2522: What can I do with it?

[rstringer]

hello,

I just acquired a Cisco 2522 router as a means of learning IOS. I will be using this router on my home network with 1 Windows server and 3 clients. I will have either DSL or cable soon. As I am really new to Cisco equipment, I don't yet know what I can really do with this router on my home network. Can anyone offer any suggestions? I'd like to place the router behind the cable/ DSL modem, have access lists controlling Internet access (in/out), config VPN's with colleagues home networks. The router configuration is as follows:

Router>show version

Cisco Internetwork Operating System Software

IOS (tm) 2500 Software (C2500-JK8S-L), Version 12.2(1d), RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc1)

Copyright (c) 1986-2002 by cisco Systems, Inc.

Compiled Sun 03-Feb-02 18:14 by srani

Image text-base: 0x0307C2FC, data-base: 0x00001000

ROM: System Bootstrap, Version 11.0(10c), SOFTWARE

BOOTFLASH: 3000 Bootstrap Software (IGS-BOOT-R), Version 11.0(10c), RELEASE SOFT

WARE (fc1)

Router uptime is 3 minutes

System returned to ROM by power-on

System image file is "flash:c2500-jk8s-l.122-1d.bin"

cisco 2522 (68030) processor (revision N) with 14336K/2048K bytes of memory.

Processor board ID 17603452, with hardware revision 00000003

Bridging software.

X.25 software, Version 3.0.0.

SuperLAT software (copyright 1990 by Meridian Technology Corp).

TN3270 Emulation software.

Basic Rate ISDN software, Version 1.1.

1 Ethernet/IEEE 802.3 interface(s)

2 Serial network interface(s)

8 Low-speed serial(sync/async) network interface(s)

1 ISDN Basic Rate interface(s)

32K bytes of non-volatile configuration memory.

16384K bytes of processor board System flash (Read ONLY)

Configuration register is 0x2102

Thanks in advance,

Rich

[frenzeus]

Hi,

Sorry to say that u won't be able to use it with DSL as you would normally require a router with 2 ethernet ports to be able to use it with DSL. 2522 comes with only 1 ethernet port.

Though there are ppl who would use this router as a frame-relay switch to simulate a frame-relay connection/cloud for home labs.

HTH.

[rstringer]

Thanks for the reply.

Can I place it behind the cable/dsl modem? What can I attach to the 8 async/serial interfaces? Is there an adapter cable that I can mate to a typical rj-45?

What might be a good scenerio for home network use? I've got to find a way to use this to learn all I can.

Thanks,

rich

[thiland]

You could spend another $80-100 and get a 2501 or 2507.

DSL/Cable---ETH0----> 2522 ---SERIAL0-->2501---ETH0--->Home Network

This might give you a more realistic networking scenario since from your home PC, you would have to through 2 different routers before hitting the internet (first to the 2501, then to the 2522, then to the internet). You could experiment with routing protcols, etc.

Also, there isn't an "adapter" to make your serial port an ethernet port.

[Richard Burts]

The most common use of the 2522 is as a terminal server. The async connections are connected to console ports of other devices and the 2522 is configured to execute reverse telnet so that one you access the 2522 you can have access to the consoles of multiple other devices.

The 2522 can be useful as a device to learn the IOS. You can try various commands, use the online help, find what produces syntax errors, and things like that. But is has pretty limited usefulness in the way you describe wanting to use it to provide connectivity in your home network.

HTH

Rick

[m.egan]

Hi Rick,

What type of cable configurations do you need to support the terminal server config.

[Richard Burts]

There is an octal cable (one connector on the 2522 fans out to 8 RJ45 connectors for console connection).

HTH

Rick

[m.egan]

Thanks Rick,

But I though these cables were for the 2511 routers with a 68-pin connector, not a DB60 end that the 2522 requires. Do you know of a part number.

[Richard Burts]

It has been a while since I worked with a 2522. My memory was that it had 1 Ethernet, 2 standard Sync (higher speed) serial interfaces with the Cisco 60 pin cable, 1 BRI, and the low speed octal (similar to the 2511) for console connections. You have the equipment there, is my memory wrong?

HTH

Rick

[Kevin Dorrell]

The 2522 has eight low-speed sync/async interfaces, each with a DB60 connector. The cables are specified in http://www.cisco.com/univercd/cc/td/doc/product/access/acs_fix/cis2500/2520/2520_23/c2520cab.htm#xtocid292847

I think you will need the standard DB60-DB25 DTE cable CAB-232MT=. They call them "synchronous cables" in the document, but they should be OK for asynchronous. Warning: these official cables are very expensive. To go to RJ45 console, you may need to use a rolled cable and adaptor, depending on what you are consoling.

There may also be some DB60-RJ45 versions available, but I don't see any in the catalogue http://cisco.com/univercd/cc/td/doc/pcat/se____c1.htm

Kevin Dorrell

Luxembourg.

[jjknuckle]

...you could also pack it in a box and ship it to the address below ;-)

[rstringer]

Ok, so what model would be appropriate for what I want to do, that is:

1. operate in a small home network with 1-2 Windows servers and 2 clients, broadband internet connection w/typical ISP modem, mini- switches.

2. Learn IOS.

3. Be able to learn & practice typical LAN router concepts and features especially VPN, Routing protocols (RIP,OSPF etc), troubleshooting...

Thanks for everyone's input!!

Rich

[m.egan]

Rich,

I have one of these. If you get another 2500 series, you get a dte/dce cross over cable and do almost any type of routing. You can setup frame-relay, and work extensively with the IOS. You can buy used 2500 series for under $300 these days.

[rstringer]

Specifically, what model? With my 2522 and the model you suggest, will I be able to do the things I described?

Thanks,

Rich

[m.egan]

Any 2500 series model. What your after is more serial connections, where you can create WAN connections. The 2501 has two sync serial and one ethernet. Do a google search for used cisoc equipment and take a look at what's out there.