Icnd1

Hey All,

I'm a long time lurker and I've never posted before but I was hoping you guys could give me some help.

I've been studying for my CCENT/CCNA since March of 2014, I spend on average 4 hours of studying every week day and I've enrolled and passed a CCNA crash course at a community college. Last month I took a shot at my CCENT and I failed miserably. My score was around a 400. At that time I had only read the Wendell Odom ICND1 book, and the Cisco CCENT Exam cram.

Obviously being devastated from my terrible score I decided to seriously jump in head first. I started configuring Routers and Switches for a corporation who would let me come in as an apprentice. I seriously got comfortable with live equipment over the past four weeks and I was feeling real confident with configuring cisco devices. My mentor was seriously impressed with how well I've turned all of this around. On my nights off I was using the Boson simulation software and the exam banks getting scores in the mid 80's. My mentor and I thought I was ready for the test. (I also picked up the packet tracer and I borrowed a router)

On Friday the 15th I sat down again to take the test because I was feeling much more confident about my cisco skills. I sat down, wrote my sub net list on my notepad and thought I was killing it. At the end of the test I received my score and it was a 630. I was stunned, I had figured I had really nailed it this time and was excited to move my studies towards my CCNA.

It seems like I'm still far off from passing. My lowest parts were: Operation of IP Data Networks, LAN Switching Technologies and Network Device Security. Does anyone know how I can dive deeper into these parts? Or have any advice on what I should do? I'm expecting to take this test again the last week of August or the first week of September.

TL;DR Version: Failed CCENT twice. Any advice?

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Comments

Jon_Cisco

Two things that come to mind.

1- Are you taking the time to read the questions twice?
Often skimming the question can hurt you.

2 - Were you retaining the information when you read the book?
It is very common for people to read boring material without actually absorbing the information.

I recommend note taking as a method of forcing yourself to recall what you just read. You don't even have to refer back to the notes. Some people believe it is the process of interpreting the text into your own words that reinforces the information.

Best of luck with the next try. If you are being successful in the working environment then you will be able to do the test. Just focus on your study methods.

davenull

I'd recommend studying the material as if you were going to teach it to somebody. Even better, find some willing ears (a coworker, a significant other etc.) and actually teach them.

Also, try practicing subnetting more. You should be comfortable doing subnetting entirely in your head: Subnetting Practice Questions

Most importantly, do even more labs. Fire up GNS3 and Wireshark - seeing those packets flow helps quite a bit.

Finally, try a different test center? Maybe, that center is just cursed for you, a change of scenery won't hurt either way.

Cider

Can you give us the breakdown of your score in the different domains so I can tell you what to look for. I wrote my ICND1 last week so its fresh in my mind.

EDIT: Apologies, I see what you said here.

My lowest parts were: Operation of IP Data Networks, LAN Switching Technologies and Network Device Security

Are you watching any videos?

VinnyCisco

First off I want to say, don't give up. I know you might not want to hear this, but you are where you are supposed to be. Everything happens for a reason. You will pass.

Now for advice that may or may not help.

When I studied for the tests, the main thing for me besides experience at work, watching videos, reading books, was the labs. But I created my own labs. Doing pre-scripted labs, or doing labs out of the books were not enough. Why? Because if I copied everything as is, it should work. So I needed to challenge myself.

Everyday, I would pull out paper and pen and create a layout on paper. Complete with IP schemes, VLSM, diagram's... you name it. I would then go and set those labs up and configure them. There were times I had to troubleshoot because I missed something, or I didn't plan accordingly. In either case, I learned so much more with that method, than just typing in commands and seeing things work correctly. I found that seeing what happens when things DON'T WORK, and fixing them, is what made the difference on the tests.

I also helped out a friend by explaining things while he was studying along with me, and I even came in this forum and posted suggestions or answers to questions before I even made CCNA.

This is only my opinion and my experience, so everyone else has their own to share with you.

Hope this helps. Good Luck.

--chris--

davenull wrote: »

I'd recommend studying the material as if you were going to teach it to somebody. Even better, find some willing ears (a coworker, a significant other etc.) and actually teach them.

Also, try practicing subnetting more. You should be comfortable doing subnetting entirely in your head: Subnetting Practice Questions

Most importantly, do even more labs. Fire up GNS3 and Wireshark - seeing those packets flow helps quite a bit.

Finally, try a different test center? Maybe, that center is just cursed for you, a change of scenery won't hurt either way.

IP data networks were a real soft spot for me (I scored a 33% on the ccent in IP data networks

), so I hit it hard after passing the exam and now feel confident. Watching Chris Bryants Udemy videos and literally drawing out diagrams that match what he was showing helped me nail that topic. I am lucky in that I have a couple co workers that actually want to hear this stuff so I would explain these topics to them during lunches or on drives and they would do some Q&A with me, which would then point out my weak spots.

Knowing when the mac address is changed, at what point and why as well as the IP address of the packet is crucial to troubleshooting in the CCNA portion. If you really want the CCNA, you need to nail the CCENT topics. Dont get discouraged, take a new angle to study!

overtheborder

You guys are literally the best.

Jon_Cisco wrote: »

Two things that come to mind.

1- Are you taking the time to read the questions twice?
Often skimming the question can hurt you.

2 - Were you retaining the information when you read the book?
It is very common for people to read boring material without actually absorbing the information.

These are great questions. I was running out of time near question 40/50 with around 5 minutes left on the clock. When I was in crunch mode I could have definitely read over questions quickly. I did my best to pace myself but some of the labs took longer then I wanted.

Today I'm going over the exam topics on the cisco website and i'm going to see what I can break down and see what specifically are my weak spots.

davenull wrote: »

I'd recommend studying the material as if you were going to teach it to somebody. Even better, find some willing ears (a coworker, a significant other etc.) and actually teach them.

Also, try practicing subnetting more. You should be comfortable doing subnetting entirely in your head: Subnetting Practice Questions

Most importantly, do even more labs. Fire up GNS3 and Wireshark - seeing those packets flow helps quite a bit.

Finally, try a different test center? Maybe, that center is just cursed for you, a change of scenery won't hurt either way.

Great points. A lot of my coworkers want to learn and see the stuff I work on (I work helpdesk), spending some extra time during the day showing them some bits on what I know would really weed out on what I do/don't know. Excellent advice.

I've been spending time with the packet tracer, but I will install both GNS3 and Wireshark this week. And thank you for the excellent link, I can't wait to play around with that website. Ive never seen it before. This will be a huge help.

Cider wrote: »

Can you give us the breakdown of your score in the different domains so I can tell you what to look for. I wrote my ICND1 last week so its fresh in my mind.

EDIT: Apologies, I see what you said here.

Are you watching any videos?[/FONT]

Yes I watched the CCENT videos from cbt nuggets.

theodoxa

davenull wrote: »

I'd recommend studying the material as if you were going to teach it to somebody. Even better, find some willing ears (a coworker, a significant other etc.) and actually teach them.

I remember seeing a chart posted on a professor's wall in college. I don't remember the exact percentages, but it listed the percentage of material that persons retained by different teaching/learning methods. Reading was at or near the bottom of the list and teaching others was the highest.

overtheborder

Hey everyone,

Sorry for the really big bump.

I wanted to thank you guys for all the advice you gave me. Ever since I originally posted in August I really dove in and studying harder. I took my CCENT last week and failed with a 801. I wish I could have just went back into the testing center and took the test again!

But I finally have great news, I finally passed today with a 881.

I can't thank you guys for all the information and uplifting spirits you guys gave me. Now i'm off to the CCNA!

Jon_Cisco

Great Job!

davenull

Congratulations! Take your time with ICND2 and lab lab lab!

jayskata

Jon_Cisco wrote: »

I recommend note taking as a method of forcing yourself to recall what you just read. You don't even have to refer back to the notes. Some people believe it is the process of interpreting the text into your own words that reinforces the information.

I agree with Jon_Cisco on this. I also did this. In order for you to really focus on what you are studying about. Take important notes, not just for reviewing but mainly retaining those critical infos in your head. Then I recommend doing a speech (talk to yourself), summarizing an exam topic in your own understanding. Then look at your notes to see whether you got it right. Then learn by doing..you said you have access to Packet Tracer? Do a google search for that topic and implement that on Packet Tracer. Understand how it works..that's the most important part. As what Albert Einstein said "If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough"

HTH

jayskata

LOL! this was a late topic i replied on. I did not even notice the date posted...congrats on the pass though