Overview: 2500 Series Routers
These routers have been a popular option for home labs for many years, due to low used prices and a large supply in the used market. Many different models exist. The 2501 (2 serial, 1 Ethernet) is very popular, and two models in particular, the 2509 and 2511, can be useful as an access server to connect to consoles of other Cisco devices. The relatively old IOS versions make these models less popular today, but they still have many uses as platforms from which to drive traffic for testing, and as Frame Relay switches.
Feature | Fact |
---|---|
Popularly sold as new in years: | 1993 – 1997 |
End-of-Sale (EOS) years: | 1997 – 2007 |
End-of-sale for (popular) 2501 | 2003 |
Most recent mainline IOS supported | 12.3 |
Most Recent T-train IOS supported | 12.2T |
Max onboard flash | 16M |
Max RAM | 16M |
All Features and Versions
Cisco Feature Navigator:
Find IOS files by Version, feature set, and platform
Find IOS files by Version, feature set, and platform
2500 Feature Sets Mentioned Here
- IP
- IP Plus
- Enterprise Plus
- IP/FW Plus IPSec 56
2500 Series Hardware
The 2500 series contains many different models, and several of those are useful for Cisco exam prep. Some have Ethernet interfaces, mostly with AUI connectors, which require an external transceiver. Others have Token Ring interfaces. Mostl have some number of built-in higher speed synchronous serial interfaces, and some have additional built-in slower speed (up to 128 Kbps) sync/async interfaces as well. Some of the models with sync/async ports have more port density, making these appealing as Frame Relay switch devices. Some have async serial interfaces, making these models useful as dial-up access servers: connecting these routers to the console ports of other routers and switches lets the user easily switch between the consoles of the devices.
Popular models for certification labs:
Device | Built-in sync serial | Slow speed serial | Built in LAN | Other built-in | WIC/NM slots |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2501
|
2 (DB-60)
|
1 Ethernet (AUI)
|
None
|
None
|
|
2503
|
2 (DB-60)
|
1 Ethernet (AUI)
|
ISDN BRI
|
None
|
|
2509
|
2 (DB-60)
|
1 Ethernet (AUI)
|
8 Async (using octal cables)
|
None
|
|
2511
|
2 (DB-60)
|
1 Ethernet (AUI)
|
16 Async (using octal cables)
|
None
|
|
2514
|
2 (DB-60)
|
2 Ethernet (AUI)
|
None
|
None
|
|
2520
|
2 (DB-60)
|
2
|
1 Ethernet (AUI)
|
ISDN BRI
|
None
|
2522
|
2 (DB-60)
|
8
|
1 Ethernet (AUI)
|
ISDN BRI
|
None
|