20MB WAN link- which router to use

vintage_car · ‎12-27-2006

Since I'm very fresh in the cisco world I figured it would be beneficial for me to ask this question here. If I have a 20MB line and want to fully utilize that 20MB line between 2 remote sites which router should I purchase. The remote sites also run IPX and I want to establish a VPN between the sites. I guess the second part to this question is how do you determine in a router what the maximum throughput it can handle. I've heard that I could use a 1700 series router, but I wouldn't be able to utilize the full potential of the line speed I have.

royalblues · ‎12-27-2006

What is the type of WAN interface- Ethernet ??.

1700 should take up a 20MB load but i would suggest to go for an ISR router either 1800 or a 2800

Narayan

Collin Clark · ‎12-27-2006

If your going to be encrypting/decrypting traffic I suggest you use one of the security bundles which includes an AIM card for just the encryption/decryption. Below are Cisco numbers on throughput with encryption using an ISR router with the AIM card. The URL for this is http://cisco.com/en/US/products/ps5854/products_data_sheet0900aecd804ff58a.html

The Cisco 1841 Series Module (AIM-VPN/SSL-1) can provide hardware-based IPSec encryption services of 25 Mbps in the Cisco 1841 (IPSec Internet mix [IMIX] and 1400-byte packets).

The Cisco 2800 Series Module (AIM-VPN/SSL-2) can provide hardware-based IPSec encryption services of 30 Mbps in the Cisco 2801, 35 Mbps in the Cisco 2811, 90 Mbps in the Cisco 2821, and 100 Mbps in the Cisco 2851 (IPSec IMIX and 1400-byte packets).

The Cisco 3800 Series Module (AIM-VPN/SSL-3) can provide hardware-based IPSec encryption services of 160 Mbps in the Cisco 3825 and 190 Mbps in the Cisco 3845 (IPSec IMIX and 1400-byte packets)

HTH and please rate if it does.

vintage_car · ‎12-27-2006

I think the 2811 would fit the bill. Will that also be able to handle the IPX protocol that I have to use for a couple applications that print to specific printers over the WAN via IPX?

Collin Clark · ‎12-28-2006

Yes it will support the IPX protocol