| Buying a CCNA / CCNP home lab is the best way | | | | seen kits with books that were three years |
| to be totally prepared for your Cisco exams. | | | | old and were of no use to the candidate. If |
| Most home labs are put together one router or | | | | you see a kit that looks good but includes |
| switch at a time, but many CCNA / CCNP | | | | books or manuals you just don't want, ask the |
| candidates prefer to buy kits where you get | | | | vendor for a price that doesn't include the |
| multiple routers and switches, along with all | | | | books. It never hurts to ask. |
| the cables and other connection devices | | | | |
| you'll need. | | | | Watch the IOS version. Unless you've got |
| | | | access to IOS upgrades, you'll be working |
| While this is a good idea, keep a few things | | | | with the IOS version that's on the routers |
| in mind when purchasing Cisco home lab kits. | | | | and switches when you buy the kit for a |
| | | | while. You don't necessarily need the latest |
| Don't buy anything you don't need. The | | | | and greatest IOS version for CCNA study, but |
| problem is that when you're first starting | | | | don't buy routers with IOS versions beginning |
| out with your Cisco home lab, you don't know | | | | with "10" unless you have an IOS to upgrade |
| everything that you need. (I sure didn't!) | | | | them with. (And make sure the routers have |
| Keep in mind that you only need one | | | | enough memory to handle the IOS you plan on |
| transceiver per AUI port on a Cisco router, | | | | putting on them.) |
| so if you're getting routers with two AUI | | | | |
| ports in all, you don't need five | | | | Purchasing a Cisco CCNA / CCNP Home Lab is |
| transceivers in the kit. It doesn't hurt to | | | | one of the best investments in your career |
| have one spare, but three is a little too | | | | that you will ever make. Exercise just a bit |
| much. | | | | of caution when purchasing your kit, and |
| | | | you'll be on your way to true Cisco success, |
| More importantly, don't buy kits with old | | | | in the exam room and on your network! |
| CCNA or CCNP study guides included. I've | | | | |