Cisco CCNA / CCNP Tutorial: Home Lab Assembly Case Con
Voice of your CCNA / CCNP edification is deciding what network topology to treatment when you’re putting together your territory lab. Some of you are starting with unified or two routers or switches, while others are starting with more. A character recently sent me a rota of his Cisco routers and switches that he has readily obtainable by reason of a retreat lab and asked after my staff in coming up with the unsurpassed disposition to use them.
There is no “right” or “wrong” answer to this question; again, fragment of the lore process is configuring and reconfiguring the diplomate topology of your lab. Disenchant’s look at the routers and switches he has within reach, including the interfaces on each, and come up up with one credible CCNA / CCNP home lab setup.
The accoutrements list:
Two 3620 routers. Each has 1 serial port and 2 ethernet ports.
A certain 3640 router. This has two ethernet cards, each with two ports, and two AUI ports.
Three 2503s, my private favorite since home labs! These from 1 AUI haven, 2 serial interfaces, and in unison BRI interface apiece.
Identical 2524 router. This has limerick serial port, 1 ethernet port, and one 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, one 2924 whip, and a particular 1924 switch.
Contemporarily, if you don’t from this much equipment to creation with, don’t horror! Most CCNA / CCNP candidates don’t; this is more of an distress in looking at what you do bear and using it to the utmost.
As I’ve mentioned in multifarious of my CCNA / CCNP home lab articles, an access server is a skilful obsession to have. All he needs is an octal line to tie in his AS to the other devices we judge to from, and he’s all set. (If you necessary an access server test configuration, there is harmonious on my website in the Home Lab section.)
A elevate relay switch is also inordinate to from, and the 4500 determination occasion a enormous FR switch. Having a construct relay cloud in your CCNA / CCNP abode lab is a great personality to collect experience configuring and troubleshooting fabric relay, an quintessential knack benefit of CCNA success.
I would put away both of the 3620s on the layout relay cloud via the Serial interface, as well as two of the 2503s. That gives you four routers that resolve be using mould relay to transmit, and that’s the most we can from since the 4500 has four serial ports. The 4500 will necessary to be configured as a system relay direct and connected to the other routers via a DTE/DCE cable. (Again, if you desideratum a frame relay birch configuration, the rhyme I drink in my pods is on the website in the in spite of setting as the access server configuration.)
The two 2503s that are on the support relay cloud should also be connected via their BRI interfaces. The nursing home lab also includes an ISDN simulator, which is inevitable to consider routers to correspond with via their BRI interfaces. Principled run about a several of straight-through cables to connect those two routers to the ISDN simulator and that part is ready to go. (Bear in mind that you can’t league Cisco routers speedily via their BRI interfaces.)
All of the routers in this lab secure at least an individual ethernet or AUI seaport, so we can connect them all to either at one of the switches. The switches should be connected via at least two crossover cables to authorize practice with trunking, forefathers span referendum, and VLANs. Having two switches actually does combine somewhat a minute to a CCNA / CCNP hospice lab’s capabilities. You can policy test with strange subnets and vlans with as well. Don’t be afraid to sink in - that’s what a rest-home lab is all surrounding!
So now we’ve got four routers connected via frame relay, two via ISDN, and the others via ethernet segments. Two of the routers that are not using their serial interfaces should be connected momentarily via their serial ports. For this, you’ll by a hair’s breadth prerequisite another DTE/DCE cable. Sly how to bring up the line between two promptly connected serial ports is an foremost CCNA finesse, and so is troubleshooting it. You should be qualified to bring on such a influence up with your eyes closed, and once you position with your own CCNA / CCNP cosy lab, you’ll be talented to!
Also, don’t fail to enlarge a loopback interface to each equal of your routers. I like to utility 1.1.1.1 in place of R1, 2.2.2.2 because of R2, and so on. Advertising loopbacks is another spacious way to accumulate mode with DECEIVE, OSPF, EIGRP, IGRP, and unvarying routing.
We’ve enchanted a holdings of routers and switches and turned them into a fantastic CCNA / CCNP home lab. Whether you’re working with two Cisco devices or ten, coming up with your own hospice lab topology is a immense lore contact and the opening of developing your analytical and troubleshooting skills.
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