Description

Cisco XE Official Elite CCNA 200-301 Platinum Kit (v1.1 & v2.0-Ready)

✓ CCNA v2.0 (2027) Ready — Buy Today with Confidence

Cisco announced CCNA 200-301 v2.0 on May 20, 2026. The current v1.1 exam runs through February 2, 2027; v2.0 goes live February 3, 2027, and the exam code stays 200-301. You have a clear runway to certify now — and this kit is built for both.

Certify on v1.1 now: the complete, current v1.1 lab workbook and full study bundle are included — everything you need to pass before the cutover.
Free v2.0 upgrade included: buy today and you’ll automatically receive our fully revised CCNA v2.0 study materials when they release, at no extra cost.
Hardware that’s already v2.0-ready: v2.0 brings back heavy hands-on troubleshooting and adds AI/automation topics — exactly what real Cisco gear trains you for and a simulator can’t fake.

Learn more about the CCNA 2.0 changes and why hands-on practice matters more than ever by reading our article here.

The XE Elite Series kits are our top-of-the-line, S+ Tier lab kit options. With the CCNA 200-301 exam, Cisco has made the 4000 series routers the officially recommended devices, and this kit comes with a full topology of three 4331 routers running IOS XE — our top-of-the-line routers, exceeding Cisco’s standard 4221 recommendation, putting you on a better-than-exact match for the hardware the exam was written around and what Cisco Networking Academy recommends. These ship with the base license — an exact match to Cisco’s recommendation — with the option to upgrade one, two, or all three to the permanent security license if you want that extra capability unlocked.

This is our ultimate CCNA 200-301 solution, matching Cisco’s most current NetAcad-recommended equipment — and exceeding it across the whole topology. If you’re looking for an exact match to what Cisco wrote the CCNA 200-301 exam for, paired with a seamless learning experience, this is the kit.

One Kit, Room to Grow

This is a top-tier CCNA 200-301 kit built to be the exact match for the exam — and it’s built to grow with you. Add the permanent security license to one, two, or all three 4331s and you unlock the features that carry you into hands-on network-security work and CCNP Enterprise, on the exact same hardware. Hands-on time on real routers and switches reinforces the fundamentals behind a whole range of certifications and courses — not just one exam. This lab builds the practical foundation that supports your studies toward the CCST Networking and CCST Cybersecurity entry certs, CompTIA Network+, the Cisco CCNA 200-301, and up into CCNP Enterprise. Concepts exams teach you what a technology is; this kit lets you actually configure it, which is the experience that makes the knowledge stick and sets you apart to employers.

Perfect for High Schools, Universities, AP Programs & CyberPatriot Teams

This top-tier kit is an excellent fit for universities, advanced training centers, and institutions building out a full professional-grade networking curriculum — including the College Board’s new AP Computer Science Networking and AP Cybersecurity courses (see our AP Educator Guide) and CyberPatriot programs looking for the highest-end hardware. Real Cisco routers and switches give students genuine configuration and troubleshooting experience that a simulator can’t match. Educators: we accept purchase orders and can build a lab tailored to your program — see our Educational Institutions page to get started.

The Routers

We are very picky about, and very carefully screen, the 4331s we offer — we only sell reliable, clock-bug-cleared devices on permanent licensing structures. These are not random 4331s pulled off the market riddled with licensing problems, bugs, or the risk of randomly bricking on you. Cisco issued a field notice on the 4000 series regarding a clocking bug; we only sell 4000-series routers that are 100% cleared of it and not locked into SmartNet licensing problems. Don’t be fooled by sellers offering devices with known issues.

The Switches

Let’s talk about Cisco’s official switch recommendation — the 1000 series (C1000-24T-4G-L) and 9300L. We thought long and hard about this. These switches are extremely expensive right now due to low supply and high demand, and they come with major, expensive, subscription-based licensing requirements that make them a poor fit for education. The 9300L is an even bigger jump than the 9200L, and can get so expensive that even a training academy would struggle to make its money back outfitting labs with them — multiply that cost by two to four devices for a full topology, and the number gets genuinely shocking. Why is this Cisco’s official recommendation? Largely for optics, and because the primary path to acquiring them is buying directly from Cisco along with their dramatically expensive service and DNA/Catalyst contracts — more revenue for Cisco. Capability-wise, beyond adding gigabit ports, the 1000 series doesn’t offer meaningfully more for lab purposes to justify the price jump, and for the 9300L there are far more affordable options running IOS XE that don’t require a second mortgage.

So we got creative and built a better alternative: the Cisco 3650 in place of both. It’s a high-end gigabit switch running IOS XE — matching your 4331 routers on the same platform family — well known for its reliability, proven in production environments, and commonly deployed in live networks (you’ll see plenty of these in the field for years to come). You get exceptional IOS XE capability, matched IOS XE across routers and switches, for considerably less money. This kit ships with three 3650 IOS XE switches, giving you Layer 3 technology, gigabit ports, and IOS XE across your entire topology — with enough headroom that you could even explore folding these into a home network down the road.

We screen our 3650 switches to run a full, permanent, working IOS below the version where SmartNet is technically required (not currently enforced). This works perfectly for lab and learning purposes. If you choose to update the IOS past 16.9.1, you’ll need to register SmartNet through Cisco (again, not currently enforced).

Why Real Hardware:

Real hardware will always be the best way to prepare for certification and career success. HR representatives are thrilled to see candidates who’ve worked on real equipment and have their own lab — “What does your home lab look like?” has become a common interview question used to weed out candidates who’ve never touched real gear. Simulators have spent years trying to mimic the real thing and are still full of problems and capability gaps. If you want the best edge on every front, real hardware is the way to go — and it’s an investment that pays itself off quickly if you’re dedicated.

And why buy hardware without the labs to go with it? Other companies offer generic training packages or resell someone else’s product that isn’t designed to work with your equipment. We write our own materials and have refined them for over two decades so they work directly with the gear in your kit. Nothing makes us happier than an email from a customer with a snapshot of their EXAM PASSED certificate.

CCNA is hotter and trending more than it ever has! Always remember that as the CCNA certification progresses, it proves more and more that you know your stuff! With this, so does the amount of money you can expect to make as a Cisco Certified Network Engineer! This is one of the fastest growing fields in the world and with that comes the rewards, if you have the drive! Passing the new CCNA demonstrates that you have the skills and know what it takes to advance quickly in the IT world. We promise you, especially with the rise in data centers; scouts and HR representatives are hunting down qualified CCNAs more than ever before.

All of our CCNA 200-301 v1.1 Kits will come with our awesome new, completely revised, CCNA 200-301 v1.1 study material package!

-Our lab kits come with our famous and time proven CCNA Lab eWorkbook! Our labs have been proven to be the best on the market, producing thousands of certified individuals, since 2000 - over the course of over 25 years! The 200-301 v1.1 Lab eWorkbook runs about 450 pages and is jam packed full of labs! Not only do we cover the entire, official 200-301 v1.1 curriculum, but we also go beyond that by fully covering topics otherwise listed only as "describe" so you can fully implement the concept and really understand how everything works. On top of that we included labs that will be very beneficial for your real-world knowledge! Our study materials over prepare you to ensure your success! Don't just be a paper CCNA, be one that KNOWS what they are doing.

This lab eWorkbook comes in digital format on our awesome LockLizard reader. There is an option to pay a small up-charge to enable a single, one-time self-printing right so you can print this off yourself. If you go this route, we highly recommend that you use a laser printer with adequate toner and have lots of paper on hand. It is a lot of pages.

-The CCNA 200-301 v1.1 Bootcamp & Theory eBook is a completely revised, updated and power packed approach to the new Cisco CCNA 200-301 v1.1 exam. This is an 880 page guide of easy-to-understand CCNA material written in a manner that won't bore you to sleep! It not only follows the format of the official Cisco CCNA 200-301 v1.1 curriculum but even goes further in explaining other key concepts that we feel are important to prepare you for the real networking world.

-Our How & Why We Subnet Workbook is a 120 page workbook designed to walk you through the theory of subnetting partnered with enough sample and practice scenarios to have you mastering this skill in no time. This has been newly revised and now includes a bonus IPv6 section! This even includes one-time self-printing rights per copy so you can follow along on paper if you prefer.

-The last pieces to this amazing bundle are our Digital Cram Sheet and Digital TCP/Study Chart. These are very similar to those "Cliff Notes" you may have used when you didn't want to read that novel for a book report. We cram these full of the important points so you can quick reference them daily or directly before your exam. Review these on your PC and even take them with you on your mobile device and use them for a cram session right before your exam. These have been a customer favorite for a long time.

-Our Cisco CCNA Routing & Switching 200-301 Downloadable Study Tools include all sorts of great study tools and resources, free/complimentary mini videos, etc.

Here are just a few items you will find on in this included content:

33 CCNA Mini, complimentary Instructional Videos
CertificationKits Subnet Calculator
CertificationKits TFTP Server
All the software you will need to compliment your CCNA 200-301 v1.1 Lab Workbook

- Our new Q uestion and Answer Practice Exam Bundle. Our CertificationKits CCNA 200-301 v1.1 Practice Exams are a collection of 101 questions, answers and explanations (for the tough ones). This bundle comes with both Practice Exam A and Practice Exam B. They are a set of 101 questions, answers and explanation sets each. We thoroughly cover the full CCNA curriculum with the topics you can expect to see on exam day. We have a variety of questions from simple multiple choice, to a comparative version to drag and drop to simlets. These questions are so good and give you such a good feeling on what to expect, that if you can pass these practice exams, you'll know you are ready to go! Trust us, we have seen this test evolve over many, many revisions.

With this release as well as all of the other included eBooks, we even took things a step further by upgrading to our new awesome eBook reader through LockLizard. This is the same engine that Cisco actually uses to protect and distribute their corporate documents. This makes it extra cool because it is a format you will see in the field as a working network engineer. This new ebook reader works on multiple platforms such as PC, MAC, IOS, Android, etc. We include 2 activations with each purchase so you can install it on a desktop AND a mobile device, for example. On top of that you can highlight, make notes and work directly with your document. We know you will love it!

Please feel free to check out a demo selection from our new Bootcamp & Theory ebook and/or the Static Routing Sample Lab from our Lab eWorkbook:

1. Download and install the LockLizard viewer for your IOS and device type from this link: LockLizard Viewer

2. Download and install the License file for the eBook: License File

(If you don't see it open, the window for the license file may pop-up behind your active windows)

3, Download and open the .Pdc eBook file: Theory eBook File / CCNA Lab Workbook Sample Lab

The download and install is very straightforward and simple, but if you get stuck, please click here for a help guide on opening your eBook demo or official purchase. Upon purchase a unique license file and a .pdc file will be emailed to you,

Below is a listing of the kit with its standard selections to which you can select any of the add-on or upgrades options - described in further detail below.

Hardware Included:

Three 4331/K9 Base Licensed Routers. These Exceed and have more capability than the Cisco recommended 4221. IOS 16.09.04.SPA Capable
Three 3650 Gigabit IOS XE Switch Single AC
Five Ethernet Patch Cables
Five Ethernet Crossover Cables
Cisco Console Kit
Power Cords

Additional Items Include:

450 Page CCNA 200-301 v1.1 Lab eWorkbook Covering 60+ Labs Plus Bonus Labs That Go Beyond the Scope of CCNA For Extra Real-World Experience! ($57.99 value)
880 Page Bootcamp & Theory eBook that covers every 200-301 v1.1 CCNA Topic Plus More! ($49.99 value)
How & Why We Subnet eWorkbook ($24.99 value)
Two Practice Exams. Both with 101 Questions, Answers and Explanations ($15.98 value)
Digital CCNA CRAM Sheet ($14.99 value)
Digital TCP/IP Study Chart ($9.99 value)
CertificationKits TFTP Server
CertificationKits Subnet Calculator
33 CCNA Instructional Videos
Cisco Network Assistant
Cisco Router Password Decryptor
Cisco VPN Client 5.0.04.0410
Port Scanner nmap-7.80
npcap-0.9987 & WinPcap 4.1.3
WireShark
TeraTerm & Putty Terminal Emulators
VirtualBox
IOS Backup as noted above for the routers and switches
Cisco Configuration Professional (CCP) 2.8 for 1841/2800 Series Routers

A Note on Serial Connections

The new 200-301 v1.1 exam has removed the requirement for serial connections. This is awesome because that means you can get a lab even cheaper than ever before! However, we do still recommend that you add these on to your labs. Just because Cisco removed these from the exam does not mean that these have magically disappeared in the field. Serial connections can still be found everywhere and are especially still extremely common in international networks. On top of that, Security, CCNP, etc still do have a requirement for serial connections and having experience with these only prepares you for moving up the certification tree and encountering these on the job.

As an added bonus, for a limited time, anyone who purchases any of the serial card and cable upgrades for their kit will also receive a free copy of our new 150+ page Beyond CCNA Serial Lab Workbook. ($29.99 Value) This will allow you to take your CCNA studies to the next level and get a strong grasp on serial technology. Since serial connections are part of CCNA Security and CCNP, this will also serve as a primer and introduction to topics you can expect to see on those certifications.

Optional xMFT-T1 Module Option Includes:

NIM-xMFT-T1 totaling 6 serial ports across two or four cards

Three WIC-Crossover Cable

Optional (4) Port Smart Serial Cards & Cables Bundle Includes: (This option is if you want to use smart serial, but want to keep the cost down with less cards/ports)

Four NIM-xT module/s totaling two smart serial ports across one or two cards

You will total four smart serial ports with the smart serial option

Two Smart to Smart Back-to-Back Serial Cables

Optional (6) Port Smart Serial Cards & Cables Bundle Includes:

Six NIM-xT module/s totaling two smart serial ports across one or two cards

You will total six smart serial ports with the smart serial option

Three Smart to Smart Back to Back Serial Cables

***Why should you consider going with the Smart Serial Option over the T1 option***

The NIM-xMFT-T1 Modules are a great, budget friendly option for lab purposes and in this case a vey good pick because the smart serial option for the 4xxx series are a pricey upgrade. However, if your budget allows, we always recommend upgrading to the Smart Serial NIM Modules and Smart Serial-to-Smart Serial cables. Smart serial is a more current technology that offers a faster DCE/DTE connection that will also use the same clock rate command you will see when you see serial connections on Cisco exams. Once again, the T1 Serial cards will work just fine (there is a small work around that you will need to explore), but if you want to be the most up to date and want the clock rate commands to match identically like you would see when you are sitting an exam, the smart serial upgrade is an excellent choice.

The Add Permanent Security License For 4331 option allows you upgrade one or both of the included 4331 routers with the additional permanent security license. So, this would give you the base AND security license. The security license unlocks additional security features on your device that are unavailable with the base license. You do not need this license for CCNA level material, but if you are interested in getting into security content or CCNP, then these are recommended.

The Optional Wireless Access Point Option comes with an 1142 Wireless AP and the power brick for the unit. Once again, you do not need this to get through the wireless component of the 200-301 v1.1 exam. However, this is a pretty cheap add-on that will give you an opportunity to expand your knowledge past the exam. These are recommended. if you are interested in getting into security content or CCNP.

The Supplemental CCNA Training DVD is about 22+ hours of extra CCNA level training in a video format. Do you need this to pass your exam? Absolutely not because all the training your need is already included with your kit! This DVD does cover a lot of legacy material and is not entirely up to date, however it still has a great deal of very useful knowledge that every engineer should know and will run into on the job. We used to sell this DVD for a few hundred dollars but have priced it super affordably for those who want to widen the scope of their curriculum. There is still a lot of overlap here with the current exam, so you will get a lot of topics covered that are on there, just not every topic.

The FTDI Console Cable Upgrade swaps out the classic console cable for this new solution to complete your console connection. This is our newest option for your console connection. This cable has the new FTDI chip installed and eliminates the need for both the classic console connection and the USB-Serial Adapter! It goes directly from USB to RJ-45! Another great bonus to this, from our testing, is that it has a near perfect success rate in the break sequence working! (used to reset the router, password recovery, etc). This is a big bonus because the converters can be a bit of a pain in that department. All around, this is an excellent addition to any techs toolbox! *If you do not have a 9-Pin serial port on your computer (most modern computers do not) or a USB-to-Serial converter, you will need this to complete your console (management) connection. We highly recommend this.

The Access Server is purely a convenience tool and not a requirement for your exam. While these are common device types in data centers everywhere and a great thing to have knowledge of, they are not a requirement to pass your exam. However, if you don't want to physically move a cable every time you change devices, have an interest in remote access possibilities, or want to broaden you knowledge, an access server is a great device to have in your kit! All of our 2509 and 2511 access servers sold with kits also now come with the transceiver add-on so you can get the device on the LAN, perform upgrades/recovery and explore remote access capability. The new Access Server Conversion Kits options are composed of a 2811 256/64 router and HWIC-16A module. There are two options. One with (1) 8 connection octal and one with (2) 8 connection octals (16 connections). More on access servers here.

Rack Options: You can see our Rack options in the slide carousel images above. We aim for a modular solution. Choose no rack and stack on a desktop, buy just the rack-mount kits if you already have a rack, or select one of three rack options (all bundled with rack mounts when purchased with a kit):

Rack Mounts Only — the brackets to bolt your devices into a rack you already own.
The Basic Rack is the simplest option. This is a more organizational solution versus the heavier duty deluxe rack options. This works great as a simple desktop rack on smaller labs where you don't plan on adding an incredible amount of weight.
The 12U Mini Deluxe This is a customer favorite rack option and a sturdier option for your lab over the Basic Rack. For most CCNA and Cisco labs, you are only using 6U of space in your rack, so the 12U Mini Deluxe will give you plenty of space with expansion options for a budget friendly price. If you plan on adding larger units, PDU, shelves, etc. then the 12U mini provides a couple extra slots
16U Deluxe - This is the full heavy-duty option! This rack is a professional grade rack that comes with wheels and extra room for expansion. This rack is also nice because it stands taller than the other racks, bringing the equipment higher to chair level if placed on the ground.

This is a complete Cisco certification kit — much more than just the hardware. We include the gear you need and all the study material you need to pass your exam, in one kit. No other kit on the market offers such an in-depth solution to prepare you from every angle.

*Due to high demand and our policy to only offer devices clear of clock bugs and SmartNet locks, in some cases, large scale orders on XE kits may have a short lead time* Please feel free to reach out if you have an inquiry.

Please note that it is company policy not to alter the IOS of any internal flash device. We provide an IOS backup disc for educational purposes that will have backups of the IOS mentioned in the kit description. These are for educational training and recovery purposes.