When it comes to professional equipment for building wired and wireless networks in home and office environments, the range on the market narrows to products from one manufacturer. It is the Cisco router that is guaranteed to cope with any task. In this article, the reader will become more familiar with the world leader in the market of switching equipment, and the description and characteristics of popular devices will help determine the choice when buying.
Cisco Product Positioning
There are many brands on the world market that offer their solutions to customers in terms of building local area networks for both office and home use. However, the leading position is occupied by the Cisco switch (router). The main feature of this equipment is compatibility with any operating system and computer equipment (scalability and fault tolerance - the main criteria in administration).
All Cisco equipment has a flexible management and configuration system, and also provides a wide range of functions and capabilities in terms of building a secure network. The only negative that can be found in the reviews of the owners is the high cost. However, immediately any user agrees that for the real quality you always have to pay the corresponding price, and Cisco products are no exception.
Management software
When it comes to connecting more than a dozen computers on a local network, many administrators have many problems with managing and configuring connections. Office applications and graphic editors are used, in which administrators try to depict the representation of the constructed network (the problem is relevant for many educational institutions that cannot afford the purchase of expensive equipment).
A serious manufacturer worried about its customers and provided a solution called “Cisco packet tracer”. The router of any generation (except for the SB and RV series) integrates perfectly with this application and provides full access to the hardware of the equipment. True, the administrator still has to delve into the work with the program and build a visual network topology. After that, the management of network resources is simplified to the level of "clicked on the icon - set the parameters." Support for scripting equipment Cisco allows you to configure the network of all computers at the same time.
High-end equipment features
Naturally, many potential buyers are very interested in what features the equipment has. The Cisco router, regardless of type or class, provides the following features:
- integration with any operating system (UNIX, Windows, Linux, MacOS);
- support for all network protocols (L2TP, IPSec, ESP, PPTP and others);
- work with any type of encryption (DES, AES, MD5, SHA and others, including self-creation of a key based on them);
- authentication support for Active Directory, Tokien, Aladdin and other little-known keys;
- the complete absence of hardware conflicts in the work of specialized software for connecting and managing Cisco hardware;
- traffic compression, tunneling and local resource management;
- Support for the API programming interface, which allows programmers to create their own applications that the Cisco router can work with;
- Ability to manage wireless access points, including RADIUS authentication and signal strength settings.
Programs for connecting from the outside
The claimed protection of local networks from external connections will definitely cause indignation of users who want to work with company resources at home. However, you should not be upset, because the manufacturer took this opportunity into account and provided specialized software for connecting to the network from the outside, which supports the Cisco router at the hardware level. Description Cisco Application VPN Client, as well as the program itself, are available on the official website of the manufacturer, and each user, knowing the network parameters (provided by your administrator) will be able to connect to any resource of the enterprise from a personal computer or laptop.
The application supports work in domains, integrates with any operating system and is absolutely free. It is worth noting that this is the only program that is able to create a virtual private network inside the built channel using the same technology. In simple terms, it is a secure tunnel created on any connection to a communications service provider.
How to choose the right equipment?
Professionals do not recommend customers first purchase a Cisco router, and then engage in the construction of local area networks. Everything needs to be done exactly the opposite:
- Create a planogram of all connections, first on paper.
- Find out the types of connections from Internet service representatives of both the head office and remote offices.
- Make a list of local computers on the network and their purpose.
- Decide on additional equipment that requires dedicated communication channels, encryption and transmission of non-standard traffic (IP-telephony, VoIP, Video and the like functions).
- Solve the issue with management - will be administered by one person, or a group of persons located at each representative office separately.
After installing the basic foundations for creating local area networks, it is recommended that you pass on all the necessary information to Cisco specialists who can choose the right equipment. This is the only way to avoid unnecessary expenses for the purchase of expensive equipment.
Entry level professional class
The Cisco 1841 Router is designed to build a local area network in a small office. The task of the router is to create an Internet connection, process and transmit information with specified parameters to the internal network. In fact, this is a regular filter with great functionality. Routers of the 18th series are not designed for wiring a local network, this should be remembered when buying. True, they optionally have a network hub and corresponding settings, but its functionality is designed for completely different tasks.
The 1841 router can create a connection over all existing types of connections (including virtual private networks). Moreover, in the device settings, the administrator can make restrictions on the channel width and set the load balancing of outgoing traffic to two network outputs. The filter allows not only encrypting incoming and outgoing traffic, but also creating exceptions for working on the Internet. The Cisco product is a guarantee of security, unlike ordinary routers, because it is impossible to penetrate the local network thanks to it.
Real wireless device
The Cisco 881 router is one of the few devices on the network equipment market that has all the functionality for creating a local area network on its own. Such a router is an ideal solution for organizing connections at home or in a small organization (cafe, shop, small enterprise).
The objective of this router is to create a wired and wireless network in large rooms. The built-in 4-port switch allows you to connect four computers, and the Wi-Fi module provides all kinds of wireless devices. The router settings allow you to create several different, independent from each other, local networks. For example, you can make unhindered access to the Internet for company management, and introduce some restrictions for guest connections. Unlike low-cost router models in the computer market, the Cisco product guarantees security and stability.
Network control panel
The Cisco 2901 Router, unlike other modifications, cannot be called a standalone device. Its main task is to build a communication channel through Internet networks, which envisage the use of several similar devices. This router builds a point-to-point tunnel. Accordingly, it is intended for work within the same enterprise, whose offices and representative offices are located at a distance from each other.
The device has 4 expansion ports (optional), which can be occupied by installing different modules. The voice messaging and video communication board is very popular in this modification. The Cisco router allows you to configure many tunnels on one communication channel and seamlessly transfer data to each other. Like all other products of the company, the router supports encryption, knows how to create connections and works with virtual private networks. Data transfer security is guaranteed.
The range of opportunities is expanding.
But the Cisco 2911 router is an improved modification of the 29th series. In addition to building tunnels with similar devices, the router is designed to create networks in the office or its remote representative office. True, for the organization of wired connections, you need to buy a network switch. Naturally, each port of the router can be configured individually for each task.
The device also has a controller for connecting and managing Cisco wireless points (about 20 pieces). This device supports encryption of communication channels and provides remote control using console commands. The router is designed for installation in a server rack (takes two units). To do this, it is equipped with an excellent cooling system and provides control of the power supply and coolers to other control boards.
Do-it-yourself LAN builder
The Cisco 2921 Router is considered a standalone device that is capable of wired connection to secure networks via the Internet channel at the same enterprise level. However, most administrators prefer to use this router as a control panel for all remote Cisco routers. The fact is that this device is a full-fledged computer that has the appropriate equipment and is able to perform flexible configuration of the equipment connected to it.
With this equipment in large companies, whose offices may be located outside the state, it is customary to use the Cisco 2911 router. These two devices, working in pairs, are able to create a secure local area network. There are frequent cases when such a bundle is used by many providers that provide Internet services based on local area networks. You can vary the settings as you like: from creating a standard communication channel to setting individual parameters for each connection.
About redundant communication channels
The relatively inexpensive router Cisco 2811 is popular in corporations where constant support of the communication channel is required, for example, to connect to the database. A feature of this device is a dial-up connection to several Internet service providers. The router is able to determine the communication quality of each channel and switch to a more efficient connection. Works great with satellite equipment and 3G connectivity.
It is not necessary to count on the organization of local area networks with this router. Its functionality is a bit limited, unlike expensive representatives of Cisco. But this does not mean that the router is not able to encrypt the channel and remotely configure itself. The hardware of the router is still capable of supporting autonomous performance within the same office.
A serious brand for the average user
There are frequent cases when a home user wants to have a decent switch. The Cisco router is present on the market in the form of low-cost solutions, which are enough to build wireless networks within the home or apartment. Two lines of the manufacturer are presented: SB-series for creating wireless networks and RV-series for wired connections. Modifications of Cisco are more simplified in comparison with expensive equipment, but the restrictions concern only the construction of internal communication channels and remote control.
With the security in operation, encryption of the communication channel and the quality of work in wireless networks, the budget version of the router has a complete order. Compared with the cheap representatives of switched equipment present on the domestic market, the router does not know how to overheat, turn off at high loads and freeze when connecting a large number of users.
Budget option Cisco
For readers who wish to purchase a low-cost router for home use, the budget Cisco router, Linksys, will be an acceptable purchase. It is clear that it is difficult to call the category of 5-20 thousand rubles publicly available, but, in comparison with cheap competitors, the entry-level router will have all the functions declared by the manufacturer.
In the domestic market, Linksys wireless marshalers of the following models are in great demand: WRT160NL, E1200, X3500 and their variants. In the reviews of the owners, the reader will not find negative, indignation can only be regarding the complexity of the settings and management. The fact is that the manufacturer of Cisco focuses on the corporate segment, and all equipment is “ground” for remote administration.
Finally
As you can see from the review, the Cisco router is not just another switch in the computer equipment market. This is a whole complex for building secure networks within companies and large enterprises. In a business where the cost of information and its high-quality transmission over long distances are the main criterion, there is no place for cheap devices.
Yes, there are Cisco products in the budget class on the market, but their existence is only due to the satisfaction of demand, when an ordinary user wants to have elite equipment at hand. The budget representative with Cisco professional equipment has nothing in common except fault tolerance. Every user needs to know about this.