Article Directory Yellow PageolArticle Directory - Find, Search, Reprint & Submit Articles for Free

Region of your CCNA / CCNP upbringing is deciding what network topology to acquisition when you’re putting together your home lab. Some of you are starting with solitary or two routers or switches, while others are starting with more. A guy recently sent me a record of his Cisco routers and switches that he has available for a retreat lab and asked in search my steal in coming up with the unsurpassed disposition to turn to account them.

There is no “proper” or “shameful” conform to to this query; again, fragment of the information course of action is configuring and reconfiguring the diplomate topology of your lab. Farm out’s look at the routers and switches he has within reach, including the interfaces on each, and take up with united achievable CCNA / CCNP digs lab setup.

The accoutrements list:

Two 3620 routers. Each has 1 serial refuge and 2 ethernet ports.

At one 3640 router. This has two ethernet cards, each with two ports, and two AUI ports.

Three 2503s, my private favorite after diggings labs! These compel ought to 1 AUI haven, 2 serial interfaces, and in unison BRI interface apiece.

Identical 2524 router. This has limerick serial mooring, 1 ethernet mooring, and bromide BRI interface.

Limerick 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, undivided 2924 alteration, and one 1924 switch.

Now, if you don’t from this much equipment to master-work with, don’t horror! Most CCNA / CCNP candidates don’t; this is more of an action in looking at what you do have and using it to the utmost.

As I’ve mentioned in many of my CCNA / CCNP residency lab articles, an access server is a monstrous affair to have. All he needs is an octal radiogram to tie in his AS to the other devices we judge to use, and he’s all set. (If you necessary an access server example configuration, there is one on my website in the Home base Lab section.)

A frame relay switch is also inordinate to be subjected to, and the 4500 determination make a skilful FR switch. Having a structure relay cloud in your CCNA / CCNP bailiwick lab is a superb style to punch face configuring and troubleshooting fabric relay, an important artistry instead of CCNA success.

I would send both of the 3620s on the support relay cloud via the Serial interface, as evidently as two of the 2503s. That gives you four routers that liking be using mould relay to communicate, and that’s the most we can from since the 4500 has four serial ports. The 4500 thinks fitting necessary to be configured as a body relay switch and connected to the other routers via a DTE/DCE cable. (Again, if you desideratum a scaffolding relay birch configuration, the rhyme I use in my pods is on the website in the verbatim at the same time situation as the access server configuration.)

The two 2503s that are on the frame relay cloud should also be connected via their BRI interfaces. The people’s home lab also includes an ISDN simulator, which is necessary to concede routers to down via their BRI interfaces. Principled run about a two of straight-through cables to link those two routers to the ISDN simulator and that part is acquiescent to go. (Recall that you can’t connect Cisco routers directly via their BRI interfaces.)

All of the routers in this lab have at least anyone ethernet or AUI port, so we can affiliate them all to either one of the switches. The switches should be connected via at least two crossover cables to authorize usage with trunking, root span designation, and VLANs. Having two switches actually does go on increase fairly a speck to a CCNA / CCNP home lab’s capabilities. You can experiment with diverse subnets and vlans with as well. Don’t be timid to sink in - that’s what a profoundly 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 straight away via their serial ports. For this, you’ll honest fundamental another DTE/DCE cable. Knowing how to bring up the line of work between two unswervingly connected serial ports is an important CCNA expertness, and so is troubleshooting it. You should be superior to cause of such a connection up with your eyes closed, and in a minute you post with your own CCNA / CCNP composed lab, you’ll be talented to!

Also, don’t lose to tot up a loopback interface to each equal of your routers. I like to utilize 1.1.1.1 for R1, 2.2.2.2 for R2, and so on. Advertising loopbacks is another high-minded modus operandi to get mode with SHOPLIFT, OSPF, EIGRP, IGRP, and static routing.

We’ve entranced a wad abundance of routers and switches and turned them into a illusive CCNA / CCNP home lab. Whether you’re working with two Cisco devices or ten, coming up with your own abode lab topology is a terrific knowledge involvement and the beginning of developing your analytical and troubleshooting skills.