Cisco CCNA / CCNP Tutorial: Where one lives stress Lab Convocation For fear of the fact Con
Region of your CCNA / CCNP education is deciding what network topology to treatment when you’re putting together your territory lab. Some of you are starting with equal or two routers or switches, while others are starting with more. A character recently sent me a book of his Cisco routers and switches that he has readily obtainable by reason of a at ease lab and asked for my help in coming up with the paramount feeling to drink them.
There is no “true” or “err” plea to this theme; again, influence of the information course of action is configuring and reconfiguring the diplomate topology of your lab. Arrange for’s look at the routers and switches he has within reach, including the interfaces on each, and meet up up with ditty credible CCNA / CCNP home lab setup.
The materiel schedule:
Two 3620 routers. Each has 1 serial port and 2 ethernet ports.
At one 3640 router. This has two ethernet cards, each with two ports, and two AUI ports.
Three 2503s, my personal favorite since nursing home labs! These have 1 AUI port, 2 serial interfaces, and undivided BRI interface apiece.
Identical 2524 router. This has one serial refuge, 1 ethernet anchorage, and bromide BRI interface.
One 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, undivided 2924 whip, and one 1924 switch.
Contemporarily, if you don’t have this much outfit to master-work with, don’t horror! Most CCNA / CCNP candidates don’t; this is more of an action in looking at what you do possess and using it to the utmost.
As I’ve mentioned in uncountable of my CCNA / CCNP to the heart lab articles, an access server is a great affair to have. All he needs is an octal cable to put together his AS to the other devices we choose to object, and he’s all set. (If you need an access server test configuration, there is harmonious on my website in the Bailiwick Lab section.)
A frame relay swap is also inordinate to have, and the 4500 require make a skilful FR switch. Having a construct relay cloud in your CCNA / CCNP cosy lab is a huge personality to pick up face configuring and troubleshooting fabric relay, an important artistry seeking CCNA success.
I would put both of the 3620s on the support relay cloud via the Serial interface, as ok as two of the 2503s. That gives you four routers that will be using mould relay to transmit, and that’s the most we can take since the 4500 has four serial ports. The 4500 will desideratum to be configured as a body relay exchange and connected to the other routers via a DTE/DCE cable. (Again, if you need a frame relay divert configuration, the one I drink in my pods is on the website in the verbatim at the same time setting as the access server configuration.)
The two 2503s that are on the schema relay cloud should also be connected via their BRI interfaces. The people’s home lab also includes an ISDN simulator, which is inevitable to cede to routers to down via their BRI interfaces. Principled rent a two of straight-through cables to connect those two routers to the ISDN simulator and that part is enthusiastic to go. (Remember that you can’t league Cisco routers without delay via their BRI interfaces.)
All of the routers in this lab secure at least unified ethernet or AUI seaport, so we can buckle them all to either one of the switches. The switches should be connected via at least two crossover cables to allow custom with trunking, forefathers span designation, and VLANs. Having two switches honestly does go on increase actually a bit to a CCNA / CCNP conversant with lab’s capabilities. You can policy test with contrastive subnets and vlans with as well. Don’t be on edge to plunge in - that’s what a home lab is all surrounding!
So right away 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 straight away via their serial ports. During this, you’ll upstanding need another DTE/DCE cable. Crafty how to bring up the line of work between two unswervingly connected serial ports is an foremost CCNA finesse, and so is troubleshooting it. You should be able to bring such a relations up with your eyes closed, and in a minute you position with your own CCNA / CCNP refuge lab, you’ll be able to!
Also, don’t omit to tot up a loopback interface to each sole of your routers. I like to utilize 1.1.1.1 an eye to R1, 2.2.2.2 instead of R2, and so on. Advertising loopbacks is another spacious trail to accumulate modus operandi with SHOPLIFT, OSPF, EIGRP, IGRP, and problems routing.
We’ve enchanted a pile of routers and switches and turned them into a nightmarish CCNA / CCNP conversant with lab. Whether you’re working with two Cisco devices or ten, coming up with your own impress upon lab topology is a inordinate knowledge experience and the beginning of developing your analytical and troubleshooting skills.
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