Friday, March 27, 2009
Share your experience with us!
Lets share the CCNA experience !!! Hey, this section is meant for sharing your CCNA experience. You may discuss the training you undertook, study method you adopted, & the materials you have used . I'll start with my own journey -I've been studying for my CCNA exam for a 6 months period.I'll give you a short description about everything I used during my studies:
- I used Cisco Curriculum Exploration v4, and it has great method to teach you the fundamentals of Networking. it includes flash, and alot of diagram to help the explanation.
- I've watched Jeremy-CBT Nuggets videos, and Chris Bryant-TrainSignal videos. IMO, Jeremy explains the material in more funny way, less boring. but Chris Bryant starting with you from scratch and building the fundamentals. I liked more TrainSignal product, although it was much more boring than CBT.
- CiscoPress ICND1+ICND2 FEB 2008 Edition, those books are really nice, but they are assuming you got some fundamentals knowledge in networking. they are explaining the more complex concepts better than the others.
- Sybex Todd's Lamle 6th Edition, I think you all know this book. Great book, explains the material very good. Although CiscoPress got some concepts that were more clear to me in their books than Todd's.
- Packet Tracer v5 (Cisco). This is one of the best tools you can ask for. This program actually lets you simulate an exam oriented networking environment, if you are like me, and you got no Cisco switches / routers to build your study network then packet tracer is something to grab!!!
NOTE: I'm against brain-dumps. dumps can't help you study or understand the concepts and acquire knowledge that you need for passing the CCNA and as a matter of fact any other certification. The exam isn't about who has a better memorizing skills, so don't use dumps instead study books . Don't waste your time on dumps. FIRST read the books, DO ALOT OF LABS, and then, only then go over any exam enviornment program you come acrss, if you wish to use them.
I found it easier to first watch a video, and then read the books chapter. That made it easier for me to read, since the videos would serve the purpose of a summary. After every chapter you're done with, use Packet Tracer to make up LABs and see how it really works!
PT has a great simulation mode that gives you the option to see the process step-by-step! use it, its awesome and very beneficial! Then, go over your book questions at the end of each chapter. Mark the questions you answered wrong, and review them. If you want, you can take notes while watching the videos.. for later reference - very helpful.
NOTE: I'm against brain-dumps. dumps can't help you study or understand the concepts and acquire knowledge that you need for passing the CCNA and as a matter of fact any other certification. The exam isn't about who has a better memorizing skills, so don't use dumps instead study books . Don't waste your time on dumps. FIRST read the books, DO ALOT OF LABS, and then, only then go over any exam enviornment program you come acrss, if you wish to use them.
I found it easier to first watch a video, and then read the books chapter. That made it easier for me to read, since the videos would serve the purpose of a summary. After every chapter you're done with, use Packet Tracer to make up LABs and see how it really works!
PT has a great simulation mode that gives you the option to see the process step-by-step! use it, its awesome and very beneficial! Then, go over your book questions at the end of each chapter. Mark the questions you answered wrong, and review them. If you want, you can take notes while watching the videos.. for later reference - very helpful.
This process should take you atleast 6 weeks, no way it will be shorter. Using dumps is something that you should know ,i do not encourage using dumps as study material you may use if like it,as a testing material.
Remember CCNA exam will test you in 3 things :
1) Concepts
2) Configuration
3) Troubleshooting
Study & practice hard, nail the concepts, and you should clear the exam!
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Ken · 835 weeks ago
Describe how a network works: 42%
Configure, verify and troubleshoot a switch with VLANS and interswitch communications: 50%
Implement an IP addressing scheme and IP Services to meet network requirements in a medium: 66%
Configure, verifiy, troubleshoo basic router operation and routing on Cisco devices: 53%
Explain and Select the appropriate administrative asks required for WLAN: 100%
Identifiy security threats to a network and describe general methods to mitifate: 100%
Implement, verify, and troubleshoot NAT and ACL's in a medium-size Enterprise branch office: 25%
Implement and verify WAN LINKS: 0%
So yeah that's what happened to me. So I guess I need to practice my subnetting, and re-read over ACL, NAT, VTP and LABS!! I didn't look at greg's 22 questions either. I bet if I went over those I might would have passed on the first try.
m0ssad · 835 weeks ago
Get packet tracer (there's a link on the resources menu) - if you can't get it through there, leave your email.
BTW, there's a COMEBACK2009 voucher which lets you go for your 2nd try - FOR FREE! don't forget to use it..
Good luck next time buddy.
Ahmed · 835 weeks ago
For me .. I have some pieces of adviece:
1- Todd Lammle books is really fantastic starting point .. easy and simple .. funny and attractive.
2- Official Study Guide is so organized and has fantastic summary tables that gathers all similar and confusing items together.
3- A lot of videos like CBT, TestOut and some at youtube ..
4- Extensive use of Packet Tracer for all Labs and please take care of every thing related to Lab, configuration and troubleshooting
5- Forums are so helpful, post your confusing question and wait for the reply ..
6- Don't depend on brain dump questions because today's exams are not a copy of these questions and also you have to understand because you will have an interview one a day and at this moment you will answer if only you understand well.
7- As a CCNA candidate, TAKE EXTENSIVE CARE of subnetting, VLSM, route summarization, Access Control List .. their questions are simple but you have to pay super attention ..
8- Give every question its suitable time and don't worry about time .. specially if your native language is not english because if this is the case, you will have about 30 min. extra time .. for me .. the last two question were MCQ about trunking and the remainging time was abut 20 min ...
I M Khan · 835 weeks ago
1st of all congratulations to site master to design such a good forum
I passed my CCNA on 13 March 09, and secured 972. I am adding my experience, if it is any help.
I used mainly books:
ICND 1& 2 (very good books)
CCNA by Sybex by Todd Lammle
I am not a great fan of dumps, but they worth to look at them, specially P4S or similar, as they provide you real exam environment with timings etc
you should practice in a real time exam environment, as it gives you confidence and time management skills
Subnetting is important more than any thing else, as ACL, NAT/PAT, Routing and almost every major topic covers subnetting. Practice as much as you can, even dream about subnetting
I had two simulations:
1. NAT
2. Configure a new router and add routes through RIP
2x HotSpo Questions
1. Access list
2. Frame Relay
a couple of Drag and Drop:
Troubleshooting on basis of OSI layers
RSTP
you should be good in network flow, like if you are pinging, what are source and destinations IP and Mac addresses
as I said, use books to clear your concept, insteak you waste your time in craming 800 or 1000 questions from various dumps
good luck :)
Frank D · 833 weeks ago
ALI RAZA · 602 weeks ago
CCNA online training · 545 weeks ago
icnd1 · 415 weeks ago