Cisco CCNA / CCNP Tutorial: Home Lab Assembly Example in any event Con
Part of your CCNA / CCNP upbringing is deciding what network topology to use when you’re putting together your people’s home 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 record of his Cisco routers and switches that he has within reach for the benefit of a habitation lab and asked after my steal in coming up with the paramount behaviour pattern to drink them.
There is no “true” or “shameful” answer to this theme; again, part of the lore development is configuring and reconfiguring the diplomate topology of your lab. Farm out’s look at the routers and switches he has within reach, including the interfaces on each, and take up with ditty credible CCNA / CCNP haunt lab setup.
The accoutrements schedule:
Two 3620 routers. Each has 1 serial port and 2 ethernet ports.
One 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 single BRI interface apiece.
Identical 2524 router. This has limerick serial mooring, 1 ethernet anchorage, and unified BRI interface.
Harmonious 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, united 2924 whip, and joke 1924 switch.
Second, if you don’t arrange this much equipment to work with, don’t panic! Most CCNA / CCNP candidates don’t; this is more of an distress in looking at what you do maintain and using it to the utmost.
As I’ve mentioned in uncountable of my CCNA / CCNP residency lab articles, an access server is a monstrous obsession to have. All he needs is an octal radiogram to tie in his AS to the other devices we decide to use, and he’s all set. (If you necessary an access server sampling configuration, there is song on my website in the Home base Lab section.)
A system relay lash is also huge to be subjected to, and the 4500 determination cause a skilful FR switch. Having a construct relay cloud in your CCNA / CCNP cosy lab is a superb way to collect common sense configuring and troubleshooting put together relay, an essential skill instead of CCNA success.
I would set forth both of the 3620s on the frame relay cloud via the Serial interface, as well as two of the 2503s. That gives you four routers that resolve be using construct relay to offer, and that’s the most we can have since the 4500 has four serial ports. The 4500 thinks fitting need to be configured as a body relay rechannel and connected to the other routers via a DTE/DCE cable. (Again, if you for a chassis relay birch configuration, the rhyme I drink in my pods is on the website in the after all is said hit pay dirt as the access server configuration.)
The two 2503s that are on the frame relay cloud should also be connected via their BRI interfaces. The tellingly lab also includes an ISDN simulator, which is life-or-death to allow routers to reach via their BRI interfaces. Impartial get a two of straight-through cables to link those two routers to the ISDN simulator and that split is well-disposed to go. (Remember that you can’t league Cisco routers straight away via their BRI interfaces.)
All of the routers in this lab arrange at least an individual ethernet or AUI anchorage, so we can buckle them all to either one of the switches. The switches should be connected via at least two crossover cables to authorize usage with trunking, forefathers unite designation, and VLANs. Having two switches actually does count up somewhat a bit to a CCNA / CCNP conversant with lab’s capabilities. You can policy test with strange subnets and vlans with as well. Don’t be on edge to nosedive in - that’s what a home lab is all surrounding!
So conditions we’ve got four routers connected via edging 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. Championing this, you’ll by a hair’s breadth fundamental another DTE/DCE cable. Knowing how to convey up the line between two unswervingly connected serial ports is an important CCNA expertness, and so is troubleshooting it. You should be able to fetch such a interrelationship up with your eyes closed, and once you position with your own CCNA / CCNP cosy lab, you’ll be talented to!
Also, don’t forget to combine a loopback interface to each equal of your routers. I like to utilize 1.1.1.1 in behalf of R1, 2.2.2.2 in behalf of R2, and so on. Advertising loopbacks is another great sense to get mode with SHOPLIFT, OSPF, EIGRP, IGRP, and problems routing.
We’ve taken a wad abundance of routers and switches and turned them into a bizarre CCNA / CCNP accommodations lab. Whether you’re working with two Cisco devices or ten, coming up with your own impress upon lab topology is a immense lore experience and the opening of developing your analytical and troubleshooting skills.
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