LABS....

TechBoy22

Hey all, I start my Net+ class today and I was wondering.... Are there any free virtual type of labs online that will help me understand the hands on aspect? I ask this because my class is only 2 days a week for 6 weeks. I'd like to get all that I can out of it so I can pass my exam when I book it.

Any help is greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Plantwiz

Set up your own lab. Seems to be what has worked for many people here.

Get some older cheap-free hardware and get going.

TravR1

I bought the Network+ book used with no labs at all and passed the test with lots of room for error. Just make sure you understand all the concepts. Go work for an ISP in technical support, that will help a lot too - get you exposed to all the different networking devices and how they work together.

LarryDaMan

Network+ is vendor neutral, a lab wouldn't hurt, but most everyone takes and passes it without having to lab it.

TechBoy22

WHat about experience for a job? THis certification is my way out of the airport that I currently am working at. I just want to be prepared not only for the test but with hands on as well. even if its through a simulator. Thanks for the reply by the way.

mamono

Should be fine without a simulator. If you're typing this post, then you are using a NOS (Network OS). That in itself is the lab. Since Network+ is more of a foundational certification, I think that more would be learned by reading entirely through a Network+ study guide and then picking up a different Network+ study guide from a different author/publisher to brush up on topics that might not have sunk into the brain. Each author explains the topics different. Something that one author may not have described properly, might be more comprehensible from a different author.

Daniel333

The 2005 Net+ exam includes NT4, Windows 2000, Apple, Novell and Linux on the exam. When I did it, I snagged an old G3 Mac from a friend and a couple old thrift store quality machines.

I grabbed a "for dummies" book for each of the adove (and an old CCNA one) and worked through each one. ordered a bunch of random wires and cards from ebay as well so that I could physically see what they were talking about. Really wasn't as expensive as it sounds, most of this stuff the shipping was more than the items.

Now the new 2009 exam it supposed to have dumped a lot of the OS stuff and focused more on the technologies, so it's much more memorization. So there isn't any labs to speak of. Still a good idea to goto the store or order some of these wires and what not so you can see them in person.

If you are not already to vested, I would recommend you start your journey with a more practical cert like the CCENT. But that's just from my experience.

armory

You can download the Testout trial for 7 days. It has labs for troubleshooting (running commands) and also for using the different operating systems. This software is top-notch.

TravR1

If you work on any computer or have a computer at home, you have most of the lab you'll ever need. You can open up cprompt and run the commands they'll teach you like ipconfig/netstat/ping ect ... the rest is memorizing lenghts of cable and data through put... lots of pictures should be provided in the book.

If you want Network+ the books I like are

Network+ McGraw-Hill Osborne
Network+ In debth 2005
And the Mike Myers Passport book for final reviews, which I found very helpful and worthwhile.