T3 router

[lizardking009]

What is the cheapest Cisco router that can handle a T3? I'm ok with/prefer used.

Thanks.

 

[/usr/home]

Cisco 880, 890, 1841, 1811, 2801, 2811.

 

[jeffmoss26]

for a T3? Wouldn't that be 7600 series big stuff?

 

[JTY]

Cisco 3600 series, old and cheap, but will do T3.

 

[corge]

Are you looking for a cheap router that will handle an actual T3 or just T3 speeds?

For an actual T3 with a BNC Male connector, then yes, you will have to have something larger than an 800 series, etc.. You will need a router that has a card with the appropriate connectors. Looking at a router like a Cisco 7200, 7400 and 7500 series...etc..

If you're just getting a 45mb link from fiber or ethernet, then those routers listed above will do fine.

 

[XOR != OR]

Alternatively, if you just want a media converter; Allied Telesis makes one that works pretty well. I'll try to find the model number of the one I've got, but essentially it turns the t3 into an extended ethernet run.

 

[hawk82]

Cisco 3600 series, old and cheap, but will do T3.

This. I bought a bunch of 3660 routers from a state gov't sale and one of them had a PA-T3 WIC in it. Sold the card on eBay for a grand or so. Prices have dramatically dropped, both on the routers and the cards. So I would guess for a couple hundred you could get a 3660 with redundant AC PSUs, max memory, and a PA-T3 WIC for a few hundred bucks.

 

[Electrofreak]

This. I bought a bunch of 3660 routers from a state gov't sale and one of them had a PA-T3 WIC in it. Sold the card on eBay for a grand or so. Prices have dramatically dropped, both on the routers and the cards. So I would guess for a couple hundred you could get a 3660 with redundant AC PSUs, max memory, and a PA-T3 WIC for a few hundred bucks.

People are dropping DS3s for Metro-E (fiber) connections.

That said, I just tested and helped turn up a DS3 along with a handful of 20-meg fiber circuits today. Irony was that we were having issues with the ADTRAN (Netvanta 5305 IIRC) router delaying packets outbound onto the DS3, reducing upload throughput. I'll find out in the AM if a firmware upgrade sorted that out when Iperf tests are done later tonight... that one kept me an hour and a half past the end of my shift today.

Even Ciscos do weird stuff like that sometimes though.

 

[tangoseal]

Cheapest? I would not go the 1921/41/2901 290xxx route then. I would go with the older 1841'ish series which is still a really good router AFAIK