NT2640 Cisco Routers
Richard P Walsh
11/24/2015

Cisco routers come in various series and models. Each series and model has different purposes and performance levels for the tasks required of them. For the purpose of this report, I chose 1 model from the 3 main series. The first is the Cisco 1861, then the Cisco 2811, & finally the Cisco 3845

The Cisco 1861 is an Integrated Service Router, that has an integrated, managed Ethernet switch, and has eight 10/100 PoE ports. It is an All-in-One unified communications solution, which integrates voice, data, security, and video into one platform. The Cisco 1861 can be easily expanded by attaching a Cisco recommended Catalyst Portfolio of switches. The Cisco 1861 eliminates the cost of adding multiple servers and provides a lower price solution that is easy to set up and manage. Cisco IOS Software security feature is also an option that can be activated with hardware-based encryption on the motherboard and provides a variety of security features such as a Firewall, IP Security, and an Advanced Encryption Standard, just to name a few. This router is highly recommended for SBMs and small branch enterprises consisting of eight to fifteen employees. Some of the specifications are;
DRAM
* Cisco IOS Software – 256 MB * Voice Messaging – 512 MB
Compact Flash Memory * Cisco IOS Software – 128 MB * Voice Messaging – 1 GB, Compact Flash

Onboard Ethernet Ports * 1 10/100 Fast Ethernet * 8 10/100-Mbps LAN * 1 10/100 Ethernet expansion port
Packaging Type * Desktop or Wall Mount

The Cisco 2811, and 2800 series, are very similar in specifications to the 1800 series, with some minor differences. The Cisco 2811 is slightly more expensive, and can accommodate more users than the 1861. It has 2 10/100 Fast Ethernet ports, and 24 – 32 10/100 Mbps LAN ports, and 4 high-speed WAN interface card slots. This router can handle a T1/E1/xDSL connection, for higher speeds, & faster connections.
Memory:
* ECC DDR(error-correcting code, double data rate) SDRAM DIMM * DIMM size - 256MB, 512MB * DIMM SLOTS – 2 * Maximum Memory – 768 MB2
Packaging Type: * Desktop or Wall Mount

The Cisco 3845 router is also an Integrated Service Router. These routers are designed for small enterprises, consisting of 500+ employees. They are designed to operate on up to a T3/E3/xDSL line, and are much pricier than their other counterparts. Some of the specifications of this model are: * Security * On-board encryption * Support of up to 2500 VPN tunnels with the AIM-HPII-PLUS Module * Antivirus defense support through Network Admission Control (NAC) * Intrusion Prevention as well as stateful Cisco IOS Firewall support and many more essential security features * Voice * Analog and digital voice call support * Optional voice mail support * Optional support for Cisco Call Manager Express for local call processing in stand-alone business for up to 240 IP Phones
Optional support for Survivable Remote Site Telephony support for local call processing in small enterprise branch offices for up to 720 IP phones
REFERENCES:
http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/routers/access/1800/1841/hardware/installation/guide/hw/18over.html http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/routers/access/2800/hardware/installation/guide/hw/01_hw.html http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/routers/access/3800/hardware/installation/guide/hw/38over.html