Cisco 2600 Series Routers

Cisco 2600 Series Routers

Deciding what used Cisco router to buy can be tough. This post covers the basics on the Cisco 2600. That includes the different models and their associated expansion capabilities. The Cisco 2600 is a tried and true Cisco router and has been around for quite awhile and can still be a great option in the right situations.

The Cisco 2600 series routers offer a modular multiservice access router with several LAN and WAN configurations. The benefit of the modular architecture of the Cisco 2600 series routers is that they can be upgraded easily to accommodate network expansion as needed. The Cisco 2600 series routers are best suited for small businesses or branch offices. They have the ability to fill many needs including those listed below:

· Internet and intranet access with firewall security

· Multiservice voice and data integration

· Analog and digital dial access services

· VPN access

· Inter-VLAN routing

· Routing with bandwidth management

· Integration of flexible routing and low-density switching

The Cisco 2600 series routers share modular interfaces with the Cisco 1600, 1700, 3600, and 3700 series routers. With the modules being shared between this many different models of routers there are even more options with regard to expanding your network and getting the best value out of your initial investment.

The Cisco 2600 routers all store their system software on flash memory. The Cisco 2691 routers use a compact flash memory card while in all the other Cisco 2600 routers the flash memory is a single inline memory module (SIMM). The Cisco 2600 routers are all either 1U or 2U size routers.

Cisco 2600 Series Router Models:

Cisco 2610 Router

· Expansion options

o 1 network module slot

o 2 WIC slots

o 1 AIM slot

· Built in Interfaces

o 1 x Ethernet 10M

· Dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) for main memory and shared memory

Cisco 2610XM Router

· Expansion options

o 1 network module slot

o 2 WIC slots

o 1 AIM slot

· Built in Interfaces

o 1 x FastEthernet 10/100M

· Synchronous dynamic random-access memory (SDRAM) for main memory and shared memory

Cisco 2611 Router

· Expansion options

o 1 network module slot

o 2 WIC slots

o 1 AIM slot

· Built in Interfaces

o 2 x Ethernet 10M

· Dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) for main memory and shared memory

Cisco 2612 Multiservice Platform

· Expansion options

o 1 network module slot

o 2 integrated WIC slots

o 1 Advanced Integration Module with performance up to 15Kpps

· Builtin Interfaces

o 1 ethernet and 1 token ring fixed port

· IOS Support

o Last IOS mainline support is 12.3

o IOS Support 12.0, 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.0T, 12.1T, 12.2T

· The Cisco 2612 is normally deployed for Token Ring support. IBM no longer sells Token ring and customers have been migrating, or have plans in place, to migrate their networks out of token ring to Ethernet and IP connectivity.

· Dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) for main memory and shared memory

Cisco 2613 Router

· Expansion options

o 1 network module slot

o 2 WIC slots

o 1 AIM slot

· Built in Interfaces

o 1 x Token Ring (RJ45)

· Dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) for main memory and shared memory

Cisco 2620 Router

· Expansion options

o 1 network module slot

o 2 WIC slots

o 1 AIM slot

· Built in Interfaces

o 1 x FastEthernet 10/100M

· Dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) for main memory and shared memory

Cisco 2620XM Router

· Expansion options

o 1 network module slot

o 2 WIC slots

o 1 AIM slot

· Built in Interfaces

o 1 x FastEthernet 10/100M

· Synchronous dynamic random-access memory (SDRAM) for main memory and shared memory

Cisco 2621 Router

· Expansion options

o 1 network module slot

o 2 WIC slots

o 1 AIM slot

· Built in Interfaces

o 2 x FastEthernet 10/100M

· Dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) for main memory and shared memory

Cisco 2621XM Router

· Expansion options

o 1 network module slot

o 2 WIC slots

o 1 AIM slot

· Built in Interfaces

o 2 x FastEthernet 10/100M

Cisco 2650 Router

· Expansion options

o 1 network module slot

o 2 WIC slots

o 1 AIM slot

· Built in Interfaces

o 1 x FastEthernet 10/100M

· Synchronous dynamic random-access memory (SDRAM) for main memory and shared memory

Cisco 2650XM Router

· Expansion options

o 1 network module slot

o 2 WIC slots

o 1 AIM slot

· Built in Interfaces

o 1 x FastEthernet 10/100M

· Synchronous dynamic random-access memory (SDRAM) for main memory and shared memory

Cisco 2651 Router

· Expansion options

o 1 network module slot

o 2 WIC slots

o 1 AIM slot

· Built in Interfaces

o 2 x FastEthernet 10/100M

· Synchronous dynamic random-access memory (SDRAM) for main memory and shared memory

Cisco 2651XM Router

· Expansion options

o 1 network module slot

o 2 WIC slots

o 1 AIM slot

· Built in Interfaces

o 2 x FastEthernet 10/100M

· Synchronous dynamic random-access memory (SDRAM) for main memory and shared memory

Used Cisco Router – Which one do I need

Used Cisco Router – Which one do I need

One question people often struggle with is exactly what model of used Cisco router is needed for their situation. This article will cover some of the newer models of Cisco routers and their associated applications as well as a few older Cisco routers that make great candidates depending on your needs for a used Cisco router.

First and foremost I want to mention a few older Cisco routers, specifically the Cisco 2600 and Cisco 3600 series routers. These have for a long time been the work horse routers for branch office and small to medium size business applications. The Cisco 2600 is still a great router if your uplink is one to two T1s and your LAN is of the 10/100M variety. The Cisco 3600 will work good with a 10M uplink and a LAN also in the 10/100M range. The limitations on these routers is their CPU/Memory/Flash capacities. They also have problems handling the Gigabit Ethernet connections on the LAN side where their CPU cannot keep up.

So with the above said these routers have been end of lifed by Cisco and are no longer available through Cisco directly. That means that there are some really great deals to be had on the used Cisco router market for these puppies.

What are the updated Cisco router parts and where should I use them? I will be focusing on used Cisco routers for applications ranging from a small office to that of a small to medium sized business.

Used Cisco Router Applications

Home office or small branch office:

Newer: The Cisco 800 series routers are a good choice for a home/small office type of application. They fit the bill nicely for a single person or in a small office of up to 10 people. There are several different models to match up with whatever your application is from ISDN, DSL, and integrated wireless. These routers run Cisco IOS and are capable of features like firewall, VPN, VLAN, and QoS.

Remote office of 10 to 25 users:

Newer: For this sized application the Cisco 1800 series routers work as a better option. They also run the Cisco IOS and have the associated feature set depending on which IOS is used. They also include two expansion slots that can be used to install additional interface cards as needed.

Older: The older end of life alternative here would be the Cisco 1700. The thing to remember is that the more you are going to ask this router to do the more likely you want to go with the 1800 series. If you plan to use a lot of firewall, QoS, or IPSec features then the 1800 is probably a better choice. If you just need a router to forward packets and connect to the internet via a T1 type connection the 1700 series is fine.

Remote office of 26 to 50 users:

Newer: Here you want to be looking at the Cisco 2800 routers. The provide the same general functions of the 1800 series but they provide additional expansion slots as needed. They also have a network module slot that can be used for larger expansion cards. Cisco has some switch module cards that can be added that will allow your 2800 router to act as a 36 port switch with PoE, have DS3 interfaces, add VoIP modules, etc.

Older: The predecessor here is the Cisco 2600. It won’t offer nearly the performance of the 2800 series but once again if you are only need a lower speed internet connection and are ok with 10/100M speeds on the LAN side this is an option that is worth looking into.

Remote office 51 to 100 workers:

Newer: Following the pattern before the recommendation here is the 3800 series. They offer the same general functions as the 2800 with improved packet processing and additional expansion space.

Older: Cisco 3600 series was the predecessor and it was/is a great router. It won’t handle the Gigabit Ethernet interfaces on the LAN side but it is a very stable and capable router.

Conclusion:
Buying a used Cisco router requires some research and time to determine exactly what the right router for your application is. The older Cisco 1700, 2600, and 3600 routers have been around a long time and are nice stable routers; however, they do not offer some of the performance and features of the newer versions the 1800, 2800, and 3800. If you need high speed WAN/LAN and advanced features such as IPSec, QoS, VPN, and VoIP then it is probably in your best interest to check out the newer models. If you just need a router to provide internet/network connectivity and forward packets without the high speed WAN/LAN connections the older models should be considered. Used Cisco routers are the way to go for cost savings and reliabitlity.

Buy Used Cisco Router - Pros and Cons

Buying a Used Cisco Router - Pros and Cons

So you need a router either for your home, small office, business, learning, a door stop, or just because you happen to want one. The dominant vendor for routers/switches is Cisco and if you buy new Cisco routers the price will reflect that dominance. One option to avoid the high up front cost is to buy a used Cisco router. As with buying anything used there are some positives and negatives when you buy a used Cisco router.

Buy Used Cisco Router - Pros

1. Cost - The number one reason someone would buy a used Cisco router over a new one would be cost. Typically you can buy used Cisco routers for a very deep discount when compared to used Cisco routers.

2. Delivery Time - Depending on the model of Cisco router that you are looking to buy there can at times be a sizeable wait when ordering directly from Cisco. Sometimes believe it or not it can be faster to order from a reseller (gray market)

3. Availability of Old Models (EOL equipment) - Cisco tends to end of life their routers and switches and no longer sell them even if they are perfect for your needs. They do this in order to push their newer more expensive models on buyers even if the extra capabilities and features of the newer model aren't used.

Buy Used Cisco Router - Cons

1. Technical Support - When buying a used Cisco router you cannot expect Cisco to provide you with support for it. If you need support for your used Cisco router then that is something that you need to work out with the reseller prior to purchase.

2. Software - Without a Cisco.com account you won't be able to download new software for your router. You want to be sure that when you buy a used Cisco router it comes with a software (IOS) version that has the features you need.

3. Hardware availability - If you do need the latest and greatest model of Cisco router for whatever reason then it might not be available through resellers.

As you can see there are some positives and negatives when buying used Cisco routers; however, as long as you ensure you have the IOS (Software) version that you need and are able to search Google for some help on technical support I believe buying a used Cisco router is a great idea.