If you have any intention to go beyond CCNA, the 2500 series routers we looked at last week may be a bad choice. Today I'll compare a couple of other options, one that's cheaper but gives you some investment protection, and one that's more expensive but positions you well for having a viable lab for other more advanced Cisco certs.
First, let me start with a gross characterization of some alternatives verses the 2500 series I blogged about last week. The 2600 series, particularly 2610, 2611, 2612, and 2613 became very popular as access routers following the 2500 series era. Later, Cisco enhanced the hardware, giving later similar models the "XM" designation, for example the 2610 XM router. Of note, the non-XM routers had 10 Mbps Ethernet interfaces and no support for LAN trunking, while the XMs have 100 Mbps FastEthernet interfaces and do support LAN trunking.
The 2600 series, including the XMs, are no longer marketed by Cisco, and like 2500's, Cisco no longer supports the latest IOS versions on the 2600 series routers. Like 2500's, 2600's (both types) can run up through 12.3 mainline IOS, but that's it. Again, for CCNA and CCENT prep today, that's not a big deal.
Next, consider one of the lower-end but still-marketed routers, the 1841. From the 1800 series, I picked the 1841 for the blog because the 1841 is the least expensive 1800 series router that supports WIC slots, which allows you to put a WIC-2T card into the router. With a WIC-2T in each 1841, you have 2 serial interfaces to support the serial interfaces need for ICND1 exam, ICND2, and BSCI exam prep. Also, 1800's support more features, and all the latest IOS versions. For example, 2500's and 2600's do not support MPLS, but 1841's do - and MPLS is now on the BSCI exam (one of the 4 CCNP exams).
It's clear that buying 1841's makes much more sense than buying 2600's if you plan to continue on from CCNA to CCNP. However, the cost difference in the used router market makes the decision difficult. Again using "buy it now" on Ebay as a gauge, there are plenty of 2600's (non-XM) available for under US $50. However, I only found a few 2610XM's under US $400. The lowest-priced options on Ebay for 1841's run around US $600, at least with my spot check.
I summarized a few of these points for easy reference here:
Feature or Issue 2500 2600 (non-XM) 2600 XM 1841 Old, no support X X X Newest IOS is 12.3 mainline X X No support for FE and trunking X X Does not use same Serial WIC as current routers X Does not support MPLS X X X
So, you've got some options. You could buy 2600 (non-XM) and WIC-2T's, going the cheap route. That gets you similar support for CCENT and CCNA as you did with 2500's - most commands supported, but no ability to configure trunking on the router. However, you'd get a little investment protection if you did later buy 2600 XMs, 1841's, or other more recent routers, because the WIC-2T's you bought would still have value - just move them to the new routers.
You could go the more expensive route as well. If you're going that way, getting a pair of 1841's, each with a WIC-2T, might be expensive, but if you plan to move on to the BSCI exam right after passing CCNA, then you'd have a good start without wasting money. However, building a lab with 2500's or (non-XM) 2600's for just a few hundred bucks is pretty compelling.
All of this ignores the issues related to IOS, feature sets, and the flash/RAM required to support the required IOS and feature set. I'll look at what's appropriate for CCNA next post.
(Before closing, a standard disclaimer - I make no claims as to whether the suggestions made here have been tested, or do I guarantee any results you might see if following these suggestions. Also, I make no claims as to the legality of using any Cisco hardware or software that you might buy.)
Learn more about access products from the Network World Access Routers Buyer's Guide.
Odom, CCIE No, 1624, splits time between writing books for Cisco Press and teaching classes for Skyline ATS. In his 25-ish years in the networking industry, he has worked as as a pre-sale and post-sale SE for a few networking vendors, as well as a network engineer implementing network technology. Wendell has spent the majority of the last 15 years teaching, consulting, and writing about networking technologies, most of which in some way relate to Cisco products. His books include titles on QoS, CCIE R/S, as well as several titles related to CCNA certification, including the September 2007 book CCNA Official Exam Certification Library (CCNA Exam 640-802) (Read a sneak peek of chapter 7). Click for the list of current titles by Wendell.
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MPLS
Actually, I think MPLS is covered on the ISCW test. I haven't run across it in the CiscoPress books or on Cisco's test overview info in my BSCI studies.
Regardless, you will need them at some point in your CCNP studies if you wants hands-on practice on all of the covered technologies.
Also, the 3640 routers are good economical choices. They are modular, so you can throw in most any kind of interfaces that you need. Plus, they run the latest IOS. They are good routers to use as the bulk of your lab with a few 1841s thrown in for the extra features.
If I were to be buying a CCNA lab with the CCNP in mind, I would start with just the 3640s for yor routers. They will do everything that you need for the CCNA. When it comes time to do your CCNP, grab a few 1841s when you need the extra features that they can provide.
Thanks - yep, it's ISCW, not BSCI
jrensink78,
Yep, I was wrong - it's ISCW, not BSCI. Thanks!!
I'll look at some prices on the 3640's and include a little on it in th enext post. Thanks!
Wendell
MPLS Support not needed for CCNA.
First, let me start by saying thank you for addressing this question which comes up very often.
MPLs as stated in one the comments above is needed for ISCW, on the CCNP certification route. I'm not aware of it being on the CCNA test.
Here is what Cisco says about the older routers that do support MPLS.
A. The Cisco Series 2691, 3640, 3660, 3725, 3745, 6400-NRP-1, 6400-NRP-2SV, 6400-NSP, Catalyst 5000 with Route Switch Module (RSM), 7200, 7301, 7400, 7500, Catalyst 6500/Cisco 7600 Series with WS-SUP720-3B and WS-SUP720-3BXL, Gigabit Switch Router (GSR), Route Processor Module (RPM), Universal Broadband Router (UBR) 7200, AS5350, and IGX8400-URM all support MPLS.
These platforms support the Cisco Tag Distribution Protocol (TDP) as the label distribution protocol.
In terms of MPLS, there needs to be a distinct mention of what features form MPLS does the router actually support, meaning CE, PE, or P. This makes a huge difference. Also how much do you actually need to prepare for MPLS for the CCNP certification?
When I took the ISCW there were very few questions about configuring MPLS, they were actually more theory than anything else.
I would suggest that people save some money and go for the 2600xms. Which support the latest IOS's and will support 12.5.
Best Regards
Yep, there's no MPLS on CCNA
Howdy Anonymous,
Thanks for the post. Yep, there's some MPLS on the CCNP ISCW in theory. As to actual practice, we'd have to break NDA to discuss here. ;-) According to the ISCW exam objectives, MPLS VPN concepts/config is fair game. I think it's a great example to reflect that the exams are not static. The exam database might not have a lot of MPLS in it from day 1, but with the mention in the objectives, it may at a later date - so it's fair game.
The only issue with buying 2600 XMs then would be that they couldn't function as MPLS PE routers, at least according to the Cisco feature navigator. (I don't own any 2600 XMs with which to test.) I'm think a mix of models for CCNA makes sense, or possibly ignoring MPLS config hands-on practice.
Thanks for the insights on ISCW!
Wendell
Hey Wendell, I just wanted
Hey Wendell,
I just wanted to say I really appreciate what you do. Thanks to your Cisco Press CCNA Library books for the 640-802 I was able to pass the CCNA last week. While I was studying I would also occasionally visit this blog. But I have to say that this most recent post is the most informative. Thanks for picking away the confusion.
Thanks!
Thanks much for the kind words about the books.
It's good to hear that I've found a thread that seemingly lots of folks want to exchange ideas about - thanks for the confirmation!
Wendell
Well... a cheaper choice...
I am all for getting some gear. Now for those who plan to go farther into cisco certs and want to make the investment even if on a tight budget I think ok... talk it over with your wife... turn down the heater and turn on a few more routers. I did that when I was first getting into it. I think a more practical thing would be to maybe spend some money renting gear or borrowing from a friend who already made the investment (or making a lab at work if possible out of unused ones) and then using Dynagen on your laptop. Dynagen being the only router simulator I know of that uses real IOS images fits well into any budget since it is free. I was working on a lab for CCIE the other day and I strung together (11) 7200 routers in a minute or two for a pretty cool lab. If you later decide to get into CCNP or CCIE then maybe you could spend your money on switches. Dynagen can use the interface card off your laptop or pc to directly connect to real devices. To wrap it up.. my advice would be...use real gear when possible but borrow, borrow, borrow... (or rent)... use dynagen if at all possible since you can create routers with real IOS's most people couldn't afford, and last but not least... if for some reason you absolutely must buy something (and don't mind the looks from your wife) try to plan way ahead or be prepared to "buy it now" so you don't get behind in your studies waiting for auctions to finish. BTW... Wendell could you make the anti-spam question not use math? Arg... calc widget.
Some non-XM 2600 series *do* have FastEthernet ports
Hmm..
While the 261x (2610, 2611) models don't have FastEthernet (10/100), the 262x (2620, 2621) models *DO* have FastEthernet.
The 2620 has one FastEthernet port and the 2621 has two FastEthernet ports.(see Table 1-1 on this document at Cisco.COM http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/routers/access/2600/hardware/installation/guide/2600ch1.html
)
Cheers!
Merka
Engineering
Yep, 2620/2621 do have FastE - thanks
Merka,
Thanks much. Yep, got ahead of myself a little in what I wrote, instead of what I thought. Yep, 2620's do have FastE (I knew it, but didn't write it ;-) and they're reasonable in the used market (didn't know that). I mentioned a few words about it in today's post (which may not be on the web just yet). Thanks for the pointer!
Wendell
Trunking on 2611
You actually can do trunking on 2610-13 series routers. You must upgrade to IP PLUS (or higher) though. I recently ran into this issue. All I had to do was upgrade the IOS on the router. I currently am trunking on a 2611 off of the 10Mbps on-board port.