Anyone use Transcender for CCENT? I think it's terrible

dynamik

This Transcender practice test is the worst practice exam I've ever used, and it's been a nonstop source of frustration. It will occasionally mark correct answers wrong, provide incorrect information, and include content clearly outside the scope of the exam.

For example: "Which Cisco IOS command is used to active MD5 authentication on a TCP connection between two BGP peers?" Is this really CCENT material? I'm pretty sure none of my resources got into configuring BGP. It claims the objective for that question is "Implement a small routed network." Isn't a small routed network about the furthest thing away from BGP's intended use?

There was a sim I kept failing. I thought it was something I was doing with the commands. They specifically asked you to use the first two addresses from the first subnet on the 192.168.1.0 network with a mask of 255.255.255.248. Stupid me, I used 192.168.1.1 and 192.168.1.2. Apparently, I was supposed to use 192.168.1.9 and 192.168.1.10. WTF.

I thought it was surprising that a few of my Transcender exams for my MS certs still had errors in them five years after they were released (they do update them), but I guess they were very good if they started anything like this. All these things will probably get worked out in time, but if you need this now, consider buying a couple bottles of your favorite liquor to help you cope with the frustration.

jibbajabba

I think all tests and even books have errors ...

When I studied for my first 2008 exam I gave up after 20 pages because none of the server 2008 commands were working ... just check the book corrections database - its a nightmare ...

nicklauscombs

make sure you really have a good grasp on bgp and multicast distribution trees for your ccent studies

i would call transcender up

nicklauscombs

actually if you pass that practice exam the ccent should be a breeze

mamono

dynamik wrote:

This Transcender practice test is the worst practice exam I've ever used, and it's been a nonstop source of frustration. It will occasionally mark correct answers wrong, provide incorrect information, and include content clearly outside the scope of the exam.

For example: "Which Cisco IOS command is used to active MD5 authentication on a TCP connection between two BGP peers?" Is this really CCENT material? I'm pretty sure none of my resources got into configuring BGP. It claims the objective for that question is "Implement a small routed network." Isn't a small routed network about the furthest thing away from BGP's intended use?

This sounds like CCNP material... I don't remember reading about BGP in my CCNA book... Wouldn't it be fair to say that you've already started studying for CCNP by using Transcender?

dtlokee

Yeah BGP isn't on the blueprint, but password security is...

GT-Rob

haha thats funny. Ya that is way off from CCENT, even CCNA. I thought CCENT didn't even get into OSPF. I can't imagine authenticating routing updates being on their either.

networker050184

I'd hate to see their questions for "implement a large routed network."

ITdude

Ha, Ha!

mikej412

Perhaps those are unmarked/ungraded questions that transcender is trying out..... Maybe they have insider knowledge about the next Cisco updates to the CCENT/CCNA and want to be prepared.

astorrs

LOL dynamik, that question is ridiculous (for a CCENT exam)!

Nice one mike.

netwayne

nicklauscombs wrote:

make sure you really have a good grasp on bgp and multicast distribution trees for your ccent studies

i would call transcender up

Wow, BGP was BARELY mentioned in my CCNA materials so I find it hard to believe it's relevant for the CCENT....am I wrong CCNA's?

And to the OP, I used Transcenders back in the day to aid with my studies for the MCSE (NT4) and I thought they were the bomb. But then I looked at them in prep for my CCNA and thought they were not nearly as good. Your example question would be a good indication of that..

networker050184

It was a joke.

Nothing wrong with learning it now though.

dynamik

That question wasn't too bad. It just happened to be the one I was on when I made the post. There's a ton of OSPF, Frame Relay, and various other topics that are clearly outside of the scope of the CCENT. And a lot of questions contain erroneous information. I'd estimate that about 20% of the questions are incorrect or aren't applicable. It's just been frustrating, and it certainly hasn't been up to the standards of their other products I've used (I think I have 14 total). Someone recently posted in another thread that Transcender has really gone downhill since they were bought by Kaplan. I thought they just rushed out the ICND1 material, but nearly all of my other products have been 3-5 years old, so maybe the new exams aren't up to par.

Forsaken_GA

when I took the CCNA (and I think I took the version that's still current), there was indeed OSPF on the exam, but it was restricted to single area, multi-area ospf is BSCI's realm.

And I've honestly never had a problem with Transcender. I didn't use their material to prep for ISCW, but back when I was prepping for BCMSN, I caught a couple mistakes (including a rather large one where the wrong exhibit was tagged to the wrong question) and used their report an error button, and they had an update pushed out within 24 hours.

I like using Transcender to prep for difficult exams because their practice tests are usually harder than the real thing. If I can pass that with a 90ish score, I know I'm good to go.

And honestly, while you're probably right that some of those questions are more properly in the realm of the second exam, it really won't hurt you to get exposure to them earlier. If you can wrap your head around it now, you'll find the follow-up exam that much easier

Panzer919

Wow, BGP was BARELY mentioned in my CCNA materials so I find it hard to believe it's relevant for the CCENT....am I wrong CCNA's?

Yeah through the whole Net Acad the only thing we learned about BGP was that it was a Border Gateway Protocol, maybe the ICND2 has some BGP but I cant really see why.