Cisco Router and switch for home

[enuru99]

I am wondering what would be the best and inexpensive Cisco router and switch to use for my home. I want them to have the full current Cisco IOS CLI on it so I can practice and gain knowledge for my CCENT and beyond. I also want to use them for my home network so I would like to have gig ports and not fast ethernet. I don't require wifi function because I can turn my current router to AP mode and use that.

Does anyone have any suggestions for this?

[Kasun Bandara]

Hi,

if you want to use cisco hardware devices, you can use cisco 2960X series switch and 1900 series router. if you are OK to practice with virtual systems (which i use), you can use GNS3 or EVE-NG

[balaji.bandi]

If you are not keen to buy hardware to learn CCENT, then there are simulator/emulator which you can produce same labs using below softrwares.

GNS3

PNET/EVE-NG

PacketTracer

CML (200$)

if you still looking to buy using hardware, make sure they have enough license for you to test it.

Cisco 2950 / 3750 is good model to test, Router anything 29XX is good for you to learn.

[Martin L]

Couple of c3750 PoE switches and 2801 voice router was helpful for me during my CCNA Voice study long time ago; those are really cheap on ebay.  However, you can do CCNA study with Packet tracer; I would recommend to start with PT. Then you can move to GNS3 for CCNP studies. IOS 15 will run inside GNS3 but only from 7200 router.  So if u can find such image, you could run many instances of routers in GNS3. Newer version of GNS3 should work with virtual image for switch; visit gns3 forum for more info.  Others recommend CML and Eve-ng. 

Regards, ML
**Please Rate All Helpful Responses **