| When you're putting your CCNA and/or CCNP | | | | To connect your PC directly to the router or |
| home lab together, you're not just buying routers | | | | switch you're configuring, you'll need a rollover |
| and switches you're creating a blueprint for | | | | cable, also referred to as a rolled cable. This cable |
| success. There is no better way to learn about | | | | has an Rj-45 connector on one end and DB-9 |
| how real Cisco routers and switches work than to | | | | connector on the other. |
| work with the real thing! | | | | Once you've added multiple routers and switches |
| Of course, it's not enough to just get the routers | | | | to your CCNA / CCNP home lab, you'll get tired |
| and switches you've got to have the right cables | | | | of moving that rolled cable around. An access |
| and other devices to allow them to communicate. | | | | server (a special model of Cisco router, actually) |
| Let's take a look at the different cables and | | | | will allow you to connect the rolled cable to it and |
| connectors you need to know about when putting | | | | communicate with all your devices via that |
| together your CCNA and CCNP home labs. | | | | connection. To use an access server, you'll need |
| The basic cable you'll need is a straight-through | | | | an octal cable. This unusual cable has a large serial |
| cable. These are used to connect your switches | | | | connector on one end (this won't fit just any |
| and routers also, if you have an ISDN simulator, | | | | serial interface, so when purchasing an access |
| you'll need a straight-through cable to connect the | | | | server, make sure to get the right type of Cisco |
| router's BRI interface to the simulator. | | | | router) and has eight separate RJ-45 connectors |
| A more specialized cable type is the DTE/DCE | | | | at the other end. |
| cable. If you plan to use the serial interfaces on | | | | The best news of all for all CCNA and CCNP |
| your routers (and you certainly should be!), you'll | | | | candidates is that like used routers and switches, |
| need some of these cables. To connect two | | | | all these cables are affordable. You can find |
| routers directly via their serial interfaces, you | | | | vendors that sell these cables on ebay and |
| must have a DTE/DCE cable. (If you have a | | | | through search engines, and the odds are that the |
| Cisco router set up as a frame relay switch, you'll | | | | vendor that sold you your lab equipment also sells |
| need more of these cables.) | | | | these cables. This also gives you first-hand |
| If you have multiple switches, you'll want to | | | | experience in cabling your own lab - and that is |
| connect these switches in order to create a trunk | | | | the best exam preparation of all! (Multiple-choice |
| line and possibly an Etherchannel. To successfully | | | | questions on cable types are easy when you've |
| create a trunk between two switches, you'll need | | | | actually worked with them! |
| crossover cables. | | | | |