I got my rack setup last weekend.  Pretty simple and straightforward.  I'll post a pic this weekend.

Me too, I still have to finish Art of Exploitation, the Metasploit book, and then start on Counter Hack Reloaded 

Anyone know anything about this?

http://www.amazon.com/Tangled-Web-Securing-Modern-Applications/dp/1593273886

I like the Art of Exploitation and Metasploit books from No Starch, so I'm hoping this is good.

Unfortunately, space is limited, so I'm setting the rack in a corner by the dining room table.  As a result, I'll probably have to move it a lot when company comes over.

On the plus side, here's the rack power strip/surge protector I decided on:

http://www.buy.com/prod/cyberpower-cps-rackmount-pdu-surge-15a-cps1215rms-from-cyber-power/205851281.html

Can anyone recommend a good rack power strip for $40-$50?

I'm only going to be using my lab for 1-3 hours a day, and I'll turn it off after that, so I'd like something easy to switch on and off.  Also, I'd like a little surge protection if possible in that price range.

Is it better to put the power strip on the top or bottom of the rack, or does it matter?

Ok thanks, just wanted to make sure 

I was actually thinking about that this morning, but I was worried that the routers might get hot and the velcro might melt to the router.  In high school I had a friend who velcroed his CD player to the dash and it melted to it because of the sun.  While I realize I won't have to worry about the sun, do I have to worry about the routers getting too hot and causing this?  If you've done this and had no problems just let me know!

The 1841 was never meant to be rack mounted.  There is an adapter, but it's over 60 bucks:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Cisco-1841-Rack-Mount-Shelf-Kit-First-Gen-CK-1841-RACK-/370556461252?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5646e2e0c4

I can afford the $60, but it sort of defeats the purpose of buying the cheap rack.

So here are my options:

1.  Buy the adapter for $60 and put it in the rack
2.  Buy a different rack that's more expensive but not slanted, and a shelf for the 1841
3.  Hope that someone here has a better, "cheaper" idea

Any thoughts?

So I'm putting together my first rack for my CCNA lab and I want it to hold the following:

3 2950 switches
1 1841 Router
1 1760 Router
1 2621XM Router
1 Access Server
1 Power Strip

This is the rack I was planning on getting:

http://www.amazon.com/On-Stage-Stands-RS7030-OnStage-Stand/dp/B000CD1R84

However, the 1841 is too small to be rack mounted. I was thinking about getting a shelf, but this rack is slanted, and I don't think it's a good idea to put a shelf on it.

Anyone with more rack building experience have any ideas?

Also, I was planning to rear-mount the routers and front-mount the switches for easy access to the ports I need the most.  Does this sound like a good idea?  Like I said, I've never put together a rack before, so any insight is greatly appreciated.

Thanks. 

Ok guys, I got the equipment from my friend in IT, here is what I have:

1 Cisco 1841 router with IOS 12.4
1 Cisco 2621XM router with IOS 12.3
1 Cisco 3524XL switch

What else do I need?  I was planning on having 3 routers and 3 switches, that should be enough to cover all CCNA topics right?  Neither of the routers have serial ports, so I need to buy WIC cards.  I read that I need 1 router with 2 serial ports, and the others can just have 1, so I guess that means 4 WIC cards if I have 3 routers.

Also, I read that the CCNA focuses on the 2950 switch, will I run into a problem if I use the 3524XL switch?  I think I'll buy 2 2950s off ebay would that be a good idea?

As far as the IOS goes, is it best if all the routers use the same version?  I was planning on putting 12.4T on the 1841, and I think the 2621 has enough memory for 12.4T.  The 2621 seems like a "clunker" compared to the 1841, but free is free.

Also I only received a console cable from my friend.  What other cables do I need and how many of each, assuming I have 3 routers and 3 switches, and 1 router has 2 serial ports and the others have 1?  Is there a better place than eBay to get the cables?

Also, I didn't get any rack brackets, so I need to buy some.  Again is there a better place than eBay to get them?  Here is the rack I'm planning on getting:


http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000CD1R84

Besides an extra router, 2 more switches, and the WIC serial cards is there anything else that would be useful?  Someone mentioned an Access Server, what's the benefit of using one of those?  I had planned on spending 300-400 on this lab, and I got this stuff for free, so I'm up for adding anything that people think will be useful.  I don't plan on continuing on to a CCNP, but I'll probably do the CCNA security at some point.

Thanks.

Yatz, your comments were most helpful.  I don't see myself going past CCNA security, so I think I will go for the combined exam.

The negative reviews of Lammle's book on Amazon all tend to say that the questions are not hard enough, and that using it alone is not enough to pass the CCNA.  Any thoughts on this?  Considering I don't have much networking experience this scares me.  I'd rather have a resource that is redundant and gives too much information than one that doesn't give enough.

Thanks guys, I'll check out Lammle's book.

Also, I might be able to get 2 routers and a switch free from a friend's IT department.  I'm not sure what models they'll be, hopefully they'll be useful.  I think I'll ultimately want 3 routers and 3 switches (and maybe a console server now), but free is free 

Ok guys, I've decided my next cert will be CCNA, and I need some advice.  I have basic networking experience, but no cisco or routing experience.  I pickup things rather quickly, so while self-studying will be a challenge, I don't think it will be impossible.  I can afford to devote an hour or two a day until January, at which point I'll be able to put in a little more time per day.  With that in mind I have the following questions:

1.  Should I take the combined 802 exam, or the two separate ICND1 and 2 exams?  I realize it will be easier to take the exams separately, but how much easier?  Is the 802 exam twice as hard as the other 2?  If it's not that much more difficult I'll probably take the combined exam.  I don't really have a time limit on when I want to earn this by, so if it takes me several months to learn everything I need, then no big deal.  I do well on exams, provided I know the material, but I'm not one of those people who can guess the correct answer repeatedly if I have no clue.

2.  I'm going to put together a lab for the exam.  I realize there are simulators that I could use, but I want to learn and potentially use what I learn in a future job and that means using actual equipment.  So any suggestions?  Which routers and switches should I get, and how many of each?  I don't see myself every getting a CCNP, but I'll probably get a CCNA Security at some point.  So on the one hand, I'd like equipment that I could use for both the CCNA and CCNA Security, but at the same, I probably won't get the CCNA Security for at least a year or two after the CCNA, so the exam might be updated by then and my equipment might be obsolete.  Any thoughts?  Also, there are a number of CCNA kits on ebay, does anyone recommend any kits, or should I just buy individual components and put it together all myself?

Also if I get a router off eBay, can I legally download and update the IOS to 12.4 myself or not?  How do I know how much memory I need on the router?

3.  As far as resources go, I pre-ordered the updated Wendell Odom CCNA library that's supposed to be out in a few weeks.  Anything else you guys recommend?  I don't really want to spend a lot of money on classes and the like, but if an extra 100 bucks on additional books or online videos will save me time and make passing the exam easier, I'm all for that.

Thanks

WCNA, I'm thinking about getting the All Access Pass, but as you said, there seem to be a lot of videos.  Do you have any advice on the order to view the videos in?  I have basic Wireshark knowledge, and want to learn a lot, but I don't want to feel overwhelmed.

Thanks