Cisco → Catalyst recommendations

Hi folks,

Can someone provide some recommendations on what catalyst series are good ones to learn off of...that I can pick up on eBay pretty cheap. 10/100 would be fine, 12-24 port too is fine.

if you're looking for something versatile and cheap -- look at getting a catalyst3550-emi. most layer-2 functionality (pvlans excepted) in the box, and layer-3 with the emi image. no ipv6 support, but great to cut the teeth on.
still uses port-based catalyst qos -- which is going the way of the dodo on cisco kit -- moving towards the mqc for all devices.

should be pretty cheap. i picked one off ebay for about $50. no ios -- so i had to load it myself -- but you can easily score one in that range.

q.

Depends a) what you want to learn, is it just an eye towards CCNA / CCNP, or are you looking at some form of
higher certification and/or specialization, and b) your budget range.

For a basic CCNA lab switch, the 2950s (any) are down to the $50 and below price range last I checked...

My 00000010bits

Regards

When you have selection between 3550 EMI and 2950 with the same price of $50, any Cisco certified candidate should pick 3550 due to its features and capabilities. The 2950 however is fan quiet while the 3550 is a candidate to breaking-up relationship of the other half when the 3550 is in a bedroom

A decent yet quiet and relatively cheap is 3560 running IP Services K9 IOS images; it has 3550 features, capability, and more

CCNx = money in.
Girlfriend = money out.
Get the priorities right early on and the rest will sort itself out!

or find a significant other who supports and loves what you do.
my wife has allowed me to invest a lot of money in lab and production gear for the house (lots of access points, wireless ips devices, and cisco ip-phones throughout the house).

its still money out -- but she understands if you're holed up in your office labbing things up for a bit.

;-P

q.

Asking the other half to love of what you do concerning lab-ing and fan noise 24/7 always-on are probably too much, especially not on first date. Asking to support your objective and passion, that might be feasible

Couldn't agree more :-D