prices.
So the idea popped into my head, to use some of my college funds on a small cisco setup for home practice. I would love to be able to use and configure the equipment on a day to day basis. That way I can remember all the commands, and just learn better.
I tend to learn much quicker with more hands on. Actually almost instantly. But when it comes to reading books, it never seems to stick.
It might be a long shot, but if there are any networking/cisco guys here, could you maybe recommend a few older/cheaper routers and switches ?
Im having difficulty looking up what might be good for a cheaper home setup, without getting something completely outdated and useless.
Thanks a lot,
Nick
0
Comments
Other than physically setting up the devices, which is the most trivial part of learning it, there is absolutely no difference between using physical devices that are connected correctly and virtual devices in a lab environment. I used an older version of this, which worked great. They also offer exam prep, but I just used the Cisco Press books.
seems like some very useful software.
Do you happen to know if it works better, or has any advantages over the cisco packet tracer program?
I would not mind buying that at all.
I could get a kit with a couple cisco routers and materials for $149,
http://www.certificationkits.com/cisco-dual-2501-8-8-router-ccna-kit/
And add a switch from ebay for around $20.
Ive been trying to look up and see the differences between Cisco's packet tracer and the Cisco Training lab that you showed me. Because packet tracer is free, if there isn't many differences in the simulation, then im not sure.
Do you think it would be pointless to buy the cisco gear ? Even though the cisco training lab is not that much cheaper ($120) ?
In my mind, I just feel like I would play with it more if I had them connected physically. Id have more motivation to play with stuff and set stuff up.... Than just turning on my computer and running a software.
I didn't really look at it that way.
I finally found some people posting the differences between packet tracer and the training lab. The training lab..... like you said, has lots of real situation training exercises, but you can't change the equipment around. Packet tracer you have all the freedom of changing equipment and all of that..... but without the labs.
But since packet tracer is free, it seems like a good choice to get the Training lab, AND use packet tracer on the side.
Sounds good though.
I am still planning on buying that training lab software/packet, hopefully this week.
But I was talking to my brother in law about networking and Cisco, and he said his work just got all new Cisco equipment a couple years ago. I asked him what they did with the old stuff and he said, he thought they were just sitting in a back room gonna be tossed out. He told me he might be able to get me some.
Sure enough, he brought me a Switch and a Router today. They told him to take them, that they were just wasting space, and were gonna be thrown out.
He got me a 3524 XL Switch and a 2610 XM Router.
So im pretty excited. They are fairly old (10 years or so) but that's ok. They were free, and combined with that training lab, and the Cisco packet tracer etc.... should get me a lot of good practice in.
I just ordered some console cables, since this router has an RJ45 console port, I needed a rollover. And I don't have a Crimp tool. Amazon had a 6 foot, RJ45 rollover console cable for like $8, and I get free 2 day shipping through Amazon prime. So I jumped on it and bought two.
EDIT:
Im not positive, but im gonna assume that this gear probably can't be updated much. Its fairly old. The Switch says mfg in 2000, and the router is 2003.
I once saw a 10/100 48 port Cisco managed switch at a garage sale for $30. I shoulda bought it actually, lol.