[c-nsp] Small Router/Switch for a small site?

[Brett Looney]

At 23:48 13/10/2005, you wrote:
>I am looking for a very cheap solution for a remote Wireless tower - which
>has microwave between other towers, which ends up in a semi-ring network
>back to a central point.
>
>The backhaul between towers is about 20-30MB.
>
>I am considering an Cisco 871 (Ethernet), with a Cisco 2900 to do the
>routing to choose which path is best to get back to the central tower.

The 871 will only get you about 12Mb/s according to the standard PDF. 
Probably not good enough.

>Basically I need about 10 ports and dynamic routing. Budget is < US$1200 per
>site
>
>Picking up cheap 2950's for US$500 shouldn't be an issue, and the 871's
>aren't much over US$400.

Have you looked at the 500 series? 
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/ps6545/index.html

>Question is.. Can the 871 do trunking from one of the Ethernet ports to the
>2900.

Yup. Just did it yesterday with a 877 so the 871 will do fine. Be 
careful with the number of VLANs you want to trunk but - there are 
statements about this in the documentation and I haven't had time to 
check how accurate they are.

>Also, I assume the 871 can do OSPF and RIP  and how many OSPF routes could
>one of these handle?

Yes to OSPF and RIP providing you have Advanced IP Services or above.

>Also.. Any opinions on the 1811? What is the difference between the 10/100
>WAN port and the 8 * 100mb managed switch ports?

Not much - number of ports? ;-) The managed switch ports are probably 
the better way to go - more flexibility. Plus, the 1811 will do about 
35Mb/s... I was playing with the 1801W the other day and it was quite 
good for the price.

B.