Just got a couple of Cisco 2960Xs

Networking Networking Hardware
1

I recently acquired a couple of Cisco’s Catalyst 2960Xs for free. The model below:

Because reasons, I cannot sell or otherwise give them to another third party.

Now my question is, beyond using them to study for my CCNA, what should I do with them?

I have a Mikrotik CRS226 with 2 10gig SFP+ ports that I use to connect my PC and my server together for 10G, but I can do that without using a switch.
Should I just say fuck the Mikrotik, setup a separate storage network for my PC/server and use one of these badboys as my main switch? Unfortunately even though they are POE, my Ubiquiti AC Lites only do 24v passive POE so I will still have to use the injectors.
I then can use the other switch just for lab reasons? Any thoughts would be great :slight_smile:
Or should both just be lab switches for lulz

For my setup please see:
https://forum.level1techs.com/t/post-your-home-network-setups/97030/

2

They’re a POE layer 2 switch.

So about all you can use them for is layer 2 switch things.

This will be of some help for your CCNA (switching component) - you’ll be able to play with spanning-tree (ideally using both of them in the lab), etherchannels, add them to a CISCO voip lab (just need a router that does CME and some handsets).

But if you don’t have some tasks for them to do… i’m not sure what answer you’re chasing? :smiley:

stacking them might make a decent monitor stand?

3

I see no reason why you wouldn’t be able to power them, when devices start over POE there is a negotiation of how much power they require.

4

actually no, some of the unifi APs don’t support 802.3at or af so no negotiation for power =/

anyway, they might be noisier than the Mikrotik if that’s an issue

also I gather that this model doesn’t do 10 gig so if you need that stick with the mikrotik

1 Like
5

Oh cool, just assumed at those prices their stuff would all support 802.3at.

If the ap is 1g you could totally buy a 1g sfp from somewhere and change the speed on the interface.

6

Yeah, that is one reason to buy the Pro over the LR and Lite models although some of those were revised apparently so if you buy revised models they support 802.3af.

2nd table here