packet tracer 5.0 opinons??

itdaddy

hey ccnpers! do you guys have any opinions on Packet Tracer 5.0 training.
Is it really good. I mean. I can see why people can pass with sims on the exams due
to well a sim is a sim. and working on real equipment thought i like it better to me
isnt the same look and feel as the exams on the sims. so it seems that the sim route
would be the best to take since sims are on the exams and not real equipment.
I mean sorry for babblling but gees taking cisco packet tracer 5.0 course and see the same
router icons and such and the look and feel might give aperson an edge on the exam doesnt it?? has anyone had expereince with packet tracer 5.0 and or passed exams based off of taking their courses??? I have home lab that is nice but will use it, but
i also have a chance to take ccnp full packet tracer 5.0 online? what does anyting think!??
doesnt it make sense to study under cisco's look and feel and then on the exam it wont be so far remvoed ??? thanks

mikej412

Didn't you ask in this http://www.techexams.net/forums/ccnp/39833-cisco-network-academy.html thread?

Packet Tracer may be useful for the CCNA Cisco Academy (for academies that can't afford real labs and for homework assignments), but since it doesn't have the full functionality required for the CCNP, I'm not sure how anyone could base CCNP courses on it.

Are you asking about taking the Cisco CCNP Network Academy courses online? If so, its not too different than the classes -- except you can email (or post) questions anytime and you may have to wait for an answer. I did the CCNA Network Academy online, but had access to the school lab (and met my teacher once in person). The final exams were proctored in the school test center.

And taking the classes is just like self-study -- you get out of it what you put into it. Taking the classes is still no guarantee that you'll pass the Certification Exams on the first try. My classmate from the CCNA academy took the CCNP courses at the regional academy, was the top student in her class, and still took a couple attempts at a couple of the exams.

itdaddy

mike
you are right i did ask that last post..gettingold dude forgot i even posted that
thanks...

the reason why i asked that is the look and feel is very simiar to the exam.
really isnt that funny how someone can be top student in the sims exam but
has a hard time o nthe real exam just doesnt make sense does it?

but yeah just wanted your expert opnion. I love the real thing and my 2511 love it
i just wish they had more real like sims on the exams..i have seen some great sims
like on elementk.com site they have trial ware to try for the course.

their labs are awesome but their instruction sucks! the labs are the best i have ever seen and they act and feel like real devices and the labs are timed and easy to run thru...but since the instruction stinks i wont do it.

i was thinking on taking the online academy that a near by college has thinking maybe taking the academy might be better than home study but i am going to work on my home systems i have everything i need it seems.

thanks you sir

what agreat memory you have; well that is hwy you have so many certs and i dont ;e hee hee
thank you

mikej412

itdaddy wrote: »

the reason why i asked that is the look and feel is very simiar to the exam.

Unless they've changed the exam look and feel recently, I don't think PT looks anything like the SIMs.

Bleego

For CCNA stuff Packet Tracer was fine for me. Especially since I did not have any switches for CCNA Study. But I found going beyond the CCNA scope makes Packet Tracer do weird things. A good example was I was trying to setup a Multi-Area OSPF topology, I couldn't get routes to propagate through the network even after triple and quadruple checking my configs.. Once I saved the topology and restarted the entire program, THEN it would work.

I could do a lot more in Dynamips, But GNS3 on a Macbook Pro is like asking for a meltdown. And I would still be boned for any switching I would want to do. So I broke down and started buying routers. I have found some REALLY Good deals and I find working with the hardware a lot of fun. Here are some of the deal's I have run into.

1x 2620, Loaded with Flash and DRAM, $9.99 + $18.00 shipping
1x 7206 ( Non VXR ) with 3 Fast Serial Cards ( 16x interfaces ) $75 shipped ( needed to buy a PCMCIA Card though )
1x 2950 12 port switch $35 shipped.

If you have the patience to look for good deal's you can find some amazing stuff.

itdaddy

thanks bleego! nice input..

mike,
i meant simulator like not excatly like. real equipment as you know is way differrent looka nd feel