IveBeenBad
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What are the advantages of say a Cisco 2501 over you standard SOHO router?
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Dumb router question...
- Thread starter IveBeenBad
- Start date
Standard SOHO as in off-the-shelf NAT box or like a Cisco SOHO broadband router?
A cisco box is about as good as the person configuring it. If you know a lot, you can do lots of things. If you don't, you can learn. Cisco routers have an operating system on them called IOS, which is customizable based on need. Depending on your model router, port types and capabilities, and knowledge, you can configure quite a few things such as T1 access, frame relay, ISDN, links to other networks, an ip address other than 192.168.x.x, different routing protocols, where the metrics are customizable, or more than RIP at least, interVLAN routing, VLSM, etc. etc.
A basic D-Link or Linksys, Netgear...etc, or non-command-line-interface "routers" are basically preconfigured to perform NAT/PAT functions and port passthroughs as well as basic access listing via firewall configuration. Other than that, which is perfect for a home user as well as a network professional who doesn't feel like configuring a cisco box, it doesn't do much else.
Do you want something off the shelf that with minimal configuration you can begin browsing, or do you want something that with a bit of time invested, a lot of patience, and a hell of a lot of reading, may turn into a profession?
I'd go with the cisco, get at least (2) 2500 series, 3 if you can afford it, and maybe one or two 1900 series switches, and that'd be a pretty schweet CCNA lab to start.
A cisco box is about as good as the person configuring it. If you know a lot, you can do lots of things. If you don't, you can learn. Cisco routers have an operating system on them called IOS, which is customizable based on need. Depending on your model router, port types and capabilities, and knowledge, you can configure quite a few things such as T1 access, frame relay, ISDN, links to other networks, an ip address other than 192.168.x.x, different routing protocols, where the metrics are customizable, or more than RIP at least, interVLAN routing, VLSM, etc. etc.
A basic D-Link or Linksys, Netgear...etc, or non-command-line-interface "routers" are basically preconfigured to perform NAT/PAT functions and port passthroughs as well as basic access listing via firewall configuration. Other than that, which is perfect for a home user as well as a network professional who doesn't feel like configuring a cisco box, it doesn't do much else.
Do you want something off the shelf that with minimal configuration you can begin browsing, or do you want something that with a bit of time invested, a lot of patience, and a hell of a lot of reading, may turn into a profession?
I'd go with the cisco, get at least (2) 2500 series, 3 if you can afford it, and maybe one or two 1900 series switches, and that'd be a pretty schweet CCNA lab to start.
IveBeenBad
[H]F Junkie
- Joined
- Jul 4, 2001
- Messages
- 8,501
DVAmon said:Standard SOHO as in off-the-shelf NAT box or like a Cisco SOHO broadband router?
A cisco box is about as good as the person configuring it. If you know a lot, you can do lots of things. If you don't, you can learn. Cisco routers have an operating system on them called IOS, which is customizable based on need. Depending on your model router, port types and capabilities, and knowledge, you can configure quite a few things such as T1 access, frame relay, ISDN, links to other networks, an ip address other than 192.168.x.x, different routing protocols, where the metrics are customizable, or more than RIP at least, interVLAN routing, VLSM, etc. etc.
A basic D-Link or Linksys, Netgear...etc, or non-command-line-interface "routers" are basically preconfigured to perform NAT/PAT functions and port passthroughs as well as basic access listing via firewall configuration. Other than that, which is perfect for a home user as well as a network professional who doesn't feel like configuring a cisco box, it doesn't do much else.
Do you want something off the shelf that with minimal configuration you can begin browsing, or do you want something that with a bit of time invested, a lot of patience, and a hell of a lot of reading, may turn into a profession?
I'd go with the cisco, get at least (2) 2500 series, 3 if you can afford it, and maybe one or two 1900 series switches, and that'd be a pretty schweet CCNA lab to start.
Ok I'm fairly new in the field with my experience limited to my home network (Linksys router feeding a 3com officeconnect hub, my ps2 and xbox and 3 comps) and a network with a W2k3 server for a small (3 employee, 4 workstation) company. The company I did the network for is looking at ways to make their network more secure. I was thinking about a *NIX firewall/router, but I was wondering if the Cisco would be a better/cheaper solution. Also why would you recomend multiple routers and what is a CCNA lab?
Well, to learn cisco well, it's advisable to use multiple routers to simulate production autonomous systems, or different networks. As routers communicate with one another, you can see routing table updates, how different routing protocols work, and the like with multiple units.
I would say the cisco is more secure than a linux distro, as the linux is mostly software and can be exploited, although the cisco can too, it's not as easy.
A CCNA lab is your test setup to verify that your cisco configs work so if you decide to take the first step towards cisco certification, which is the CCNA, you will have enough experience to do the sims which test your hands-on ability with the router commands and modes.
Hope that helps.
I would say the cisco is more secure than a linux distro, as the linux is mostly software and can be exploited, although the cisco can too, it's not as easy.
A CCNA lab is your test setup to verify that your cisco configs work so if you decide to take the first step towards cisco certification, which is the CCNA, you will have enough experience to do the sims which test your hands-on ability with the router commands and modes.
Hope that helps.