My head hurts!

brownhorse

Just bought this Network+ book by Todd Lammle, Publisher Cybex. Finished chapter 1 with all topologies and now on chap 2 OSI MODEL. i can't take it anymore.. is it just me getting head aches with remember what each layers does and what they are? I read it over four times and still can't seem to memorize their functionality. Its really giving me a headache.

Guys, I really need serious career advice

I currently have an A+, MCP and an Associate of Science in CIS. I am very much interested in Network Administration. What route should I take? Should I work toward Nework+ first and then MCSA (I am also thinking about doing CCNA at my local community college and then do self study on MCSA). Is MCSA self teachable or do I need to go a training school?

Please help.. Thanks in advance!!

dynamik

You're able to learn anything through self-study. IT is actually a lot easier than some other fields; you don't need to convince anyone to let you experiment operating on them

Seriously though, I've done everything (with the exception of the mandatory VCP course) through self-study. It all depends on your motivation and your learning style. If you're struggling that much with the Network+ material, you may want to take a course for the CCNA. It makes the Network+ look like a walk in the park. Having said that, I think you should give yourself a decent amount of time to adequately absorp the material. What seems extremely complex today will seem blatantly obvious a week later. Don't get discouraged so quickly.

Welcome to the forums

brownhorse

dynamik wrote: »

You're able to learn anything through self-study. IT is actually a lot easier than some other fields; you don't need to convince anyone to let you experiment operating on them

Seriously though, I've done everything (with the exception of the mandatory VCP course) through self-study. It all depends on your motivation and your learning style. If you're struggling that much with the Network+ material, you may want to take a course for the CCNA. It makes the Network+ look like a walk in the park. Having said that, I think you should give yourself a decent amount of time to adequately absorp the material. What seems extremely complex today will seem blatantly obvious a week later. Don't get discouraged so quickly.

Welcome to the forums

Thanks for the encouragement.. To be honest, I am very much excited about Network+ and have been reading it as soon as I got my book. I got first three upper layers down pack. Just having hard time going on and on onto next layers lol.. Its coming along fine though.. I have set up three goals these and am willing to sacrifice anything to acheive them

Goal#1 : Get my Network+ in a month of so lol
Goal#2. Join my local comm college for CCNA and get the CCNA Cert
Gogal#3 Work towards MCSA or MCITP Server 2008
And hopefully get a network admin job..

Bl8ckr0uter

brownhorse wrote: »

Just bought this Network+ book by Todd Lammle, Publisher Cybex. Finished chapter 1 with all topologies and now on chap 2 OSI MODEL. i can't take it anymore.. is it just me getting head aches with remember what each layers does and what they are? I read it over four times and still can't seem to memorize their functionality. Its really giving me a headache.
Is MCSA self teachable or do I need to go a training school?

Please help.. Thanks in advance!!

I think the MCSA is self teachable (at least I hope ). The Net + is harder than the A+ but studying this CCNA stuff is on another level. Just work at it, and it will come to you. I have been self studying for the CCNA for about 2 months and plan to take it on the 26th, to be honest i did not know nearly as much about networking as I thought I did. I think the N+ gave me a false since of confidence ( I did pretty well on it ). Just focus on knocking down the material and it should come to you. I know net engineers who can't even name the layers of the OSI (scary). May I ask why you did you MCP before you Net+ and what you MCP is on?

skrpune

don't get discouraged...if you're new to the subject matter, it will take some time to sink in. Don't expect to just know it all right away, especially the more conceptual stuff like OSI Layers. Take your time and go through the rest of the book & stop beating yourself over the head with this chapter on OSI. You'll get it eventually, just don't pressure yourself & get down on yourself thinking you need to understand it all immediately. Plus, once you get deeper into the material, you'll be able to connect the dots much better and OSI will make more sense.

brownhorse

knwminus wrote: »

I think the MCSA is self teachable (at least I hope ). The Net + is harder than the A+ but studying this CCNA stuff is on another level. Just work at it, and it will come to you. I have been self studying for the CCNA for about 2 months and plan to take it on the 26th, to be honest i did not know nearly as much about networking as I thought I did. I think the N+ gave me a false since of confidence ( I did pretty well on it ). Just focus on knocking down the material and it should come to you. I know net engineers who can't even name the layers of the OSI (scary). May I ask why you did you MCP before you Net+ and what you MCP is on?

Hey thanks for your response kwn and skp...

I had a networking class for about five months at one of the technical institue and this was about three years ago. So I felt pretty confident about taking MCP first before taking Net+. I have my MCP on winxp (70-270). NOw working on Network+ (N0-004 newer one)

dynamik

Wow. I always thought that XP exam would be more difficult than the Network+.

stlsmoore

If you can get the OSI Layers down you'll be WELL on your way, that and subnetting. Thankfully for the network+ you don't need to learn how to subnet yet, just what the concepts are. When Studying for your CCNA you'll understand and be glad that you know what each OSI layer does and what protocols function at that layer. It will make the routing & switching concepts a ton easier to understand and digest.

TravR1

I'm sure the XP exam is more difficult.

I was the same way with the OSI layer. Now I use OSI without even thinking about it.

Just start by learning half the layer, then take it from there. Learn layers 1 - 4, and don't look at 5-7 at all until you understand 1 - 4 all the way.

Layer one is cords, and bit sychronization.. the electric bursts on the wire, and that's it. Repeaters are on this level because it doesn't do anything with the frames, it just relays the bursts.

Layer Two: MAC ID's. Layer two devices can route info on a LAN within the subnets, but that's it. So you have moved from level 1 relaying only, to getting just a little more smart, and it can use the MAC ID to route packets between computers on the local lan. Switches are on this layer, bridges too. But if you want to send packets to other subnets, or use the internet, you need to move up to layer 3.

Layer 3: is IP addressing and routing. Now you are in the internet. The router is on this layer. It can pass packets between subnets and the internet because it can look at the layer 3 addressing, the IP packet and resolve a path to send the data that way. Then a connection needs to be established to send the data there... for that you need layer 4.

Layer 4: Is TCP and UDP. These protocols negotiate connections between the routers and pass the data. Once the IP addressing in layer is worked out, layer 4 takes over and establishes the connection and ACK's between the computers and negotiates how the data will be transfered and ensures that all the data was passes correctly if you are using TCP. So that's all Layer 4 does. Any protocol that has the purpose of negotiating connections and passing of data is a layer 4 protocol.

I hoped that helped.

brownhorse

TravR1 wrote: »

I'm sure the XP exam is more difficult.

I was the same way with the OSI layer. Now I use OSI without even thinking about it.

Just start by learning half the layer, then take it from there. Learn layers 1 - 4, and don't look at 5-7 at all until you understand 1 - 4 all the way.

Layer one is cords, and bit sychronization.. the electric bursts on the wire, and that's it. Repeaters are on this level because it doesn't do anything with the frames, it just relays the bursts.

Layer Two: MAC ID's. Layer two devices can route info on a LAN within the subnets, but that's it. So you have moved from level 1 relaying only, to getting just a little more smart, and it can use the MAC ID to route packets between computers on the local lan. Switches are on this layer, bridges too. But if you want to send packets to other subnets, or use the internet, you need to move up to layer 3.

Layer 3: is IP addressing and routing. Now you are in the internet. The router is on this layer. It can pass packets between subnets and the internet because it can look at the layer 3 addressing, the IP packet and resolve a path to send the data that way. Then a connection needs to be established to send the data there... for that you need layer 4.

Layer 4: Is TCP and UDP. These protocols negotiate connections between the routers and pass the data. Once the IP addressing in layer is worked out, layer 4 takes over and establishes the connection and ACK's between the computers and negotiates how the data will be transfered and ensures that all the data was passes correctly if you are using TCP. So that's all Layer 4 does. Any protocol that has the purpose of negotiating connections and passing of data is a layer 4 protocol.

I hoped that helped.

That helped a LOT.. I printed it up so I can review it before the exam.. Thanks again!