Hey C.M. Weaver!

[dmsmed]

How goes the CCNP? I'm in the middle of the third semester of CCNA, I'm doing O.K. but I need time in front of the hardware. I'm considering buying a couple of routers and a switch. I was thinking of a couple of 2500's and a 1900 series switch. Any sugestions? :)

[tomsykes]

get a 2600 router if you can afford it. It's the beginning of the proper cisco modular routers (ie, removable cards) unlike the 2500's fixed ports.

the 1900 switches are good for learning.

[dmsmed]

I was thinking along the lines of a 1912 or 2912 series switch (I would rather have a 2900 for my own use), a 700, 1600 and 2600 series routers, that way I would have three routers and a switch to use to set up CCNA VLAN Labs and I could use the 700 and 2600 series which are required for CCNP.

It was probably a good thing that I took the first semester but I (as well as many of my classmates) am finding that 2nd and 3rd (and probably 4th) semesters are mostly lab work. Given that there are 20 poeple in the class it doesn't leave any real time for the individual to run their labs. I'm terrified at the thought of taking a practicle lab after only have been able to watch one of my lab partners perform the lab. This is the reason I want my own equipment. If you have any ideas in regard to what I may need please let me know.

[tomsykes]

Avoid the 700 series unless you've got an ISDN line to play with, as you can't easily simulate this (unless you have like an Ericsson ISDN switch under your bed :)

What you could do would be to simulate frame relay though, using a 1600 with a sync serial interfacea and another 1600 - or a 2600 with serial card. 1700 might also be worth looking at if you want to get ADSL or Voice over IP going.

They are the main types. A 3600 is the next step up - and is just a bigger 2600 basically - No need.....and it just gets bigger (and clearly more expensive) from there.

Cheers

PS: 2912 is much nicer, but for learning purposes, not much different.

[dmsmed]

Is there anything a 1600 can do which a 1700 cannot?

Is there anything a 2500 can do which a 2600 cannot?

[tomsykes]

One of the 2500 series has a hub built in, which is about it I think.

The 2600 is modular - meaning there's more varieties of interface combinations available.

The 2503 for example has fixed ports - 1 ethernet, 2 serial, 1 BRI ISDN. (from memory)

2600 has two WIC slots (for serial, isdn, async, adsl, etc). and 1 network module slot (for additional ethernet, async, serial, adsl, isdn, etc)

So the 1700 can do everything the 1600 can)
and 2600 can do everything 2500 can.

[dmsmed]

Unless there is a significant cost difference it sounds like there isn't much reason to get the 1600/2500 combonation. Thanks for all of your help.