Experienced with Cisco Routers?

[pete_1967]

Just ordered Cisco 857 Integrated Services Router (http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/hw/routers/ps380/products_data_sheet0900aecd8028a9a9.html) and wondering if you know any good resources for Cisco IOS or have tips what to look out for.

This will be serving 3 wired boxes (Linux) and a laptop through wireless (and wired) connection.

[scottro]

Sigh, my CCNA is about 8 years old. However, at the time, you could find a great deal of information at Cisco's site. I think they have docs for each router's IOS.

Cisco does have a nice feature. Hitting a question mark or tab will usually give you options. For example, I could never remember if it was ip-helper or ip helper, or whatever. If I hit ip ? it would usually give me a hint.

Sorry, I know this is of very little help. The Todd Lammle books were good for the Cisco cert tests and I still keep them as reference.

[jim]

After reading the skinny on this appliance, it seems to be web based configuration. So you shouldn't need to know how to set a password on it via cli or enable config t or wr m commands Looks like a glorified Linksys WRT54G or a WRVS4400N
Wireless-N Gigabit Security Router with VPN router

[scottro]

That makes sense since Cisco bought linksys. :)

[PilotJLR]

Yeah, the SDM interface is pretty good. The previous one (whatever the SOHO used) was terrible.

For howto's... Cisco's documentation is actually really good, if you have a targeted search. Search for whatever specific protocol or service you want to configure, and they have good resources. It's not so good for a basic overview, though.

[PilotJLR]

BTW, I've used an old SOHO 91 in my house for two years now, and it has never crashed or hiccuped even ONCE. Rock solid.

[Wayne]

http://www.theinquirer.net/gb/inquirer/news/2007/12/21/cisco-goes-consumer

Wayne

[pete_1967]

Thanks for the info lads.

What info I've gathered from SDM so far, it's good for basic setup but for anything more complicated, IOS has to be used and afaik, the router initially requires terminal logon to set the basics up with IOS.

I've been having account on Cisco site for a quite awhile but when I had a quick search for IOS didn't find much - guess I wasn't looking for hard enough. It seems info (dead-tree and pixel punishing) on IOS is rather thin on the ground outside certification literature (and Cisco's site).

Well, should be fun to start learning it on Monday when it arrives :)

[Zigzagcom]

You should be getting the documentation with the router. If the cli is needed for advanced configuration, Cisco will surely include the console cable (rollover). You'll need a serial port on a machine to connect to the routers' console port though, and many machines don't have that anymore. I am not sure if there is a USB adapter that can convert the serial port connector on the cable.

I found this link somewhat useful:
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/hw/routers/ps380/index.html

The IOS image, (the "firmware"), varies by what type of capabilities you need. In a regular small office environment, you'll most likely have the base image installed. If you want to be able to configure VLAN's, you'll need the "IP plus" enhanced version of IOS (inter operating system), which enables inter-vlan routing on the ethernet interfaces. There is a price premium for that, as usual.