Cisco Home Lab Tutorial Buying And Building A Frame Relay Switch
Below is a MRR and PLR article in category Computers Technology -> subcategory Computer Certification.
Cisco Home Lab Tutorial: Building a Frame Relay Switch
Summary
A frame relay switch is essential for any Cisco home lab, whether you're pursuing a CCNA, CCNP, or CCIE certification. Chris Bryant, CCIE
12933, provides insights on purchasing and configuring a frame relay switch.
Introduction
Frame Relay is a key topic for the CCNA and CCNP exams, and also widely used in modern networks. Gaining hands-on experience with Frame Relay in Cisco networks is crucial. Experimenting with a company's network isn't ideal, making a home lab a necessity.
Building Your Frame Relay Cloud
To practice Frame Relay commands, you need a working Frame Relay cloud in your home lab. A Cisco router can serve as your entire Frame Relay cloud if chosen wisely.
Physical Requirements
- Serial Ports: Opt for a router with at least four serial ports. It doesn't matter if they're synchronous or asynchronous.
- Cables: You'll need DTE/DCE cables, with the DCE ends connected to the frame switch.
A recommended setup includes three routers as "production" routers and a fourth as the frame relay switch. Consider an access server too, which can be explored separately.
Configuration Overview
Here's a configuration sample for a frame relay switch, primarily focusing on ports S1, S2, and S3:
```plaintext
version 12.0
service timestamps debug uptime
service timestamps log uptime
no service password-encryption
hostname FRAME_SWITCH
ip subnet-zero
no ip domain-lookup
frame-relay switching
interface Ethernet0
no ip address
shutdown
interface Serial0
ip address 10.1.1.2 255.255.255.0
clockrate 56000
interface Serial1
no ip address
encapsulation frame-relay
logging event subif-link-status
logging event dlci-status-change
clockrate 56000
no frame-relay inverse-arp
frame-relay intf-type dce
frame-relay route 122 interface Serial2 221
frame-relay route 123 interface Serial3 321
interface Serial2
no ip address
encapsulation frame-relay
logging event subif-link-status
logging event dlci-status-change
clockrate 56000
no frame-relay inverse-arp
frame-relay intf-type dce
frame-relay route 221 interface Serial1 122
interface Serial3
no ip address
encapsulation frame-relay
logging event subif-link-status
logging event dlci-status-change
clockrate 56000
no frame-relay inverse-arp
frame-relay intf-type dce
frame-relay route 321 interface Serial1 123
interface BRI0
ip address 150.1.1.1 255.255.255.252
encapsulation ppp
dialer map ip 150.1.1.2 name R2 broadcast 2335552221
dialer-group 1
ip classless
dialer-list 1 protocol ip permit
line con 0
exec-timeout 0 0
logging synchronous
transport input none
line aux 0
line vty 0 4
login
```
Key Configuration Commands
- frame-relay switching: Enables frame relay switching globally.
- frame-relay route: Routes data based on DLCI. Example: `frame-relay route 122 interface Serial2 221` means data on DLCI 122 goes out Serial2 on DLCI 221.
- frame-relay intf-type dce: Sets the interface to DCE, requiring the `clockrate` command.
Testing and Verification
Run `show frame route` on the frame switch. You should see all interfaces marked "active". If any are "deleted", check the interface status and router configurations.
Additional Tips
You can still configure routing protocols on ports not used for frame switching. The setup does not disable IP routing.
Conclusion
Setting up your own frame relay switch is invaluable for your Cisco education. Practicing frame commands and configurations enhances your skills beyond what simulators offer.
To your success,
Chris Bryant
CCIE #12933
You can find the original non-AI version of this article here: Cisco Home Lab Tutorial Buying And Building A Frame Relay Switch.
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