From Network+ to CCENT

orlandofl

Hello,

I wanted to get some input from those that have made the jump from Network+ to CCENT and get an idea of the amount of overlap between the two exams. I should have right around 3 weeks of full-time study before starting my new job June 1st, is it feasible to go from Net+& Security+ to the CCENT in 3 weeks? Any input is appreciated!

Regards,


-Travis

NetworkNewb

There is definitely some overlap. Not a huge amount though. 3 weeks might be possible though, wouldn't be easy. I'd say if you studied 3 hours a day it would be possible.

mikeybinec

Doable if you can do this: Subnet in 45 seconds or less

orlandofl

3 weeks might be possible though, wouldn't be easy. I'd say if you studied 3 hours a day it would be possible.

Thank you for your reply. I'd be able to **** 8-10 hours worth of study a day into it (nothing but time until the new gig starts) I really want to get this thing done before starting my job June 1st. If i can accomplish that I can give myself 90 days to study for the ICND2 exam.

Thanks!

-Travis

orlandofl

mikeybinec wrote: »

Doable if you can do this: Subnet in 45 seconds or less

....can't do that as of now guess i have some work to do lol. Thanks for your reply.

-Travis

Jon_Cisco

It is definitely doable.
Now that I have said that I will say that most people don't do it.
It takes personal dedication to stick with a schedule of 8-10 hours of technical studying every day.

Good Luck!

GreaterNinja

Jon_Cisco wrote: »

It is definitely doable.
Now that I have said that I will say that most people don't do it.
It takes personal dedication to stick with a schedule of 8-10 hours of technical studying every day.

Good Luck!

I'm considering going to CCENT, then CCNA as well. I have Network+ and Network+CE experience and 15 years of basic level networking experience.

Whats the fastest anyone has studied for CCENT or CCNA and pulled it off?

showint

Petr Lapukhov has earned four CCIEs (Routing & Switching, Security, Service Provider, and Voice) in just two years. So why not?! Most of the limits we face are placed on ourselves. Do you already know IPv6, NAT, ACLs, VLANs, Subnetting etc? Look through the contents. Creating and following a study schedule can help. And do some labs. BTW, I've finished CCENT material for less than 3 weeks. And now I'm preparing for ICND2 + CCNP partially.

As to subnetting, create binary calculation table:

128 64 32 16 8 4 2 1

---

1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 -- Bits

You see 8 numbers, which represent the 8 bits in a binary value. Place the binary value 11000000 underneath and see what happens.

At the fist time try to do all subnetting tasks on binary to grasp the sense of it.

Here the nice page for practicing is:

subnettingquestions.com - Free Subnetting Questions and Answers Randomly Generated Online

Codeman6669

overlap yes but not as much as you would think.
Net+ does a lot with OSI model, so does CCENT, but it focuses on different aspects of it. Also ccent has lots of lots of subnetting, and that in itself for some people is a huge thing, I struggled to learn it but once i did it seems simple.

Also Net+ dosnt go into cisco command line or configuration which the CCENT is big on so there is much more to learn

I wouldnt limit your time, but better just be prepared.

orlandofl

Codeman6669 wrote: »

overlap yes but not as much as you would think.
Net+ does a lot with OSI model, so does CCENT, but it focuses on different aspects of it. Also ccent has lots of lots of subnetting, and that in itself for some people is a huge thing, I struggled to learn it but once i did it seems simple.
Also Net+ dosnt go into cisco command line or configuration which the CCENT is big on so there is much more to learn
I wouldnt limit your time, but better just be prepared.

I guess that actually sounds a little more realistic. Maybe a better plan of attack might be to have watched the entire CBT nugget Video Course for ICND1 with Keith Barker (looks to be around 23 hours) but it takes me a lot longer because I take notes along with the course and rewind the course to re-watch concepts I don't understand.

I think I should also be able to get through to ICND1 'Exam Walk Through' on CBT nuggets which is around 4.5 hours. That should put me at around June 1st. If i could spend the next two-three weeks reading Wendell Odom's book and doing practice tests on Boson...I think I could knock this thing out (and most importantly retain the information!) Five or six weeks makes me feel a little better..than trying to wake up at 5AM and studying until 11pm..I've done it..but it's not fun..and it's very hard to retain things..at that point your learning only for an exam.

I'll likely devote 60-90 days of study for the ICND2 exam. I hope to be able to earn both CCNA R&S and CCNA Security this year. I'm tier II for my new gig, to get to tier III or advanced support you need to have a CCNA, my goal is to earn the CCNA and make the move up within a year.

Thanks for your input!

-Travis

manno80

I took and passed the Net+ January last year. I started studying for the MCSE but switched my focus to CCNA about 2 months ago. I think the Net+ was mostly theoretical and did not have too much hands on. The first 7-9 question were however simulator questions which definitely was a curve ball for me. Anyway Im studying for the CCNA in the Orlando area if you are looking for a study buddy. I work in Altamonte Springs.

NetworkNewb

Not a huge amount of overlap. I think the Net+ has almost zero ROI though. Your not gonna get a job because of it and it isn't going to help you alot if you already have one. It might be good to look over the material if you have zero networking knowledge. But as for taking and paying for the exam I feel it was a waste of my time.

MrBrian

A lot of things are doable with passing certifications if you have crazy drive.. doesn't always equate to solid knowledge though, unfortunately.. Do what you feel. I went from Net+ to CCENT and etc.. the CCENT took me 7 months but I wasn't in a rush and really took my time. I think this benefited me overall because I then had a strong foundation to push forward with, but I was the same way at first in wanting to just bang out certs .

If you want to do this long term then take your time and truly have a respect for it. You can breeze through it fast if you'd like if you have a certain deadline to meet, but circle back and take your time before moving up to the next cert. As far as overlap, from my memory I'd say the Net+ and CCENT don't have much overlap.. The Net+ is very high level and will talk about the 7 OSI layers and describe the protocols that exist at each layer, while the CCENT will be much more beneficial as it covers subnetting and actual configurations.. but the Net+ can be a stepping stone into the networking world for sure. Good luck.

Codeman6669

NetworkNewb wrote: »

Not a huge amount of overlap. I think the Net+ has almost zero ROI though. Your not gonna get a job because of it and it isn't going to help you alot if you already have one. It might be good to look over the material if you have zero networking knowledge. But as for taking and paying for the exam I feel it was a waste of my time.

Network+ was a big reason i got my current job

Deathmage

Keep at it. I failed two cert exams thus far. It sucks but a test is a test just retake it. Go till you pass!

I failed my 1st VCP5-DCV exam by 5 points, how did you think I felt

NetworkNewb

Codeman6669 wrote: »

Network+ was a big reason i got my current job

There is always that one. Its just that the CCENT teaches so much more beneficial information about understanding networking (and its still an entry cert, anyone should be able to study and pass it!). I find that pretty crazy a hiring manager would use the Net+ as a big reason to hire someone over another personally. Unless the other candidates had zero experience and zero certs/degrees. Net+ just looks over networking at such a high level I don't think it gives people a real understanding of a network actually works.

I know some people will say it helped them. But I wish I would've just gone for CCENT instead of wasting my time and money on the Net+ when I did it. The information you learn will just help you so much more alone. Just my 2 cents

HAMP

NetworkNewb wrote: »

There is always that one. Its just that the CCENT teaches so much more beneficial information about understanding networking (and its still an entry cert, anyone should be able to study and pass it!). I find that pretty crazy a hiring manager would use the Net+ as a big reason to hire someone over another personally. Unless the other candidates had zero experience and zero certs/degrees. Net+ just looks over networking at such a high level I don't think it gives people a real understanding of a network actually works.

I know some people will say it helped them. But I wish I would've just gone for CCENT instead of wasting my time and money on the Net+ when I did it. The information you learn will just help you so much more alone. Just my 2 cents

You are a tad bit off base here.

CCENT or CCNA teaches you Cisco based-Network environment, and is kinda narrow with it. While Network+ is rather wide with networking, and you touch on a few more subjects. Please remember Cisco isn't the only company to make Networking devices.

Looking at your certs, you don't remember Net+ touched on a few more things then configuring a router or switch?

Maybe that company that hired Codeman6669 uses other equipment besides Cisco. If a company wants to hire someone with a networking cert, but the company doesn't use Cisco, why would a person who only understands Cisco CLI?

I've worked for a few companies that did not use Cisco, and my current company seems like they maybe getting out of the Cisco business(scary thought) and moving into using Huawei equipment. I believe its pronounced 'WoWWay'.... lol

NetworkNewb

I'm not even referring to the Cisco syntax it uses. I think someone is going to understand networking soooo much more because they actually get to configure it on equipment (whether that be live or virtual) and see it in action. Other than just memorizing a bunch of facts and spitting them out like the Net+ does. Just cause your learning how to enter it in on Cisco equipment doesn't mean you don't know how it works and how data travels on other equipment... Just a different CLI.

I've never worked at a company that used Cisco equipment and wish I wouldn't have done the Net+ and just done the CCENT.

HAMP

NetworkNewb wrote: »

I'm not even referring to the Cisco syntax it uses. I think someone is going to understand networking soooo much more because they actually get to configure it on equipment (whether that be live or virtual) and see it in action. Other than just memorizing a bunch of facts and spitting them out like the Net+ does. Just cause your learning how to enter it in on Cisco equipment doesn't mean you don't know how it works and how data travels on other equipment... Just a different CLI.

I've never worked at a company that used Cisco equipment and wish I wouldn't have done the Net+ and just done the CCENT.

With Cisco certs, I have learned about how switches Tx and Rx, how to config a router depending which protocol is best for that situation. How to connect them and get them to play together.

Net+, I learned about T1, E1, OC3, OC45 - OC192. What difference with Cat 5, 5e, and 6 patch cables. Also the difference with fiber, and the connection end. Net+ I learned about differences with DSLAM and cable.

Unless I missed something with what I learned with Net+, most of those things I haven't come across with Cisco certs.

NetworkNewb

You are right, you do learn things like that. I'm probably sounding a little too harsh towards it. There is definitely some valuable information people can learn from it. You'll also learn how to create your own cable, use a toner probe, and a cable tester. I just feel those are things that can be looked up in a couple of seconds and don't feel the exam worth the money or time for most people. Just not a fan of exams where you just have to regurgitate facts. Don't think you get a good idea of how to actually use the information you learn very much in the Network+.

HAMP

NetworkNewb wrote: »

You are right, you do learn things like that. I'm probably sounding a little too harsh towards it. There is definitely some valuable information people can learn from it. You'll also learn how to create your own cable, use a toner probe, and a cable tester. I just feel those are things that can be looked up in a couple of seconds and don't feel the exam worth the money or time for most people. Just not a fan of exams where you just have to regurgitate facts. Don't think you get a good idea of how to actually use the information you learn very much in the Network+.

Don't get me wrong, there were times I felt the same as you. I was thinking it was a total waste of time, but It was brought up in a couple interviews I had, and I'm pretty sure I gotten a job because of it.

Then the weird part about getting that job, it carried over to another project and they were willing to tech the few commands needed to config a cisco switch(which I already knew). They really was concerned about the Net+ with the A+.

orlandofl

NetworkNewb wrote: »

Not a huge amount of overlap. I think the Net+ has almost zero ROI though. Your not gonna get a job because of it and it isn't going to help you alot if you already have one. It might be good to look over the material if you have zero networking knowledge. But as for taking and paying for the exam I feel it was a waste of my time.

I wouldn't say that at all. I DID get a job because of it, so in my situation it wasn't a waste a time or money. Matter of fact my ROI on Network+ is 100%, without it I wouldn't have even gotten a face to face interview with my new job. Sorry you weren't able to make it work for you. I think the Network+ exam is a great way to lay the foundation for a solid understanding of networking principles and (now that i've been studying for a week) a fantastic preparation for the CCENT examination.

Regards,

-Travis

markulous

I started studying for the N+ in early August, passed that 2 weeks later, and immediately started studying for the CCENT. I took the test for that 3 weeks later, failed then passed 2 weeks after that.

I had little networking experience other than end user issues and my home wifi. I did however have a good few hours each day to study and was consistently on packet tracer. If you have Cisco experience you'd be able to do it in less time for sure.