Study help

ytrav4

I been looking around this site for a while and have been studying the material here regarding a+ and network +. Can this site be my single point for resources, by knowing everything in tech notes a guarantee for me passing? Are the materials here everything I need to know? I want to be comfortable knowing one place has all the resources I need. Anyone who has taken these tests, please tell me if the material on this site is a good reflection on what is on the tests, or if there is more I need to know that isn't here. If not please give out some links to some good resources, I looked myself but can't find a place like this that has everything together.

Plantwiz

ytrav4 wrote:

I been looking around this site for a while and have been studying the material here regarding a+ and network +. Can this site be my single point for resources, by knowing everything in tech notes a guarantee for me passing? Are the materials here everything I need to know? I want to be comfortable knowing one place has all the resources I need. Anyone who has taken these tests, please tell me if the material on this site is a good reflection on what is on the tests, or if there is more I need to know that isn't here. If not please give out some links to some good resources, I looked myself but can't find a place like this that has everything together.

ytrav4,
Welcome to the site!

First, you may find your posts will receive more answers if you can title the subject in such a way that the members have a 'hint' about your post. Merely posting 'HELP" as a subject can turn off some very helpful members. Keep in mind, we all are volunteers and have regualr jobs, so for myself, my time here needs to be spent efficiently, tonight I ahve a little extra to look around.

Second, We do have a general certification thread for topics that cover a couple different exam areas.

Third, Many members have reported that they have been very well prepared going into their exams by using the Practice Exams and TechNotes as they are found on this site. They also post questions about their exam prep in the appropriate forum (to receive the best response time) and converse with the members until they are clear in their questions.....meaning, if you ask a question, please be courteous to respond back to those who have posted so we know you 'got' the message. There isn't a need to reply to every single member, but certainly when someone is asking you questions for clarification, it is nice to hear back so they can respond with their best answer.

Lastly, Is this the ONLY site to use? I'd like to say yes. You will also want copies of the Exam Objectives as found on the vendor's websites. You will find that those links exist here on this site in their respective topic area under such as COMPTIA on the left-hand column. However, NOTHING can be experience and while some employers may 'require' or strongly encourage applicants to have a certification prior to employment, many of us on this site managed to get jobs first, gain the experience, the interest and the knowledge and then took the exams that applied to our respective career path.

Various books may be suggested from time to time, but since everyone learns a bit differently, it is impossible to say that any one website, any single book, or any set amount of experience will have you 100% prepared to take a certification exam.

I'm sure you will find that we have some extremely talented members here. "Webmaster" has invested a great deal of time making things as user friendly as possible and continually tweaks things here to stay as up-to-date as humanly possible.

The material on this site will be reflective of the objectives as that is what you will be tested on. This is not a **** site, and as the members offer their assistance and experience to newer Tech people, they do expect you are also doing some legwork on your own so that you LEARN the material and not merely memorize data. Quite a difference between being a GREAT I.T. person and being competent. Even with a job/career and some certifications to add to ones resume, I believe you will find those who are really helpful on this site INVEST A TON of time Reading white papers, industry news, and constantly train, try, mess things up, fix it and learn all the time. The process never rests and so overall, YES, you can make this your home, just know that there is no simiple way to cram all the infomration for any exam in your head...it takes some effort and use of that knowledge to develop a great understanding.

We have some nice sponsor links if you are looking for additional information. The CBT Nugget information has some free videos you may watch and I've invested in their 218 package to give it a try and I'm very happy with their material.

HTH

ytrav4

Thanks for the good advice plant, I know the importance of experience, but with these tests is seems there is a focal point based mostly on theory.

I been working on PCs for most of my life I thought it would give me a real edge on A+ but turns out almost everything I encountered on A+ study materials I never needed to know in real world repairing; weather that parallel port transfers 8 bits or 1 bit at a time I just made sure the thing was plugged in. So I quickly found out I needed to know much more, but it's been fun to actually know that thing I stick in the back of the hard drive was called a molex connector. I have long came past that point though.

You have reaffirmed my confidence in you own confidence that this is the right place for me, I still have a shade of doubt but much more assured. It will be kinda nice to be certified in something rather than being a geek.

ph4nt0m

Ytrav4: Technotes is a great source of material presented by techexams, but you can't rely only on it. Technotes are by far the most important topics, and even if you do pass, would you be satisfied with lets say 55% of the knowledge ?

Sorry about my english.

ytrav4

ph4nt0m wrote:

Ytrav4: Technotes is a great source of material presented by techexams, but you can't rely only on it. Technotes are by far the most important topics, and even if you do pass, would you be satisfied with lets say 55% of the knowledge ?

Sorry about my english.

No I wouldn't be satisfied with only 55% but that is not my concern as I asked what I needed to know to pass the test, not what I needed to know to have a full understanding, or to be a competent tech.

Learning to prepare for a test is a little different that just learning about something in general as with the test there a specific things I need to know, regardless of how much general knowledge I have. That's why I just can't pick up a book on how computers work and be garentee to pass a+, "though it may help" as I have to get something that is tailored to the test. This is my concern, finding a good resource that's tailored to a specific area.

As you can see my overall general understanding and my test specific knowledge which sometimes overlap but for the most part are separate. So the methods that I pursue each are different too. My question was specifically targeted to passing the test, but I do feel that is important to have a full understanding as opposed to just knowing what's on the test.

Webmaster

ph4nt0m wrote:

Ytrav4: Technotes is a great source of material presented by techexams, but you can't rely only on it. Technotes are by far the most important topics, and even if you do pass, would you be satisfied with lets say 55% of the knowledge ?

Sorry about my english.

My Network+ TechNotes cover far more than 55% of 'the knowledge' (whatever that may be), but when I finish the Wireless Networking chapter it will cover the full 100% of the exam objectives. That doesn't mean it will cover everything you could encounter on the exam, but neither does any other product. Surely it covers at least over 90% of what you would reasonably need to know within the scope of the Network+ exam objectives. Don't let the number of pages fool you, there's enough text in it to fill an entire book.

However, as I've stated many times before, the TechNotes are meant to compliment another product, in other words you should always use more than one product.

ytrav4

Webmaster wrote:

My Network+ TechNotes cover far more than 55% of 'the knowledge' (whatever that may be)

You never heard of the knowledge? Many seek this knowledge and knows that it contains a secret that can shake the very foundations of the church. Your feeble Tech-Notes does not posses such great knowledge! Only 55% of it, as it can not solve the mysteries of the universe.

ph4nt0m

Well that was MY point, if you do think that the 400-500 pages of the books are really inside Technotes thats ok to me, maybe webmaster is the best resumer in the world. And maybe you do pass, it's a more than easy cert, but what i was trying to say was that there is more to know, and i would fell kind of like cheating myself. And last but not least keepon making fun of the ones trying to help you, thats pretty smart of yours.

ytrav4

ph4nt0m wrote:

Well that was MY point, if you do think that the 400-500 pages of the books are really inside Technotes thats ok to me, maybe webmaster is the best resumer in the world. And maybe you do pass, it's a more than easy cert, but what i was trying to say was that there is more to know, and i would fell kind of like cheating myself. And last but not least keepon making fun of the ones trying to help you, thats pretty smart of yours.

I'm not making fun of you, I was just joking I understand what you are saying. I do appreciate your help. I was actually making fun out of webmaster, as he is quick to defend those tech notes of his

ph4nt0m

Ok got to go home now and stay unppluged for the weekend bye, goodluck on your studies.

Plantwiz

ytrav4 wrote:

ph4nt0m wrote:

Well that was MY point, if you do think that the 400-500 pages of the books are really inside Technotes thats ok to me, maybe webmaster is the best resume in the world. And maybe you do pass, it's a more than easy cert, but what i was trying to say was that there is more to know, and i would fell kind of like cheating myself. And last but not least keepon making fun of the ones trying to help you, thats pretty smart of yours.

I'm not making fun of you, I was just joking I understand what you are saying. I do appreciate your help. I was actually making fun out of webmaster, as he is quick to defend those tech notes of his

Without turning this into a big thread and taking it off the topic, let me just add that there is an unbelievable amount of work that Johan puts into this website as well as the TechNotes. He checks, double checks and cross-checks things saving the members hours of confusing research to make a useful helpful resource.

So as you mention, you were 'joking' and then noted he is 'quick to defend those tech notes of his'...that is just not funny!

Learn from your mistake, perhaps apologize to Johan a little more maturely then just say...'oops, my bad' or 'just kidding' and then let's move on.

If you care to discuss this with via PM, please do. Otherwise, let's get back on the discussion without making 'jokes' about the study material. There is an 'off-topic' area for humor/humour

Webmaster

First, I have in this topic, in many others, and in the mini-faq of the older SE TechNotes, stated clearly that I suggest using the TechNotes in addition to another product.

I can take critics about what I write very well. With the litteraly thousands of 'thank you's and compliments I received from readers, trainers, and authors since I wrote the first Network+ TechNote it's actually very easy. Especially when they are just, which in this case they are not. They simply cover a lot more than 55% of what you need to know for the Network+ certification (not even talking about the exam).

Text is not counted in 'pages' but in words and characters. Combine the text of all my N10-003 online TechNotes and it will add up to about 30,000 words. The big fat study guides in the book stores contain about 40-60,000. My Security+ TechNotes will contain almost 50,000 words once the PDF is ready.

I never said there is as much information in a full-blown text book as in my TechNotes, they were never supposed to become that extensive. But, as a matter of fact, on many topics it goes deeper than the average certification guide.

Again, I never claimed one should use just the TechNotes, the opposite actually. But when you incorrectly criticize something in which I put a lot of work, than you can bet your ass I'll defend it.