Cisco Equipment - Need Advice

Feonix · 04-15-2005, 03:46 PM

Ok, I'm setting up a lab in my home to help me practice for the CCNA. I've got a problem though, I recently got a Cisco 2521 Router and i have no idea what to use it for. I also have a DCE/DTE DB60 Crossover Cable to connect this router to another router. What I'm wondering is, what can I use the 2521 for in a practical way? From what I understand the 2521 is used for ISDN/Token Ring but I have an ADSL/Ethernet network.

I kind of purchased this without doing much research because of what I was told by someone else, now I can't really figure out how I'm going to get any use of of this thing. Sure, I could connect to the console port and configure it, but what's the point if it's just going to sit there and never do anything?

So, is there someway I can interface the 2521 with my network and have it actually handle data on my network? Right now my network consists of a DSL modem connected to a LinkSys Wireless AP. There is one desktop and two laptops connected wirelessly, and one desktop connected through wire to the Linksys Router.

I also have a 4 port hub and another LinkSys wired router to throw in somewhere if it would help. I'm looking to buy a Cisco 2501 router so I can actually connect it to ethernet, but what I'm asking is how I can get the 2521 to interface with the network as well. Any ideas?

Here are the interfaces on the 2521.

1 x network - Token Ring - 9 pin D-Sub (DB-9) - 1
2 x serial - synchronous - 60 pin D-Sub (DB-60) - 2
1 x management - console - RJ-45 - 1
1 x serial - auxiliary - RJ-45 - 1
1 x network - ISDN BRI ST - RJ-45 - 1
2 x serial - asynchronous/synchronous - 60 pin D-Sub (DB-60) - 2
1 x network - Token Ring - RJ-45 - 1

Anyone suggest a lab setup using the 2521 and whatever other Cisco equipment for an ADSL/Ethernet network?

Oh, and I heard you can emulate a phone network somehow, is there some way I could connect the 2521 to another 2521 to simulate a remote LAN to LAN connection?

DJ-CHRIS · 04-15-2005, 05:04 PM

Okay I hae a 2502 for the same purpose as you, you may be able to do something cool (connect) stuff with the RJ-45 networks connectors.

To be able to configure the router, you need to telnet into the router, by hooking up a serial to RJ45 adapter on the console port

04-15-2005, 03:46 PM	#1 (permalink)
Feonix Newb Techie Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 4	Cisco Equipment - Need Advice Ok, I'm setting up a lab in my home to help me practice for the CCNA. I've got a problem though, I recently got a Cisco 2521 Router and i have no idea what to use it for. I also have a DCE/DTE DB60 Crossover Cable to connect this router to another router. What I'm wondering is, what can I use the 2521 for in a practical way? From what I understand the 2521 is used for ISDN/Token Ring but I have an ADSL/Ethernet network. I kind of purchased this without doing much research because of what I was told by someone else, now I can't really figure out how I'm going to get any use of of this thing. Sure, I could connect to the console port and configure it, but what's the point if it's just going to sit there and never do anything? So, is there someway I can interface the 2521 with my network and have it actually handle data on my network? Right now my network consists of a DSL modem connected to a LinkSys Wireless AP. There is one desktop and two laptops connected wirelessly, and one desktop connected through wire to the Linksys Router. I also have a 4 port hub and another LinkSys wired router to throw in somewhere if it would help. I'm looking to buy a Cisco 2501 router so I can actually connect it to ethernet, but what I'm asking is how I can get the 2521 to interface with the network as well. Any ideas? Here are the interfaces on the 2521. 1 x network - Token Ring - 9 pin D-Sub (DB-9) - 1 2 x serial - synchronous - 60 pin D-Sub (DB-60) - 2 1 x management - console - RJ-45 - 1 1 x serial - auxiliary - RJ-45 - 1 1 x network - ISDN BRI ST - RJ-45 - 1 2 x serial - asynchronous/synchronous - 60 pin D-Sub (DB-60) - 2 1 x network - Token Ring - RJ-45 - 1 Anyone suggest a lab setup using the 2521 and whatever other Cisco equipment for an ADSL/Ethernet network? Oh, and I heard you can emulate a phone network somehow, is there some way I could connect the 2521 to another 2521 to simulate a remote LAN to LAN connection?

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04-15-2005, 05:04 PM	#2 (permalink)
DJ-CHRIS Lord Techie Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 8,053	Okay I hae a 2502 for the same purpose as you, you may be able to do something cool (connect) stuff with the RJ-45 networks connectors. To be able to configure the router, you need to telnet into the router, by hooking up a serial to RJ45 adapter on the console port