60 Chapter 3: Assembling and Cabling the WAN Components
Foundation Summary
Overall, this chapter dealt with physical connectivity for the router. Most cables are interface-
specific in that they can be attached at only one place on the router. That is not always the case,
however. For example, Category 5 UTP cable can be used with Ethernet, T1/E1 WIC, and ISDN
interfaces. You should take the time to ensure that the correct cable is attached in the appropriate
place. A straight-through Ethernet cable does not work in a T1/E1 WIC connection. The pinouts
are dissimilar.
LEDs are an important part of the router. They provide a quick status of the router and its
interfaces. A red or amber LED is worthy of investigation. Remember, green is good.
Table 3-3 documents the site types and the Cisco router options applicable to each location type.
Table 3-3
Cisco Routers Applicable to Central, Branch, and SOHO Locations
Site
Applicable Routers
Central
3600, 4000, AS5X00, 7200
Branch
1600, 1700, 2500, 2600
SOHO
700, 800, 1000