| One of the major topics on your CCNA and CCNP | | | | 221 interface Serial1 122 |
| exams is Frame Relay. Additionally, Frame Relay is | | | | !interface Serial3no ip addressno ip |
| one of the most popular WAN technolgies in today's | | | | directed-broadcastencapsulation frame-relaylogging |
| networks. Getting hands-on experience with Frame | | | | event subif-link-statuslogging event |
| Relay in Cisco networks isn't just a good idea, it's a | | | | dlci-status-changeclockrate 56000no frame-relay |
| necessity. Let's face it, your employer is going to get | | | | inverse-arpframe-relay intf-type dceframe-relay route |
| a little touchy if you start experimenting with your | | | | 321 interface Serial1 123 |
| network's Frame Relay setup. | | | | !interface BRI0ip address 150.1.1.1 255.255.255.252no ip |
| To practice all your important Frame Relay | | | | directed-broadcastencapsulation pppdialer map ip |
| commands for your exams, you need a working | | | | 150.1.1.2 name R2 broadcast 2335552221dialer-group 1 |
| Frame Relay cloud in your home lab. A production | | | | !ip classless |
| network's Frame cloud consists of a lot of Frame | | | | !dialer-list 1 protocol ip permit |
| switches, but if you choose wisely, a single Cisco | | | | !line con 0exec-timeout 0 0logging |
| router can act as your home lab's entire Frame cloud! | | | | synchronoustransport input noneline aux 0line vty 0 |
| Before we look at the configuration of such a router | | | | 4login |
| (hereafter referred to as a "frame relay switch"), | | | | !end |
| let's look at the physical requirements. | | | | The key command in the global configuration is |
| The more serial ports you have, the better. You | | | | frame-relay switching. You must have this configured |
| should get a router with at least four serial ports. For | | | | before you can configure the interfaces. |
| frame switching purposes, it doesn't matter if the | | | | The interfaces will be configured with the frame |
| ports are synchronous or asynchronous - you just | | | | route command. Let's take a look at what each value |
| need the ports. | | | | means in the command frame-relay route 122 |
| You will also need some DTE/DCE cables. The DCE | | | | interface Serial2 221.frame-relay route - the command |
| end of the cables will be connected to the frame | | | | 122 - the incoming DLCI on this interfaceinterface |
| switch. | | | | serial2 - the interface the data will be sent out |
| A great configuration for a CCNA practice lab is three | | | | 221 - the outgoing DLCI |
| routers that serve as "production" routers, and a 4th | | | | This command on S1 means that anything that |
| router as a frame relay switch. (You'll want an access | | | | comes in on this port on DLCI 122 will be sent out |
| server as well, but that's another article.) | | | | interface serial2 on DLCI 221. |
| What I use in my student and customer pods is a | | | | It's a good idea to hard-code the interfaces to act as |
| setup where R1 is connected to the frame switch's | | | | DCEs with the frame intf-type dce command. Since |
| S1 port, R2 is connected to S2 on the frame switch, | | | | these interfaces are acting as DCEs, the clockrate |
| and R3 is connected to the frame switch's S3 port. | | | | command is needed for the line protocol to come up. |
| Now comes the tricky part - the configuration. A | | | | Once you've configured your frame switch as shown |
| frame relay switch's config can be hard to find, so | | | | and have configured the frame map statements on |
| here's a copy of mine. Pay particular attention to the | | | | the "production" routers, you can test the frame |
| config on ports s1, s2, and s3.version 12.0service | | | | switch configuration. On the frame switch, run the |
| timestamps debug uptimeservice timestamps log | | | | command show frame route. |
| uptimeno service password-encryption | | | | FRAME_SWITCH#show frame route |
| !hostname FRAME_SWITCH | | | | Input Intf Input Dlci Output Intf Output Dlci Status |
| ! | | | | Serial1 122 Serial2 221 active |
| !ip subnet-zerono ip domain-lookupframe-relay | | | | Serial1 123 Serial3 321 active |
| switching | | | | Serial2 221 Serial1 122 active |
| ! | | | | Serial3 321 Serial1 123 active |
| ! | | | | You should see "active" for all the interfaces. If you |
| !interface Ethernet0no ip addressno ip | | | | see "deleted", make sure your frame switch |
| directed-broadcastshutdown | | | | interfaces are open if they are, check the router |
| !interface Serial0ip address 10.1.1.2 | | | | configs. |
| 255.255.255.0clockrate 56000 | | | | Keep in mind that you can still configure routing |
| !interface Serial1no ip addressno ip | | | | protocols to run on ports that you're not using for |
| directed-broadcastencapsulation frame-relaylogging | | | | frame switching. The router we used here had an |
| event subif-link-statuslogging event | | | | ethernet port and BRI port, and the BRI port has |
| dlci-status-changeclockrate 56000no frame-relay | | | | been configured as part of the production network. |
| inverse-arpframe-relay intf-type dceframe-relay route | | | | Running frame switching does not disable IP routing. |
| 122 interface Serial2 221frame-relay route 123 | | | | Purchasing and configuring your own frame relay |
| interface Serial3 321 | | | | switch is an invaluable part of your Cisco education. |
| !interface Serial2no ip addressno ip | | | | By practicing your frame commands and configuring |
| directed-broadcastencapsulation frame-relaylogging | | | | frame connections over your own frame relay cloud, |
| event subif-link-statuslogging event | | | | you're polishing your Cisco skills and gaining |
| dlci-status-changeclockrate 56000no frame-relay | | | | knowledge that cannot be duplicated by simulator |
| inverse-arpframe-relay intf-type dceframe-relay route | | | | programs. |