Looking to build CCNA/CCNP Lab at home, will these work?

T

techtips

Gawd
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Jan 3, 2011
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Hey guys, I am finishing up my CCNP course at school and I won't have lab access anymore so I'd like to put together a few switches and routers to practice for my CCNA and then CCNP cert.

I have the possibility of purchasing the following switches:
  • Cisco switch 2950
  • Cisco switch 2960G
  • Cisco switch 3512
  • Cisco switch 3524

That is all I know about them and I won't be able to know more unless I purchase them. It seems that the Cisco 29xx can work as a layer 2 switch and the 35xx I could use as a layer 3 switch, but I am not sure how to find out exactly.

I will need to source a router with CUCME/PVDM's so I can also work on my CCVP/CCNA Voice but that is all due in time.


Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thank you
 
Out of those, i'd avoid the 3512 and 3524. 2960G would be nice, 2950 are fine for L2 studies.
If you're looking for a L3 switch then at a minimum i'd look for a 3550.
 
Yea I would like the 3550/3560 as we use them in our lab at school but the switches listed above are all one bundled deal from an auction.

darn
 
I think the 3512 and 3524 are 3500XLs? If so, avoid them at all costs. They aren't much better than a dumb switch. The 2960G is a very viable production switch and the 2950 is capable as well, despite being EOL.
 
If you're going to buy hardware think about reuse so you don't have to repurchase as you progress from CCNA to CCNP to CCIE. Use INE's hardware/access guide to get an idea.

http://www.ine.com/rack-rental-tokens.htm

I built a lab based on the voice track since overlaps nicely with routing and switching and security. Only bad thing is when Cisco changes the blue print like they have recently for voice and R&S.
 
The lot of switches (21 total) sold for 770.00, out of my price range but the 2960g's on ebay sell for 300-400 a piece.

I downloaded IOS images and will practice with GNS3 whenever I can.
 
Cisco 3560-24POE is the minimum recommended and they go pretty cheap on Ebay ~$100. All the other models below it are useless. Suggest looking for highest version (Vxx) that you can find and make sure there's no diagnostic failure messages like the common inline power failure.
 
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