can 2950 switch still be used on current CCNA, CCNP practice? what about later on in CCIE?

I have a user who said that he's unable to connect to Cisco network in this way (Cable Modem <-- WRT54G <-- 831 Router <-- Laptop) but able to when he is without the WRT54G Linksys router. Has anyone encountered this before ?What firmare version or F...