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CCNA Cisco Lab Topology Suggestions - How Many Routers Do You Need?

By Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933

Your Cisco CCNA certification studies are much more effective when you've got your own Cisco lab to work with, but where do you begin? Do you need an access server? Do you need an ISDN simulator or frame relay switch? How many routers do you need for a really good Cisco lab for CCNA certification training?

The most important thing to remember is that you don't need to buy a dozen routers to prepare to pass the CCNA exam. You also have to keep your budget in mind, but with Cisco lab routers and switches cheaper than they've ever been, you can get a lot more for your money - and after you pass the CCNA exam, you can sell your Cisco lab or add to it for CCNP study. Let's look at some possibilities for your Cisco lab.

One Cisco router - Yes, you can get started on your CCNA exam prep with one router! You obviously have to keep the configurations basic, but you can practice your password setting and password recovery skills, as well as learning the hardware side of a Cisco router. There are quite a few global configuration commands you can practice as well. It's not the ideal, but it is a start!

Two Cisco routers - If both routers have serial interfaces, you're off to a great start. You can connect the routers directly with a DTE/DCE cable and practice configuring directly connected interfaces. You can configure PPP on that connection and practice for the CCNA exam topics PAP and CHAP, along with getting firsthand knowledge of the output of debug ppp negotiation.

Two Cisco routers, one switch - You can now connect your routers via their ethernet interfaces as well as their serial interfaces. This will allow you to create loopback interfaces on both routers and practice advertising those interfaces with all the routing protocols you'll see on your CCNA exam - RIP, IGRP, EIGRP, and OSPF. If you can get routers with BRI interfaces and you plan on investing in an ISDN simulator, so much the better. If you don't want to buy an ISDN simulator, get some ISDN training through an online rack rental. Make sure the switch has a Cisco IOS.

Three Cisco routers, one switch - The third router can act as your frame relay switch. As long as all three routers have at least two serial interfaces, you're in good shape. If you need a frame relay switch configuration, visit my website's Cisco Lab Help section. Remember, you can still run routing protocols on the Cisco router that's acting as your frame relay switch.

Four Cisco routers, one switch - Wow, this is getting serious! You can now run three routers as your production routers and have the fourth run as your frame relay switch. The frame switch in this configuration must have at least three serial interfaces - most likely, it'll have a fourth, which is good for additional configs and as a spare port in case one of the others goes down.

Five Cisco routers, one switch - I'd seriously consider making the fifth router an access server. An access server is not a traditional network server - it's a Cisco router that can connect to other devices by means of an octal cable. Note: Not all Cisco routers can perform as access servers, so make sure the one you buy to fill that role can do so!

At this point, you could add another switch or an ISDN simulator. I'd strongly suggest going for the second switch, as that will enable you to run labs involving root bridge elections, VTP, etherchannels, and so much more. An ISDN simulator is required to run ISDN in a Cisco lab - you can't connect two routers directly at their BRI interfaces. You can find used ISDN simulators on eBay and through used Cisco router dealers as well. If I had to choose between the two, I'd buy the extra switch and just rent CCNA rack time online to get ISDN practice.

Regardless of which Cisco CCNA training lab scenario you go for, the most important part is to get started - so get informed, then get started!

You're now ready to join the thousands worldwide who have put the world's most powerful CCNA certification exam study tool to work for them - including my exclusive CCNA Ultimate Study Guide, personal support via my exclusive Cisco certification forum, training on real Cisco routers and switches, the world's only Binary Math and Subnetting ebook written just for the CCNA exam, and more.

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