Use for a Cisco Router?

[Jared_1]

I have this Cisco 2821 router sitting around doing nothing at the moment. What would this be used for in a business environment and what would I use it for in a home network? It just has the 2 gigabit ports at the back with no expansion cards.

[Electronics Wizardy]

You could use it as your home router just fine. 

 

It would have some extra features if you want to mess with that.

[System Error Message]

its a good router, use it for your home, it will do you a lot of good and you can learn a lot of things.

[suchamoneypit]

if you like messing around with more advanced stuff you could use it as a home router. A router is a router.

[Jared_1]

Could I set it up as a firewall?

[Quantum1]

I have an old-ish Cisco Linksys E3200 that I use as a switch and bridge. I would like to have been able to it up in wireless bridging mode, however this router is a little too old to support that. I just use it as a switch for my home servers and as an alternative access point for mobile devices. 

[dalekphalm]

12 minutes ago, Quantum1 said:

I have an old-ish Cisco Linksys E3200 that I use as a switch and bridge. I would like to have been able to it up in wireless bridging mode, however this router is a little too old to support that. I just use it as a switch for my home servers and as an alternative access point for mobile devices. 

The E3200 is a consumer grade router. The one he's talking about in the OP is a business grade Enterprise Router.

http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/routers/2821-integrated-services-router-isr/model.html

 

They're quite a bit different.

 

When you say you want to set it up in "Wireless Bridging Mode", do you mean have it wirelessly connect to the rest of your network, and then provide ethernet ports for wired devices to piggyback over the WIFI?

 

If you have the v1 version of the router, then it supports DD-WRT custom firmware. DD-WRT would likely allow wireless bridging

https://www.dd-wrt.com/site/support/router-database

 

I personally avoid wireless bridging like the plague, since it's generally pretty awful, but for some people, it's the only practical way to get ethernet ports to certain locations.

[Jared_1]

It's just that I'm renovating my computer room and I'm planning on adding a NAS/other use server but I'd like to have a nice firewall protecting my servers and computers.

[dalekphalm]

Just now, Jared_1 said:

It's just that I'm renovating my computer room and I'm planning on adding a NAS/other use server but I'd like to have a nice firewall protecting my servers and computers.

To be honest, for consumer use, you won't notice any difference between your current consumer grade router, and that Cisco Router, in terms of security/firewall.

 

I would suggest ONLY using it if you want to learn how to set it up and configure it. It might not have a web gui, which means you may need to configure it using the Cisco CLI interface.

 

Configuration and troubleshooting might be pretty advanced. If you want to learn, go for it. However, otherwise, just sell it on Craigslist/kijiji/ebay/LTT Classifieds.

[Quantum1]

2 minutes ago, dalekphalm said:

The E3200 is a consumer grade router. The one he's talking about in the OP is a business grade Enterprise Router.

http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/routers/2821-integrated-services-router-isr/model.html

 

They're quite a bit different.

 

When you say you want to set it up in "Wireless Bridging Mode", do you mean have it wirelessly connect to the rest of your network, and then provide ethernet ports for wired devices to piggyback over the WIFI?

 

If you have the v1 version of the router, then it supports DD-WRT custom firmware. DD-WRT would likely allow wireless bridging

https://www.dd-wrt.com/site/support/router-database

 

I personally avoid wireless bridging like the plague, since it's generally pretty awful, but for some people, it's the only practical way to get ethernet ports to certain locations.

I didn't bother to look at the specs of his router if I am honest. I just thought that I could provide some useful incite. I've checked and mine does not support wireless bridging. Wireless bridging can be pretty cancerous in some settings however for the application I initially wanted to deploy it in, it would have been very helpful. 

[dalekphalm]

Just now, Quantum1 said:

I didn't bother to look at the specs of his router if I am honest. I just thought that I could provide some useful incite. I've checked and mine does not support wireless bridging. Wireless bridging can be pretty cancerous in some settings however for the application I initially wanted to deploy it in, it would have been very helpful. 

Have you checked whether your router supports DD-WRT? Because Wireless Bridging doesn't require specialized hardware. Your router IS physically capable of it, it's just that Linksys decided it's a feature that router didn't need.

[Jared_1]

1 minute ago, dalekphalm said:

To be honest, for consumer use, you won't notice any difference between your current consumer grade router, and that Cisco Router, in terms of security/firewall.

 

I would suggest ONLY using it if you want to learn how to set it up and configure it. It might not have a web gui, which means you may need to configure it using the Cisco CLI interface.

 

Configuration and troubleshooting might be pretty advanced. If you want to learn, go for it. However, otherwise, just sell it on Craigslist/kijiji/ebay/LTT Classifieds.

I want to learn Cisco sometime. Any other uses I could use this for besides a firewall?

[Quantum1]

Just now, dalekphalm said:

Have you checked whether your router supports DD-WRT? Because Wireless Bridging doesn't require specialized hardware. Your router IS physically capable of it, it's just that Linksys decided it's a feature that router didn't need.

I haven't checked for a firmware update, there may be one. Nevertheless, the need for wireless bridging has since been antiquated in my situation. 

[dalekphalm]

Just now, Jared_1 said:

I want to learn Cisco sometime. Any other uses I could use this for besides a firewall?

Well, Firewall and routing/port forwarding/running and configuring at DHCP server. It may also support VPN connections (Both hosting a VPN Server and connecting to an external one) - though you'll have to check on that. Cisco loves to segregate features based on software licensing. Your device may be 100% capable of something that is locked away behind a paid license.

 

Other then that, I cannot think of any other uses off the top of my head.

 

1 minute ago, Quantum1 said:

I haven't checked for a firmware update, there may be one. Nevertheless, the need for wireless bridging has since been antiquated in my situation. 

The firmware update wouldn't come from Linksys. DD-WRT is custom third party firmware that you flash onto your router. It does appear in their database as tested and working (assuming ver.1 of the device).

 

But I digress, I'm glad you don't need it anymore

[Quantum1]

1 minute ago, dalekphalm said:

The firmware update wouldn't come from Linksys. DD-WRT is custom third party firmware that you flash onto your router. It does appear in their database as tested and working (assuming ver.1 of the device).

 

But I digress, I'm glad you don't need it anymore

I never needed it. At one point in time, I was experimenting with different locations for some of my servers, and one configuration I was debating switching to required an insane length of ethernet cord. I might check out that third party software if the need ever arises again.

[Blake]

4 hours ago, dalekphalm said:

To be honest, for consumer use, you won't notice any difference between your current consumer grade router, and that Cisco Router, in terms of security/firewall.

 

I would suggest ONLY using it if you want to learn how to set it up and configure it. It might not have a web gui, which means you may need to configure it using the Cisco CLI interface.

 

Configuration and troubleshooting might be pretty advanced. If you want to learn, go for it. However, otherwise, just sell it on Craigslist/kijiji/ebay/LTT Classifieds.

 

4 hours ago, Jared_1 said:

I want to learn Cisco sometime. Any other uses I could use this for besides a firewall?

Just use packet tracer. you'll learn a lot more and still have in internet connection while you tinker with ios. TBH it is good enough to get you to CCNA (and CCNP if you use cisco gear at work).

[Sir Asvald]

9 hours ago, Jared_1 said:

I have this Cisco 2821 router sitting around doing nothing at the moment. What would this be used for in a business environment and what would I use it for in a home network? It just has the 2 gigabit ports at the back with no expansion cards.

I've got 2 of these:

 

 

I use one as my router, second one for my private network. 

[Lurick]

12 hours ago, Jared_1 said:

I have this Cisco 2821 router sitting around doing nothing at the moment. What would this be used for in a business environment and what would I use it for in a home network? It just has the 2 gigabit ports at the back with no expansion cards.

You can definitely use it however just be advised that it's only rated for throughput of about ~100Mb/s give or take. They are very nice routers for sure with a ton of advanced features and capabilities and if you ever have questions about the CLI or configuration in general feel free to reach out to me

[Jared_1]

13 hours ago, Lurick said:

You can definitely use it however just be advised that it's only rated for throughput of about ~100Mb/s give or take. They are very nice routers for sure with a ton of advanced features and capabilities and if you ever have questions about the CLI or configuration in general feel free to reach out to me

I got a link speed of 1 gigabit. Although 1 of the 2 ports is disabled. I need to figure out how to re-enable it. 

 

I know that it was used in the phone system in my dads office so it's still configure for that duty. I'll probably have to reset it to defaults and start configuring. 

[Lurick]

10 hours ago, Jared_1 said:

I got a link speed of 1 gigabit. Although 1 of the 2 ports is disabled. I need to figure out how to re-enable it. 

 

I know that it was used in the phone system in my dads office so it's still configure for that duty. I'll probably have to reset it to defaults and start configuring. 

The link speed is 1 gigabit however the LAN to WAN throughput is only 100 to 150 meg depending on the features enabled.