Studying for ICND 2 school or book?

Codeman6669

Hello guys

Got CCENT about two weeks ago, and im starting school for ICND3 and 4 (which will prep for ICND2 test)

I did ICND1 and 2 for the ccent, and honestly was taught way more then i needed for the CCENT test. I spent so much time emphasizing on things that werent even on the test at all, so i bought a Todd Lammel CCENT book and it let me focus on what i needed to know to pass the test.

Now i got Lammels book for ICND2, and its 300 pages. Thats nothing. ICND3 and 4 will take 4 months to complete.

Do i bother with the classes? Im already enrolled and chapter 1 and 9 arent even objectives on the test. Its like what versions are and why they are numbered that way etc. I think im going to stay in icnd3 and study the book, when i finish the book ill take the test. But i want some of your guys opinions on this, and to make sure im doing the right thing.

Lammels books have hands on practice, and my school has routers/switches to work on. But i almost feel like i can be ready for iCND2 in a month or two, opposed to 4 months studying things i may not need. I am employed as a Network Tech right now working on non Cisco equipment although i do sometimes get some exposure to cisco routers and switches

Thoughts?

mweaver84

All I gotta say is your school's naming convention for their classes is confusing

Each person is different though, if classes help you stay focus and learn better stick with it. If you are able to study on your own, do it. I'm assuming the classes aren't cheap. No is going to be able to tell you which way is better for you.

For whatever it is worth, I have heard that the failure rate for first attempts at the CCNA is over 90% and I'm assuming most people do self study. Best of luck!!

Jon_Cisco

I finished the four classes as part of my associates degree. The classes were almost entirely Cisco's Net Academy with some lab time built in.

I think the Cisco content was good but definitely covers more then just the exam. If your goal is the piece of paper then there are cheaper faster ways to get there. However if it counts towards a degree for you then you might want to finish it anyway.

Unfortunately many kids in the class just looked up the test answers online and never did the work. The first course has about 30 people in it. The last class was down to 10. Of them I think I am the only one that took the test at the end.

Codeman6669

mweaver haha I agree. Thats actually through cisco learning academy so that explains why its confusing lol

Jon thanks for the response. I took icnd 1 and 2, and your right ton of people. Icnd3 has about 10 lol and out of those 10 i think 1 might get it. Dont quite understand that.

Im going to do icnd3 and study the lammel book. Wont need 4 im thinking, thanks again

theodoxa

When I went through the NetAcademy (2001), the 4 CCNA courses each had a name. I had to pull up my transcript to remember what they were --

CCNA 1 - Network Fundamentals
CCNA 2 - Router Theory
CCNA 3 - Advanced Routing & Switching
CCNA 4 - Advanced Network Design and Management

Now it seems they just call them CCNA 1 - 4. They don't do design anymore in the NetAcademy from what I've heard. That was probably spun off into the CCDA.

HAMP

"I did ICND1 and 2 for the ccent, and honestly was taught way more then i needed for the CCENT test. I spent so much time emphasizing on things that werent even on the test at all, so i bought a Todd Lammel CCENT book and it let me focus on what i needed to know to pass the test."

To the OP, this made me laugh so much. I'm pretty sure you were not taught more then you needed, and because the parts you studied more than others were not on the test doesn't mean you wasted your time with learning it.

All of that just means you were totally prepared for the test, no matter what questions they threw at you.

I say whatever process you studied and learnt the first part, just keep it going for the second part and even onto your next cert..