need help, which exam should I take?

CCNoobie

Hi all, first post!

I am new to the IT business but I had RF wireless network (licensed) and microwave backhaul design experience. In the latest years I worked as RF hardware design engineer for wireless base station applications. Now I decided to get myself educated in the IT area. Initially, I thought I should extend my skills to Wireless LAN which is closer to my previous expertise. I figured I need to study for the CCNA Wireless IUWNE exam. Then someone told me I have to get CCNA passed first then take the CCNA wireless certification.

My questions are:
1) With my background which level should I start with? CCNA or CCNP?
2) There are many certificates, If I just want to be a professonal on Wireless LAN should CCNA wireless or CCNP wireless enough?

Would someone explain the process for me?

Please excuse my simple questions

Thank you!!!

logicmyfoot

In order to take CCNP and you first need to have a CCNA. After your CCNA you can get into Wireless domain you need to get CCNA;Wireless [ for which CCNA servers as a prerequisite]
then onto CCNP:Wireless

hope this helps

alan2308

Here's everything you need to know about all the certifications and their prerequisites:

IT Certification - Cisco - Cisco Systems



And welcome to the forum!

wastedtime

With your background you may want to look at CWNP. They have been getting better known all the time.

CWNP

rogue2shadow

wastedtime wrote: »

With your background you may want to look at CWNP. They have been getting better known all the time.

CWNP

I've heard and read this as well. If you want to get straight into wireless that's a very good option.

CCNoobie

Hi All,

You guys are great. The responses are very helpful.

Thank you very much!

Selfmade

You have to take CCNA before you can advance any further in the Cisco certification tracks. I think given your background, you'd probably only need to review and lab and you could be able to pass your CCNA off that, but STUDY CAREFULLY THE EXAM OBJECTIVES FROM THE CISCO SITE!!!!!

I wanted to emphasize that for your own good, just so my comment on you probably only needing to review and lab and you can take the exam don't give you a false sense of confidence. If you look over the objectives, and you can see what areas you know well and which ones you'd need to brush up and lab on, you'd be ok really.

I recommend you at least buy a book, Todd Lammle's or Wendell Odoms are the most recommended around here. Todd Lammle's has the best subnetting section, Odom's books are the most detailed. Both come with CD's that allow you to do practice exams. Odom's comes with the simulator though which is better to prepare you for, and also his questions are harder than the actual CCNA exam, if you can score at least an 80 on Odom's exam's, AFTER reading his book and labbing before you take any of his practice exams, you can probably be assured of passing it, and you're ready to book it.

Hope my advice helps.

On a side note, CCNA wireless shouldn't be hard at all for someone of your background, again you'd only need to look at the exam topics and study/lab the topics you aren't familiar with.

Don't make the mistake that your experience means you know everything when it comes to the exam topics, look at materials first before you decide to take an exam.

CCNoobie

Thanks Selfmade for your advices.

Befor I saw your thread, I googled and found www.thebryantadvantage.com

I bought Chris Bryant's CCNA study package for $69.00. I am not sure how good it is going to be. Just wanted to have one book to start with. I'll probablly buy Todd Lammle's and Wendell Odoms' books later.

I also checked the website that wastedtime and rogue2shadow suggested which is very interested too.

Do you think boot camp very benefitial for me?

Best

Selfmade

you shouldn't need a boot camp, Bryant's stuff is good, he also offers Trainsignal videos

i suggest once more that you look at the EXAM TOPICS on Cisco's site before wasting money you might not need to spend in the first place.

Todd Lammle's book is all you should really need, it's an easy read and he makes it more fun than Odom, who writes like that professor who makes you fall asleep 5 minutes into a lecture.

Lammle at least tries to spice it up. You could use CBT nuggets to supplement that, Jeremy Cioara is very good.

A boot camp is a waste of your money, all you'll get is information crammed down your throat and then you'll take the exam, you might or might not pass it, depending on the quality of the boot camp. You're better off actually learning the information and then taking the exam, it will serve you better on the exam as well as in your career. Also it will benefit you more if you go for CCNA Wireless and CCNP.

Boot camps are really only beneficial for people who have studied the material and feel like they need the boot camp to review all the material before they take the exam, and even then, it's a pretty expensive way to review for an exam. It's pretty unneccessary unless you're not confident at all, which in that case, you shouldn't schedule the exam untill you are.