How can I connect to multiple routers in a homelab?

Question

Hello guys,
I have a little little situation here maybe someone can give me a good ideea how to doit.
I have 7 routers that I use for my homelab, what I want is a way to connect to all of them without having to change all the time the console cable from one to another.
1. I know there is a way with IOLAN, but this is quite expensive
2. I am thinking if there is a posibility to doit some how via telnet, something like this:
Having all the AUX ports to a SW(maybe is necessary a router?!) and also my netcard in another port of the SW, and somehow to do a port forwarding when I telnet to ex. IP 10.0.0.1:4001 to redirect somehow the trafic to router 1 in the AUX.
Is it possible something like this? Can i connect to AUX via a IP port somehow?
What I am trying to do is to avoid using routers ETHs to assign to its IPs and connect like this via telnet, because I need to use that ports(interfaces) for other reasons.
3. I've seen another whay with somekind of accessserver.. this is a special equipment?
4. I can make a connection to one router with the console cable, and from that to make telnet from one to another, router by router, meaning from R1 to have telnet to R2, from R2 to have telnet to R1 and R3 .. and so on. (This is curently my implementation), but if I lose conectivity between 2 of the routers than this implementation is not viable
5. Is there a easier way to do this?
Thank You
Ivian

Answer 1

Hi Ivian
What you are after is a Cisco 2509. They come in two forms. One has 8 RJ45 async serial ports which you can use to connect to the console ports of a router using a RJ45-RJ45 rollover cable. The other has a single AUI port which you can buy an octopus cable with 8 connections off it. It too can be used to connect to the console ports of up to eight devices.
Here is some links which may help.
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/tech/tk801/tk36/technologies_configuration_example09186a008014f8e7.shtml
http://ciscotips.wordpress.com/2006/06/26/configuring-a-cisco-router-as-a-terminal-server/
http://www.petri.co.il/how-to-configure-cisco-router-as-terminal-server.htm
otherwise google "Cisco 2509 configure terminal server"
The first link has the recommended Cisco config for your server.
Cheers
Donald
CCNA