Top prep tools for CCNA/CCENT?

binarysoul

Today I passed my A+ and my next hop is CCNA and SSCP. I'm not new to networking and have some knowledge/experience with CISCO routers.

Aside from Packet Tracer, what else would you recommend? Also, is Transenders or MeasureUP better for CCNA? What tools do you recommend?

Million thanks!

mweaver84

Right now I'm using CBT Nuggets videos and "CCNA in 60 Days" Book. The book is decent but I'm really liking the CBT videos. Feel he does a very good job presenting the material without being boring.

Nafe92014

I highly recommend Wendell Odoms OCG: CCENT/CCNA ICND1 100-101 Official Cert Guide. I also recommend a his simulator as well. If you have the money, a lab consisting of a few 2811 Routers and some 2960 Switches would suffice.

Node Man

If i had $80 to spend, my pick would be a 3560. That switch will last you up through CCNP-Switch. It has extra features that you will outgrow on a 2950 or a 3550.

cisco_kidd20

Look up Boson CCNA prep. Their Ex-Sim Max test simulators are top notch, and I think they still have a guarantee if you don't pass after successfully passing their simulators they will reimburse you the price of the exam. I used them 3 years ago and I found it very beneficial in passing my exam.

skwira001

binarysoul wrote: »

Today I passed my A+ and my next hop is CCNA and SSCP. I'm not new to networking and have some knowledge/experience with CISCO routers.

Aside from Packet Tracer, what else would you recommend? Also, is Transenders or MeasureUP better for CCNA? What tools do you recommend?

Million thanks!

Packet Tracer should be fine for the CCNA Routing and Switching.


Most everyone needs to watch a lecture. There are 2 high end choices that are both solid. Career Academy at http://www.careeracademy.com and CBT Nuggets at http://www.cbtnuggets.com.

However, I think for your initial learning, http://www.safaribooksonline.com is going to be your better option. What you can do is signup for their 10 slot bookshelf. Then go under your account settings. That's where you can downgrade your subscription to 5 slots per 30 days. Safari Books has both books and videos, and each book and video series takes up 1 slot in your bookshelf. If you want, you can even buy the unlimited version which will cost in the $400-500 range for an entire year. That again gives you all the IT books and videos you need. The video selection is becoming much bigger of a selection. They basically give you Pearson Vue and Infinite Skills. The 5 slot shelf costs just $15 per month, but like I said it's only available to existing customers, so first you need to buy a bigger slot bookshelf and then downgrade.

Once you read the books and watch all the video series, now I recommend forking out some money into Testout. Testout can replace the 31 days before your CCNA books. That has hands on materials and the quick review that you need. As a final test prep, I recommend buying Pearson Vue's practice exam once you actually schedule your exam. That will give you the most real world testing environment as possible without cheating.

Oh, and if you already bought the books, then maybe you don't need Safari Books. You can grab your iPad or other tablet and subscribe to Infinite Skills for $10 per month. That is also a really good video series. Now I've seen their web site sell their individual titles for $99. On Amazon the price is cut in half. Then on the web site they sell titles for $25 per month. However, if you can live with the training on your tablet only like your iPad, they sell their unlimited video subscription for $10 per month. However, Safari also has Infinite Skills, and that $15 5 slot subscription you get after you initially subscribe to 10 or unlimited you will get all those anyway and also other vendor's video series like Pearson Vue.

NetworkNewb

I'm really liking the CBT Nuggets videos for this. The guy isn't boring which helps ALOT

skwira001

NetworkNewb wrote: »

I'm really liking the CBT Nuggets videos for this. The guy isn't boring which helps ALOT

Kevin Wallace is also not boring. You can view his videos on Safari Books. Like I said you first need to sign up for a more expensive subscription and get the trial along with it. Then go under your account settings and downgrade to a 5 slot bookshelf. You can get Kevin Wallace for 1 year for $159.00 per year. And that only takes up 1 slot in your bookshelf which has to be there for 30 days. That gives you 4 more slots for books and even other video series. The more popular the exam, the more video series Safari will have.

chantt

Andrew Crouthamel has a free CCNA series on youtube. Just because it's free doesn't mean it should be dismissed. He generated $10,000+ in a kickstarter so he did the series.

armel03

chantt wrote: »

Andrew Crouthamel has a free CCNA series on youtube. Just because it's free doesn't mean it should be dismissed. He generated $10,000+ in a kickstarter so he did the series.

I'm reviewing for CCNA and watching this series on youtube.

castagnolac

I'm studying for ICND1 and have been using various materials. The Wendell Odom ICND1 and ICND2 books are great. I'd suggest going online and buying the Cisco CCNA Routing and Switching 200-120 Official Cert Guide and Simulator Library as it includes the books for both exams plus the Pearson Exam engine (2 practice exams, flash cards and all the questions in the books) and a Net Simulator. In addition, there is a code in the back of the book (on a slip of paper with the CD) to get 70% off the online "premium edition". After this discount the premium edition is about $11. What it gets you is an ebooks version of both of the books with 2 additional practice exams for the CCENT and 2 additional full CCNA practice exams (if you go that route).
So for about $150-$160 you get both Ciscopress books, testengine with 4 practice exams for each CCENT and CCNA, and the Network Simulator.

I also bought Todd Lammle's Sybex book CCNA Routing and Switching Study Guide: Exams 100-101, 200-101, and 200-120. The Odom book was easier for me to get through (note this is the opposite of what most seem to experience), but I ultimately have ended up using many of Lammle's shortcuts for subnetting. Overall I think it was a good purchase. This book is pretty low cost - I think $40-$50 if I recall and includes both ICND1 and ICND2 materials as well as one practice exam and some electronic flashcards as well as an extremely basic simulator to do some labs on.

I am using videos by Chris Bryant on Udemy - when there is a coupon out there (and I think there is one now) you can get the entire CCNA lecture series for $10. It's not free, but pretty close. Also he does some lectures on Youtube for free and those may or may not be the same. I also got the Udemy phone app and download 2-3 lectures each night and then listen to them on the go.

Finally, based on what I've read in some of these forums I bought the Boson Ex-sim exam simulator. I'm glad I did - I was consistently passing the Pearson Cisco simulator exams and only scored a 740 on the Boson the first time!

I think there are many potential avenues to learn the material, but you have to find what is going to work best for you. We all learn differently. best of luck to you!

carlettus

Castagnolac , your post is good.
Starting now icnd1 preparation.
I will ask you more about the bosom ex-sim ... do you have version 10?
bye
Carlettus