1.5 Assembling and Cabling WAN Components
1.5.2 Central site router equipment
When selecting a Central site router, typical Cisco solutions include the following:
  •  Cisco 3600 series
  •  Cisco 4000 series
  •  Cisco AS5x00 series
  •  Cisco 7000 series

Cisco 3600 series

The Cisco 3600 series is a multifunction platform that combines dial access, routing, and LAN-to-LAN services and multiservice integration of voice, video, and data in the same device. The Cisco 3600 series includes the Cisco 3640 and Cisco 3620 access servers/routers.

Cisco 4000 series

The Cisco 4000 series models provide a configurable modular router platform by using network processor modules-individual removable cards used for external network connections. Because the router's modules support many variations of protocols, line speeds, and transmission media, the Cisco 4000 series can accommodate all types of network-computing environments.

Cisco AS5X00 series

The Cisco AS5X00 family of access servers provides carrier class scalability, and multiprotocol capabilities for both Internet Service Providers and enterprises. The Cisco AS5X00 product series supports universal dial access by providing both analog modem and Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) support over the same bearer line, and worldwide dial access by providing multiple trunk-line signaling protocols.

Cisco 7000 series

The Cisco 7000 series routers combine proven software technology with reliability, availability, serviceability, and exceptional performance features. With Cisco 7000 series, Port and Service adapters provide connection to external networks. The 7200 series supports any combination of Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, Token Ring, FDDI, ATM, serial, ISDN, and HSSI interfaces.

It is important to choose the router that supports the WAN protocols that you will use. The 3600 series router and network modules will support the interfaces in the network topology illustrated in the “Network Overview” section (1.5.1). The router in the Figure is a Cisco 3640 router with the appropriate WAN interface cards. The modules in the Figure are as follows:

  • 1-Ethernet 2-WAN card slot network module-Used for Ethernet connections. The module in the Figure can also support two WAN interface cards.
  • 1-port CT1/PRI-CSU network module-Used for Primary Rate Interface PRI connections.
  • Digital modem network module-Internal modem used for dial-in connections. One digital modem network module can support up to 30 MICA modems.
  • 4-port serial WAN network module-Used for Frame Relay, X.25, and to connect to an external modem.