Passing The CCNA and CCNP: Home Lab Shopping On Ebay

Whether you're just getting ideas for your Cisco home lab or adding to your existing lab, ebay is a great place to get ideas for your lab as well as pick up some great bargains.

Of course, the internet being what it is, there are always going to be a few people looking to take your money while shipping you inferior merchandise, or worse, no merchandise at all. While these "dealers" are in the minority, you still need to be careful when purchasing Cisco equipment on ebay. In this article, I'll give you several tips on browsing ebay ads for home lab ideas, and a few things to look out for when purchasing equipment on ebay.
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For those of you just starting your Cisco certification pursuit, the idea of purchasing a home lab kit -- a set of routers, switches, and perhaps some cables and study guides -- seems like a good idea. Instead of putting your lab together one piece at a time, these kits allow you to get a head start on your studies.

One thing to watch out for in these kits is outdated equipment, or the inclusion of outdated study guides. Often, vendors will use these kits as a way to get rid of unwanted inventory.

The Cisco 1900 family of switches falls into this category. A recent search on ebay for "ccna lab" showed seven different CCNA lab kits that contained 1900 switches. The problem here is that the current CCNA exams do not test on the 1900 switches, which are menu-driven and do not have an IOS. You'll need to be well-versed with switches that do have an IOS, such as the 2950s.
Tip! The items must have pictures unless it is a service that is sold on eBay. If there is no picture, then the items is probably not there.

The plus side here is that you will probably save money by using 1900 switches. If you're on a tight budget, having a 1900 switch is better than no switch at all. If at all possible, though, get a Cisco switch with an IOS.

The cables and transceivers included with these kits are generally exactly what you need to set up that particular kit, and this can be very helpful to those CCNA candidates who are new to the various cables needed to physically configure a home lab. Just make sure you're not buying a kit with 10 transceivers (used on AUI ports) when you've only got two routers with Ethernet ports.

Watch out for kits that include outdated study guides. I've seen four-year-old CCNA books included with some kits. If you already have your study guides, feel free to ask the vendor how much the kit costs without the books.
Tip! When a customer does not adhere to the 'Terms and Conditions' in your eBay ad, it normally escalates into an eBay email battle. No one wins on this one - it drains your emotional state and wastes time.

That leads me to the most important point. Get to know the vendor before buying anything. Visit their website and check their ebay feedback. If buying from an individual as opposed to a reseller, find out what conditions the router or switch has been kept in, and make sure to define the terms under which they will accept returns. There's nothing wrong with buying equipment from someone who's selling their CCNA/CCNP/CCIE home lab, but just make sure you ask the right questions first. Professional resellers generally have their return policy right in their ebay ad; if they don't, ask for a copy.
Tip! Investigate the eBay marketplace.

Building your own CCNA and/or CCNP home lab is a little intimidating at first, but speaking as someone who has climbed the Cisco certification ladder from the CCNA to the CCIE, I can tell you that it is the best investment you can make in your career. Use a little caution, ask the right question, and soon you'll be leaving the world of "router simulators" behind - and you'll be developing your skills as a true professional should: On real Cisco routers and switches!
Tip! Go to eBay.com and find the search box.

Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage, home of free CCNA and CCNP tutorials, The Ultimate CCNA Study Package, and Ultimate CCNP Study Packages. For a FREE copy of his latest e-books, "How To Pass The CCNA" and "How To Pass The CCNP", visit the website and download your free copies. You can also get FREE CCNA and CCNP exam questions every day! Pass the CCNA exam with The Bryant Advantage!

How To Find Real Wholesale Sources For Retail, Flea Market, And EBay Sales

The retail business is a very competitive business. Retailers, eBay sellers, and flea market vendors are all competing with each other and with large box stores like Wal Mart, K Mart, and Target.

Customers are highly educated and know what they should be paying for the items they need.

So in order for a retailer, flea market vendor, or eBay seller to succeed, they need to be able to compete based on price.

To have the lowest price they need to be able to buy from real wholesalers who can offer real wholesale prices.

So how does a reseller ascertain if a wholesale source is legitimate, and how does he find it in the first place?

One effective approach for finding wholesale deals is to visit wholesale specific search engines like www.wholesalecentral.com and www.wholesalequest.com

The retailer would then compile a list based on the type of merchandise he is looking to sell.

After compiling this list he would start researching prices by first visiting large box retail stores and seeing what their prices are.

For an eBay seller or a flea market vendor to compete, their prices must be at least 10% lower.

They should only deal with wholesalers who can supply them with wholesale prices which allow them to make money while pricing their merchandise under the large box retailers.
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Before ordering from a wholesaler it would be recommended to conduct a search on Google to see what people are saying about the wholesaler.

If everything is positive, the wholesaler can be tested by placing a trial order. As long as you the wholesale merchandise is satisfactory the flea market vendor, or eBay seller, can then proceed and continue to do business with this wholesaler.

They can also search for wholesale suppliers by contacting industry associations. There are industry associations that represent every market segment that exists.

These associations are set up to bring more business to their members. They are waiting for businesses to contact them so that they can refer customers to their members.

Many of these industry groups have ready made directories that give you a complete listing of all their members.

These directories are a gold mine for wholesale businesses because they represent access to manufacturers, wholesalers, and distributors, who themselves have thousands of products for sale.

The top sellers in the retail, flea market, and eBay business even have staff who are constantly searching for new products to introduce to the stores, flea markets, and eBay sellers that they sell to.

Donny Lowy is the CEO of http://www.closeoutexplosion.com, a wholesale and closeout business that supplies dollar stores, flea market vendors, and eBay sellers with wholesale and closeout products.