CCNA-Wireless Exam - Update - FAILED :(

redwarrior

Well, I went to take my CCNA-Wireless today and...I failed. Not by a huge amount, but enough to make me feel like I got my butt kicked.

I was a bit frustrated by a few things, although I do know I need to study more and retake, which is fair. Similar to the CCNP exams I've taken, it isn't enough to just read and study the exam guide on this one, but it also seemed like the emphasis in the exam guide and Cisco practice exams for this exam is not consistent to what is stressed on the actual exam. Topics I studied really hard because they were covered extensively in the exam guide and practice exam were barely touched on in my exam whereas topics that were barely mentioned in either the exam guide or practice exam had many questions. It was also tough to prepare with the Cisco Learning website having periodic issues as well as the practice exam still containing editing marks and messages between the writer and editor as well as incorrect questions, etc. I think Cisco is aware of this and that it probably is reflected in the free retake promotion they are giving.

The exam did not have sims, but I still would recommend plenty of hands-on experience with WCS and the controllers if you can get it. There were a lot of those hated questions in the form of "What tab/button do you click to do x?" For me, I'd rather just have a simulation to do.

I plan on studying hard over the weekend and next week and retaking. I was close enough to passing that another week of dedicated studying ought to do the trick.

networker050184

Sorry to hear about the fail, but it sounds like you have a good idea of what you need to do to pass.

Good Luck!

mikej412

Ouch!

Would you say the exam blueprint was accurate?

Any Cisco Docs or White Papers you'd recommend to fill in the book gaps?

Miikey87

I am sure you will get it next time Redwarrior!

On a side note, you mentioned studying an exam book. I assume an offical Cisco Press Book for the CCNA Wireless exists, what is the exam book you speak of? I am having hard time tracking down some study guides or exam guides for CCNA Wireless on both my books24x7 account and in the bookshops.

redwarrior

I'd have to say that everything that was on the exam was technically in the blueprint. However, the blueprint is very vague and doesn't really give you an idea of the depth of what you're going to see on the exam. "Describe and configure basic WLAN security" to me does not indicate that you need to be intimately familiar with the different phases in authentication including what keys are generated when, etc. To me, that means more of a good understanding of how WLAN security works and how to implement it. I think they could get a bit more specific in the blueprint as well as in the exam guide and that may be something that they consider after some time.

I'm looking for links to additional material that was not linked to on the Cisco Learning website that will be helpful on the areas I was weak on and I'll share those links here. Fortunately, as I said, I think this exam is still a work in progress for Cisco. They are adding to the website for it on Cisco Learning so much that there was more material added there the day before I took my test and it has been sporadically down due to the upgrades they keep doing. I think in a few months, they should probably have the kinks worked out. I also think that there is a difference between what this exam is now and what it will be once they come up with the professional-level cert. I have a feeling that a lot of the tougher, more in-depth security stuff will get moved to an exam in the professional level track at some point. They probably also will eventually add simulators to it, which would help eliminate some of those "which tab/button?" questions.

I get the feeling that Cisco felt pressure to get a wireless exam out there and may have let this one go live a bit prematurely, but I think they are trying to be fair about that by giving the "specialize" promotion. At least I don't feel so bad about my fail!

mamono

A very up-front and fair assessment, I was originally planning to study and take this exam, but put it aside because lack of access to hardware to lab and my work doesn't involve wireless even though I have interest in it. I might still take this later on, but I hope that they work out the kinks like you've mentioned by then. Sad that another Cisco book will start to collect dust on my shelf. Best of luck on the retake! You should consider studying and sitting for the CWNA PW0-104 exam. The CWNA goes into more in depth on what the Cisco Press CCNA:Wireless 1st three chapters cover on general wireless networking.

redwarrior

The CWNA is definitely on my wish list. I'm thinking it might have to wait until after I've gone back and completed the other half of the CCNP. My job currently is about 1/2 wired networking and 1/2 wireless, so it would be good to keep moving on certs in both areas.

I'm working on getting my CCNA-Wireless retake scheduled. I'm having problems with the "SPECIALIZE" promotion code. Grrr! It looks like Vue has some kinks to work out with this exam, too!

redwarrior

I've scheduled my retake for monday, March 2nd. I'm reviewing my weak areas like crazy plus adding some CWNA material to help fill in the gaps. I'd rather bust my tail now than forget what I have learned and have to come back and start over later. (Due to a big project at work, I won't have much study time after next week, so it's now...or in another month. )

ULWiz

Sorry to hear about the fail. I am sure you wil nail it this time around.

Best of Luck

mamono

Good luck!

netteaser

Let us know how it went on your exam retake..

redwarrior

2 swings and 2 misses.

I had my retake today and I actually did worse than my first try. I'm pretty frustrated at this point considering I work with wireless every day and I've successfully made it through 2 professional level exams. This one just seems like the exam from hell for me. Again, I was hit with more "what button, what tab?" questions. I made some comments on some of the questions that were especially poorly worded, so perhaps Cisco will improve them.

Overall, my impression is that this exam is just not ready for prime time, nor are the study materials for it. I'm thinking I may move on to my BCMSN and then come back in a few months and see if it has been improved any. For now, I'm pretty frustrated. I actually felt like I had done quite a bit better on this go-round until I saw my score and I know that I had learned quite a bit in my weaker areas from the studying I've done.

It's hard not to get down thinking of the $250 I wasted and all the hours of study I put in and I can't help but feel like it wasn't fair of Cisco to push this exam out without having all the bugs worked out. There were questions with the wrong acronyms that you could figure out what they meant from the context, but for someone new to wireless, which is who I thought this exam was geared towards, those kinds of small details could make a big difference. I also have never felt like having someone memorize a GUI is a fair assessment of their ability to use that GUI. Give me a sim any day!

Oh well, enough grumbling...I failed and I will be back!

dynamik

Ugh, sorry to hear about that. You might want to check out a CWNA and/or a CWSP book if you're getting hung up on the nitty-gritty vendor-neutral stuff. Those cover it quite thoroughly. I haven't taken this exam yet, but it seemed like the CWNA prepared me very well based on what I looked at.

I'm sure you'll get it; good luck next time!

mikej412

Maybe I'll skip straight to "Plan B" -- hide the CCNA:Wireless Exam Certification Guide under the CWNA and CWSP books -- and wait for Cisco Press to offer the CCNA:Wireless Quick Reference.

I'm also thinking it may be time try CBT Nuggets -- in the 3rd quarter of 2009, which just happens to be their current estimated release date for CCNA Wireless Certification Exam-Pack 604-721 IUWNE

redwarrior

I actually scored in the high percents on the vendor-neutral stuff. It was the WCS objectives that tanked me and mostly because I just don't have the GUI memorized backwards and forwards. If it's in front of me, I can navigate it fine, but ask me what is on what tab within a tab? Nope. It's the same thing that bugged me about the Microsoft exams I've taken.

I think my plan now is to continue forward with my CCNP and then revisit the CCNA-Wireless either after my BCMSN or perhaps after I complete the CCNP entirely. At least I should have a pretty good foundation for the wireless portion of the BCMSN.

mamono

Sorry to hear about the short comings. I too intended to study for the CCNA Wireless and was a bit turned off by the book because lack of access to equipment. My interests still have my pointed toward wireless, but job has me pointed toward CCNP and security topics. Looks like I'll be walking a similar path as you. Keep it up, your effort is not going to waste!