Tough time studying for Network+

The short story is that I have my A+ and tons of other electronic certifications so I'm roughly familiar with the field. I've been studying the Exam Cram Prep 2 and only half way through this 600+ page book I'm almost ready to quit because its going so slow. Not sure if I should just go faster knowing that they are telling me a lot more than I need to know and spend more time with my Exam Cram 2 Practice questions guide or just go to a whole new method of study. Somebody help me out here, this is just becoming painful to study and I'm losing interest in this exam fast.

Thanks

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raied

I am not sure if this will encurage you... The subject matter on the Network+ is covered on other certs. I am glad I did the Network+ (I used Sybex) exam because it's been a building block for the MCSA certs. Microsoft assumes you know a lot of the protocals covered in the Network+ exam.

Good luck

supertechCETma

Good evening flyted,

Do yourself a favor and look over Tcat's Net+ Study Guide. It is available for free at http://www.certiguide.com/netplus/index.htm
I think you will find it a refreshing break from the ExamCram. www.studyexam4less.com has a 36% discount on the Net+ exam voucher.

You mentioned other electronic certifications... Are you a member of the ETA? If not, I would welcome you to check out their certification programs. http://www.eta-i.org/

flyted

After Network+, its Security+ and I'm done. No plans to go any further. I'm sure you're right about the building of knowledge for other exams and I don't mind that and is certainly the only way to go if you plan a career in computers. I got my A+ only because I thought it would make the Network+ and Security+ easier. Hasn't worked so far.

flyted

Thanks Supertech, I'll try the link. I am a member of ETA and have the CET and several of their other cert's. At this point anything would be a break from the way studying has been going. I'm trying to keep the momentum to finish.

kalebksp

You could try CBTs if you can afford them, they can be helpful in breaking up the monotony.

May I ask why you only want those three certs?

JakeCourtney

I agree, I'm having a hard time absorbing the material for the Network+ exam also. I have Sybex and the Exam Cram 2.

flyted

Supertech- Nice link, is it also avaailable for the 2005 standard? The one I found is for the 2001.

kalebksp- My specialty is in electronics and diagnostics with only a minimal amount having to do with computers. However, since computer hardware/software is showing up in more and more electronics I decided to get some cert's. A+ only because I thought it would make both Network and Security easier. Network+ because its more or less needed to understand Security+. I'm adding computer cert's for the fun of learning. I may do the Certified Ethical Hacker one if thats available by itself, otherwise, any additional cert's would not be anything I'd ever use.

flyted

Jake- Did you get the Exam Cram Network Practice Questions guide? I was waiting to go through that after I finished the big book, but as I look through it now, the practice book makes more sense and gives not only the answer but an detailed answer as to why its right and others are wrong. That simple format is easy to use. I think the key might be to go faster through the big book, use the practice questions guide, then use the big book again IF we need more detail. The Exam Cram Prep 2 is just too wordy and seems geared slightly toward a history/reference guide rather than a test guide. At least it appears that way to me.

JakeCourtney

flyted wrote:

Jake- Did you get the Exam Cram Network Practice Questions guide? I was waiting to go through that after I finished the big book, but as I look through it now, the practice book makes more sense and gives not only the answer but an detailed answer as to why its right and others are wrong. That simple format is easy to use. I think the key might be to go faster through the big book, use the practice questions guide, then use the big book again IF we need more detail. The Exam Cram Prep 2 is just too wordy and seems geared slightly toward a history/reference guide rather than a test guide. At least it appears that way to me.

No, that Exam Prep book you have, I have the Exam Cram version of it. Basicly it means its less wordy and to the point of passing the exam.

keatron

Here is a way I've found to be pretty solid. First go here http://www.comptia.org/certification/Network/objectives.aspx?sent=1

Download these official objectives from CompTIA. This will give you a very clear idea on what you will be tested on. Make sure you have a good understanding of all the material listed. If not read up on it, and if applicable practice some of it. As far as an exam cram book or prep book, there's several good suggestions here for that. But I would suggest before picking a book, go through these objectives so that you might readily identify what you already know and what you don't. I would also say spend as much time as you can afford here on techexams.net. The technotes are excellent. I recently used them in a class I taught for Network+ with all beginners, and so far this class has a 100% pass rate on the first try, and I credit a big part of this to the technotes and practice exams here. To start, be sure you really do know/understand the OSI model, and make sure you know your ports well. Also know different types of cabling and other communication medium. If you look at the objectives, you will see that network support and implementation together accounts for about 60% of the exam. So take that into consideration also as you're preparing. Good luck.

ccnpbgp

I've been having the same problems. Once it jumps into the Operating Systems it dives into a whole new realm of Linux, Netware, AppleTalk that just bables its way along. I have the same book. I mean really, its already hard enough to remember 802.3u and its cable length and type. AAnd thats just one of many. I think the OSI model is fairly easy in my eyes, its just getting through the other crap that has me dropping the book every couple pages. I mean really, it takes me 2 days to read a 500 page novel. I cant even get through 300 pages in 2 months. I feel like i should just zip through it 5 times in a month. Or should I try to sit and read and absorb everything. im ready to pull my heair out..

flyted

keatron- Sounds like a good idea to download the objectives and go through them. I will do that, thanks. That will also help me decide what is needed out of the book and what isn't. I used the technotes for the A+ and found them very helpful, but it seems they are only half updated for the 2005 Network+. I've been hesitant to use them as I didn't want to learn the old info and have to relearn the new, otherwise, very nice job to who ever makes the technotes. My plan of attack is to 1) download the objectives 2) do a quicker read through the 600 page Network Prep 2 book 3) go through the exam cram practice quesstions guide and finally 4) go through the objectives one by one and look things up in the 600 page bible if I need a refresher or more detail. This might work.

Judd

The Net+ exam isn't designed for you to memorize a bunch of stuff to pass a test and then **** later. Although it is possible to do this, your score will reflect the weaknesses, particularly in the Troubleshooting portion, which is the majority of the test. Many people have bombed this test believing that if they memorize port numbers, protocols, OSI, etc they will pass. Small percentages rarely do following this method.

I second Keaton's post and highly recommend that you take this exam more seriously then the A+ and try to understand the objectives. This exam was built for folks with nine months of relative networking experience. This exam will catch you off guard if not properly prepared. One of the reasons it has a lower passing score is due to the multitude of objectives you must know and the different possibilities of questions from those objectives you could encounter.

Exam Cram books are intended for those people with previous experience, not for beginners. Exam Prep guides are geared more toward the beginner. I'm very fond of the Exam Cram books but using them along isn't advisable.

flyted

Judd- Not sure where your attitude is coming from but it must be from your own failures, not mine. I did take the A+ seriously, as well as my extensive electronics certifications which I assure you far exceed any you may have. Your perception is simply wrong. The Exam Cram book is 600+ pages, hardly a brain **** or quick study, just a lot of excess info on old or rarely used technologies that I wouldn't need later. Network+ doesn't qualify you for anything, its a learners permit. You eventually learn whatever specific system you have to use later, in real life, not a written test. My outline for a plan to go line by line through the objectives after reading the whole book and after the practice questions study guide has zero relation to anything even remotely close to just trying to memorize the test and then **** or a lack of seriousness about the cert.

Judd

Yes, I'm having quite the bad day today and it appears that I've completely mistaken your words for what appeared to have been another person looking for a quick way to pass an exam without going through the ropes.

My apologies for the misrepresentation.

The Exam Prep book is indeed wordy and can become boring especially if you won't be using the bulk of the concepts. The Exam Cram guide would perhaps be more suited to your intentions as it hits the objectives head on.

It's not been a good day today...

flyted

My apologies also as I'm already frustrated from non-stop studying/slow progress and was just looking for a more effective way to achieve the objectives without learning a lot more than would ever be useful. I know what you mean about some looking for an easy out, and that does cheap'en the cert for the rest of us, but I usually don't see them on this site as its not what this forum is about. Sorry about your bad day, we all have them and when we do, everything just seems to annoy us 10X as much as it usually does.

JakeCourtney

I know exactly what he is feeling. The Sybex book is flooded with more history and extras, which is great, but it makes it hard to focus on what is needed for the exam. Can put you to sleep also.

Judd

Thanks for understanding

As for the study guides, in a way I'm glad there are guides that go into detail for areas that are unfamiliar, but weeding through the rest of the areas that you already have experience with can be monotonous. That's why I like the Exam Cram 2 books; however, I've learned that studying them alone could be insufficient because even though they are focused directly on the objectives, it can also be too vague on them as well.

I'd like to sit for Server+ but there is only one guide that I know of that covers the new objectives, which is Exam Cram. And from the folks who have taken the exam and used that guide, I get the feeling that it doesn't fully cover the topics. Another dilemma, but hopefully a more focused guide will submerge soon.

Apok

I've muddled through ExamCram books before and found them very dry. This time around, i picked up the Mike Meyers' Certification Passport book for the Network+. It's much easier and actually kind of fun to read. I went through it in pretty much no time. So i would recommend this book to anyone struggling with the ugly red books. But, as i'm taking test exams here and there, i find that this book left out some of the smaller details. So, give and take, i guess.

Taking the N+ test tomorrow...

pcrepairguy

ALL IT IS IS THE DESIRE TO SUCCEED, BUT, TO ERR IS HUMAN. Personally, I don't like reading nor memorizing. I'm a hands-on type of guy. I recommend getting CBTNuggets or other Visual training tools as well as other related materials here in TE. Use SQR3. It helps. If u ran into distractions get some coffee or take a break, exercise, do whatever that will refresh your memory then get back to it. It's just a cycle.