Discouraged

Have you ever studied for a cert and found yourself discouraged because you can't seem to grasp a couple of concepts?

I feel as though I will miserably fail ICND1 and 2

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N2IT

Yes I think that part of learning. Take your time and continue to go at it, don't try to solve world hunger in one day.

markulous

I feel like that on most certs. Probably the only one I haven't felt that way on was the N+. I try to just ignore that feeling knowing I've experienced it a lot and have gotten through it.

Cisco Inferno

Make a calendar on a whiteboard or something.

Whatever you do, track your progress and set goals.
Without tracking progress, its easier to get discouraged.
I find hope in the fact that I see what I have learned and that I have stuck to dates i promised myself.

Good luck.

What exactly is bugging you with learning? What can we help on?

tahjzhuan

I try to use multiple sources. Videos, book, audio. Redundancy!

Jasiono

My note taking skills are terrible. I tend to write down too many notes.
I get severe anxiety taking exams.

One thing I have major issues on is route summarization and memorizing all the cable types (1000Base-LX) along with their exact details, like how thin the cable is when it's a fiber optic. I can create flash cards for those.

Sometimes when reading later chapters in a book, I often find myself going back a few chapters to freshen up on topics just to understand what's going on in the chapter I'm at.

When I studied for Security+ I just read the book once and took the exam, all in a weeks time, and aced the exam. Maybe I'm setting my expectations too high right off the bat and expect muself to understand once I read it once.

Cisco Inferno

Oh man, yea the N+ exam is a 1 inch deep ocean. Lots of terms and useless stuff to understand like cable standards.

once you get into ICND1, its a deep pond. I think it makes it easier for learning. Also, you will have your N+ by then which will make it a breeze vs newbies. The N+ is the first step. It is supposed to feel hard to someone who is fresh.

IIIMaster

Exactly what concepts you struggle with ? I believe the ICDN 1 is theory along with basic router set up.

These is the method I use to see if I grasp a concept. Can you explain this topic to a complete noob and they pick up and undertand ? Can you after studing create a detail summay of the topic which include best pactice and tshoot steps ?

If you cant you dont know the topic.

olaHalo

I only feel that way if its something I dont really want to learn and I know I will never use outside of that exam. Like something for school

Jasiono

Attachment not found.
I know everyone takes notes differently according to how they study, but in your opinion, is this too much?
I just have a feeling that I need to know every word and I think my notes are too lengthy.

ICND1 Notes.pdf

MTciscoguy

If you are trying to remember every word, then that is your problem, you need to understand concepts, you need to know methods and such, but you certainly don't need to know every word, nobody can remember every word, unless you are Spencer on Criminal Minds! Buddy, you are asking to much of yourself.

Cisco Inferno

Ya, definitely a little much on cable standards. I don't even think that gets tested.
Also, no real need to go above Layer 4. Just focus on L2(data link, switches) and L3(IP, Routers) and TCP/UDP ports at L4.

Just know "Please Not Throw Sausage Pizza Away" to know the layers. This should help you get encapsulation down.

Just know that L2 uses Mac addresses for switching , L3 uses IP Addresses for routing and L4 uses TCP/UDP port numbers. Doesn't need to be more complex. Are you using Wendell Odom's book?? It is about 500 pages more than Lammle's and contains SO MUCH unnecessary information for the CCENT. Its good to read it all but it all doesn't get tested on. Oh, IMO its also dry and boring compared to Lammle.

Jasiono

I'm using lammles book currently. His latest one.
Meh describes things with greater detail than my teacher did. I know a lot more than I lead on, I can do conversions between hex dec and binary very comfortably. I watched cbt nuggets on subnetting a couple months ago (almost a year ago) and with a day or two of practice on subnettingquestions.com I was very comfortable with that. I was able to do it without the need of anything but my brain. I haven't touched this material in about a year so I know I'll have to relearn routing protocols and configuration.

One thing that kills me is how Cisco tends to work their questions.

Ill have to learn to ease up on my notes. I know what each layer does and what protocols are at each layer.
I also know segments vs packets vs frames vs bits. I know the OSI layer.

Ill have to work on my common ports and cables.

Maybe im overthinking it. I went out for a network tech job a year and a half ago and didn't get the job. The interview I had went on for nearly 6 hours and I basically built a network for the guy. He said the only thing I got wrong was the difference between straight through and rollover. I used the auto detection argument on him and he loved it. Someone with multiple masters degrees got the job and they stuck me into the help desk area. My knowledge just started rotting away since I wasn't using it.

Jasiono

There are a lot of typos in that. Sorry. Typing on my iPhone isnt as smooth on this website lol.

MTciscoguy

That is why I like having a physical lab at home, when I start to get fuzzy, I force myself to actually set it up from scratch again on my physical equipment, of course I also have a large network in my home that I am always playing with, but keeping hands on, does a lot to keep you knowing what you have learned, it is the old adze, use it or loose it, if you can't use it at work, set something up so you can use it at home.

Jasiono

Yeah I should invest in a little cabinet for my switches. I need to purchase two routers. I have 5 switches stashed away, a boatload of cables. 2 of them are 24 ports and the others are 48 I think.

philz1982

You just need packet tracer or gse for icnd 1 and 2. Physical switches are overkill.

MTciscoguy

philz1982 wrote: »

You just need packet tracer or gse for icnd 1 and 2. Physical switches are overkill.

Phil for some of us, they are not over kill, it may work for you, and it may not work for another. I know it helps me when I get fuzzy to actually play on the equipment, the process of plugging in cables, trouble shooting ports that have gone bad, there are lots of benefits to having physical equipment to just pick up and move around if you want. I like looking at my lab and knowing, I can start plugging in cables and see lights blinking, it makes it real. I was never excited to do sim time on the helicopter when I was in the Military, but I was always excited and remembered much more when I went out, and buckled in and revved the rotors on a Black Hawk.

philz1982

Just making sure he understands he doesn't need to spend any more then the book and the exam fee to pass this exam. To many people say equipment is required for this exam when its not.

Now if he wants to buy equipment well hes a grown man and can do whatever he wants but I wanted to make sure he understood that its not needed for anything below CCIE.

Jasiono

I can't even imagine what the NP or IE levels really encompass because I feel as though I'm learning everything at the NA level. My assumption is that those dive into more depth as to what's in packets and probably more protocols. Those are courses I will never want to venture in to, for now anyway. Just CCNA and CCNA Security. Maybe CCNP Security.

philz1982

Yep CCNA is fairly basic. What helped me was using an emulator and then writing blog articles on my studies. By teaching the concept I reenforced the knowledge. The NP level is very deep into the CLI , protocols, and feature sets.

Jasiono

Blogging would be a great idea for me. I should set one up and write a nice article about things I learn.

Node Man

Fighting discouragement is one thing this forum is good for. We are not alone. I get discouraged all the time. Now that I have a network job, i see so much stuff in the cisco path that i will never use at my current job, but i want those certs to prove something to myself and my employer. It sucks to fail a cert exam on material that I will never use! (ex EIGRP).

hurricane1091

CCNA covers a lot of material these days. You'll often google things and see old CCNP threads asking the same questions, so you know it's got a bit harder these days. Eventually it all starts to come together but there's a learning curve at first.

fredrikjj

Jasiono wrote: »

Have you ever studied for a cert and found yourself discouraged because you can't seem to grasp a couple of concepts?

Yes, but you just have to keep grinding and eventually you'll get it. For example, I remember feeling like OSPF was amazingly complicated when I had just started studying it, but now it doesn't feel nearly as bad. It's important to believe that progress is possible and that you will learn the material if you put in the time.

I feel as though I will miserably fail ICND1 and 2

Most people feel that way. You have to accept that this is a possibility but keep on going anyway.

Jasiono

Thanks guys
I'm just jamming everything into my brain now and like mentioned, the more I read the more everything comes together.

My study technique now is to read during the day whenever I can, to get the chapter in, then go back to it while at home, or wherever, and go back over it, skimming, and taking notes, and at night I will watch the udemy videos to further solidify it.

My wife goes to bed at 9ish, and there is no way in heck I can fall asleep that early, and I'm usually on my ipad or watch TV, so why not listen to the lectures.

My job is so flexible that I can study here and there which is very helpful.

I studied for this exam before so the material is coming back to me. I really need to focus on the CLI, EIGRP, port numbers and OSPF configuration the most.

Edificer

I recall thinking how I ever would conquer the subnetting mountain, or ACLs, or NAT statements, or static routes, or routing protocols ect. You have to program your mind to these new terminologies, and concepts. Practice makes perfect. If you go to the gym, you cant expect to squat 315 pounds on your first day.

Discouragements have never lasted for more than 3 seconds with me as I was kind of in the 'Swim or Drown' situation. I had no other option but to self study day in, day out. I can tell you, after you get your CCNA R&S, that is when the fun starts.

fitzybhoy

Yep. Studied for CCNA Security and whilst it certainly has some interesting topics. VPN & IPsec, Firewalls etc, it has far too much theoretical concepts, life cycles etc but the killer for me is being tested on software that is very rarely used (CCP), whilst ignoring CLI, testing and referencing other software but not giving candidates access to it ACS & ASDM. Gave up after close to months. Poor show, Cisco.

Jasiono

I can't wait to dive into the security portion as well as CCNA Security topics. It's something that seriously fancies me.

I looked at the requirements outline for the ICND1 exam on Ciscos website after reading about protocol numbers, but I saw that they don't mention it.

It's helping me to take the outline they are giving and making sure I fully understand what they say I am being tested on, everything else is a readover until I understand the fundamental of it.

I know I need to learn OSPF, I have read a lot of comments about people saying there is OSPF in it, but I will be practicing it all.

JeanM

You can totally get by with Packet Tracer or GNS3 (google /youtube both) for CCNA. But to say actual physical hardware is not needed for anything less than CCIE wouldn't be fair.

There are tests below CCIE that would require you to get your hands-on with labs, and voice labs or collaboration would require Switches and end-points..even for CCNA level .