🎶 You gotta get up and get off that (network) bridge 🎶
June 9, 2018 6:31 PM   Subscribe

What can I do with 50 to 100 old Cisco switches and routers?

As a side effect of a project at work I have been bequeathed a whole bunch of old Cisco switches and routers. Like 50 of each, mostly Catalyst 3550 switches and 2600 routers.

Selling them would probably be more trouble than it's worth. After setting aside a few to make my own Cisco learning lab, I can't really think of any cool, lucrative, or sustainable ideas, so I welcome yours.
posted by glonous keming to Technology (6 answers total) 1 user marked this as a favorite
 
Sell the whole lot to a movie prop house. Or do a trade for something cool. Maybe give this guy a call, I can vouch that he would do a fair deal. http://www.rjrprops.com/about-us.html
posted by Sophont at 7:37 PM on June 9, 2018


You can probably find someone to buy them in bulk at $20ish each, which would get you $2k, which isn't anything to sneeze at.

If you want to find them a good home, you might find a community college near you that offers Cisco certification and offer them for free to students there who wish to set up a home lab.

If you have a maker/hacker space near you, they'd probably also help with rehoming them.
posted by Candleman at 7:45 PM on June 9, 2018 [3 favorites]


Whats in them? The routers. Some versions of CallManager used 2600 series hardware if memory serves. CallManager Express, probably. Still makes for a perfectly serviceable PBX/call center if you want to learn the Cisco peculiarities. Used desksets are cheap. Break em down into router+ switches sets suitable for a small/med office, if they have the right hardware (T1 WICs etc) and IOS.
posted by snuffleupagus at 11:11 PM on June 9, 2018


Rack them up in your house, plug a bunch of cables in, and don't answer any questions about them.
posted by bongo_x at 12:13 PM on June 10, 2018


Where are you? I might have someone I could poke, on the mostly West Coast US area. K12/libraries/remote-locations/etc. I'm not sure If they would be interested or not but might be.
posted by zengargoyle at 7:39 PM on June 10, 2018 [1 favorite]


Response by poster: I'm on the east coast. Shipping would probably be a major hurdle, but let me know if you have further ideas.

Interesting thoughts so far, everyone. Thanks.
posted by glonous keming at 6:39 PM on June 12, 2018


« Older When you're getting an IUI next month and you're...   |   What kind of embroidery is this? Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.