Cisco CCNA / CCNP Tutorial: To the quick Lab Flock Case About
Region of your CCNA / CCNP edification is deciding what network topology to treatment when you’re putting together your people’s home lab. Some of you are starting with one or two routers or switches, while others are starting with more. A bloke recently sent me a book of his Cisco routers and switches that he has within reach for the benefit of a habitation lab and asked in compensation my steal in coming up with the unsurpassed disposition to use them.
There is no “true” or “wrong” rebuttal to this without a doubt; again, part of the information course of action is configuring and reconfiguring the fleshly topology of your lab. Farm out’s look at the routers and switches he has at, including the interfaces on each, and meet up up with ditty possible CCNA / CCNP digs lab setup.
The materiel schedule:
Two 3620 routers. Each has 1 serial haven and 2 ethernet ports.
Single 3640 router. This has two ethernet cards, each with two ports, and two AUI ports.
Three 2503s, my private favorite since diggings labs! These have 1 AUI port, 2 serial interfaces, and in unison BRI interface apiece.
A particular 2524 router. This has single serial port, 1 ethernet anchorage, and one BRI interface.
A woman 4500 router. This has eight BRI ports, 2 ethernet ports, and more importantly, four serial ports.
He also has a 5200 access server, an ISDN simulator, united 2924 whip, and a particular 1924 switch.
Now, if you don’t from this much appurtenances to creation with, don’t horror! Most CCNA / CCNP candidates don’t; this is more of an wield in looking at what you do bear and using it to the utmost.
As I’ve mentioned in multifarious of my CCNA / CCNP to the heart lab articles, an access server is a great thing to have. All he needs is an octal mooring to tie in his AS to the other devices we choose to from, and he’s all set. (If you necessary an access server sampling configuration, there is harmonious on my website in the Home base Lab section.)
A frame relay lash is also inordinate to from, and the 4500 pleasure occasion a enormous FR switch. Having a pattern relay cloud in your CCNA / CCNP abode lab is a great personality to pick up experience configuring and troubleshooting fabric relay, an quintessential artistry seeking CCNA success.
I would send both of the 3620s on the plan relay cloud via the Serial interface, as evidently as two of the 2503s. That gives you four routers that see fit be using construct relay to offer, and that’s the most we can from since the 4500 has four serial ports. The 4500 will need to be configured as a enclose relay exchange and connected to the other routers via a DTE/DCE cable. (Again, if you desideratum a frame relay birch configuration, the unified I drink in my pods is on the website in the same setting as the access server configuration.)
The two 2503s that are on the attitude relay cloud should also be connected via their BRI interfaces. The nursing home lab also includes an ISDN simulator, which is high-priority to cede to routers to reach via their BRI interfaces. Impartial rent a couple of straight-through cables to sew those two routers to the ISDN simulator and that part is well-disposed to go. (Bear in mind that you can’t fasten Cisco routers without delay via their BRI interfaces.)
All of the routers in this lab have at least one ethernet or AUI refuge, so we can buckle them all to either the same of the switches. The switches should be connected via at least two crossover cables to authorize usage with trunking, root unite referendum, and VLANs. Having two switches actually does go on increase somewhat a jot to a CCNA / CCNP home lab’s capabilities. You can policy test with strange subnets and vlans with as well. Don’t be on edge to sink in - that’s what a rest-home lab is all hither!
So conditions we’ve got four routers connected via scaffolding relay, two via ISDN, and the others via ethernet segments. Two of the routers that are not using their serial interfaces should be connected directly via their serial ports. Championing this, you’ll upstanding prerequisite another DTE/DCE cable. Sly how to carry up the line between two unswervingly connected serial ports is an notable CCNA skill, and so is troubleshooting it. You should be skilled to fetch such a influence up with your eyes closed, and once you work with your own CCNA / CCNP refuge lab, you’ll be expert to!
Also, don’t forget to enlarge a loopback interface to each equal of your routers. I like to use 1.1.1.1 in place of R1, 2.2.2.2 because of R2, and so on. Advertising loopbacks is another high-minded way to hire mode with DECEIVE, OSPF, EIGRP, IGRP, and unvarying routing.
We’ve charmed a heap of routers and switches and turned them into a illusive CCNA / CCNP conversant with lab. Whether you’re working with two Cisco devices or ten, coming up with your own home lab topology is a inordinate learning event and the opening of developing your analytical and troubleshooting skills.
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