GNS3 for CCNA

Disgruntled3lf

So my budget for a lab is about 0$ and I'd like to get my CCENT then CCNA and hopefully that will lead to a budget that's not 0. To stay in budget I have elected to use GNS3 for my labbing needs. My question is will this be enough? And what router should I use? I have C7200 ADVENTERPRISE-K9 15.2(4)S3 and was curious if that will be enough?

fredrikjj

I'd go with Packettracer because it also simulates switches and should have all the commands that you need for the CCNA. You could use GNS3 as well if you want to try out some advanced features that aren't available in PT, but it probably isn't necessary.

Disgruntled3lf

The inability to sim switches was bothering me. But we have some 4948E-E's at work so I was just going to snag a couple of those and bring them home for the duration of my CCNA endeavors. I was going to spend a couple days integrating them and some virtual hosts into a "lab". But if Packettracer will be enough that will be sooo much simpler.

DoubleNNs

Packet Tracer is good enough for the CCNA, esp if you already have routing/switching/cabling experience from work.

Disgruntled3lf

Sweet thanks guys. I just saw where WGU gives access to the learning labs as well. So that should be helpful. I noticed both of you are also CCNA certified... I have a few questions...

I'm wondering what we can expect on the actual exams. I work with a CCNP that says the exam was "30% CDP commands" and I've not seen very much coverage of CDP at all. He did take his exam some time ago and so it may have been deprecated.

Where do I need to focus my efforts? I know that all domains will be tested but some subdomains have to be more prevalent than others.

I've found that I already know most of the networking content as I just took the Network+ immediately preceding this. So to me this seems like the N+ but a little deeper and Cisco focused (OSPF wasn't on the N+ but isn't exactly a difficult concept to wrestle at the CCNA level) with a Cisco CLI test on top. Is that accurate?

Is there a list or guideline of commands I need to know or is knowing what mode to be in and how to use the "?" more of what should be expected? Because there are a googolplex of commands.

WGU offers the Transcender exams. Will those be enough?

omi2123

it depends. If you take the composite exam 200-120 then you will face a lot of Sims. I suggest you take ICND1 & then ICND2. If you lab very well, then the test will be very easy. Try to subscribe CBTNuggets for a month. Jeremy's video lecture helped me to pass my CCNA test in one shot.

Also, Packet tracer is the best. The new 6.1 version even has ASA simulator. That's all you need for CCNA. GOod luck.

fredrikjj

Disgruntled3lf wrote: »

Where do I need to focus my efforts? I know that all domains will be tested but some subdomains have to be more prevalent than others.

I suggest picking up with the 2 volume official cert guide and study everything. Having weaknesses can really hurt you on Cisco exams since there is only pass and fail and pass is like 80%. I didn't go the two exam route and took the composite exam instead, but in hindsight I probably should have since I barely passed.

Jon_Cisco

The cisco website has a practice tutorial that shows you the type of questions that can be asked and the appropriate way to interact with the sim.

ICND1 seemed more OSPF.
ICND2 added EIGRP.

Definately cover all of the material once as the clock starts to mess with you during the exams. I ended the first one with 7 minutes left. The second one I only had 2 minutes left.

Subnet in your sleep for both tests. It's easy it only requires practice.

DoubleNNs

By the looks of your questions, it looks like you might not have taken a look at the CCNA objectives yet. I recommend that you do. Cisco now not only tells you what objectives are tested on the exam, but they give you the weight of each topic in a percentage break down.

You'll need a login and password to view the objectives but signing up is free. Afterwards, you'll have the ability to download the exam topics as a .pdf.

Disgruntled3lf

Well thanks to my job I can sub/super net in my sleep. I've just finished all the CBT Nugget videos and I'm a little under half-way through the Official cert guide. This Odom fella is certainly not the most engaging author I've had the pleasure of reading. I'm nervous because this material seems fairly basic and my WGU advisors told me this would be the hardest three exams in the syllabus. But I'm thinking the Linux+ was much harder...

--chris--

Understanding IP network logic is crucial on ICND1. It was m weak spot for sure, and I didn't know it until I was done with the exam

j.petrov

+1 for packet tracer. Its all you will need for the CCNA and is really simple to use. GNS takes more effort to get configured properly.

Disgruntled3lf

I dunno. I did all the labs here:Cisco Packet Tracer 6.1 labs that have the little "Tip" out to the side because it was made for 5.3 last night. I had to build the topology myself but they were pretty easy. I do disagree with the assertion that I would need a crossover cable to connect switch to switch. What is Cisco's stance on that? Anyway I was very pleased with PT until I tried to configure basic inter-vlan routing using ROAS. Not sure what happened but my switch sent the ARP out every interface and the router wouldn't respond to an ARP request at all. Little confused so I wiped it all and am trying again this mornining. And a little late but I have read and re-read the exam objectives. I was asking for extra information based on your experience with actually taking the exam.

BerkshireHerd

I can run ROAS just fine in Packet tracer, I set up 3 instances just on Friday using 2960 switch, 2911 router and 2 hosts

Disgruntled3lf

That's weird. I got it working today. No idea what happened. It was down. I took a screenshot. Went and grabbed my buddy who's a CCNP and asked him to take a look at it. He came in and it worked. I changed nothing. So... anyway. I'm doing these labs now.
Lab Exercises

really digging this stuff. I also talked to my WGU course mentor and he sent me over here:
CCNA Links