Decent CCNA Lab Manual?

DeepBlue99

Looking for a decent CCNA lab manual in order to run a bunch of hands on exercises as part of my prep towards ICND2.

Having failed 816 before, I know full well what level of hands on skill is required. I have a decent hardware lab in place, what I am missing is a good source of relevant lab exercises.

I am looking for an updated/better version of this...

Amazon.com: CCNA Practical Studies (Cisco Certification & Training) (0619472200469): Gary Heap, Lynn Maynes: Books

Any assist would be much appreciated.

Bokeh

There was a link posted here a while back of a free CCNA lab manual. I know the author has an active group on Facebook, if no one here turns up the link, you could always search there for it.

mikej412

I like that series of books, but they haven't been updated since a couple of exam versions back.

You can check out these lab books and see if any of them could help.

mikej412 wrote: »

http://www.techexams.net/forums/ccna-ccent/42260-ccna-lab-workbook.html

alan2308 wrote: »

CCNA Lab Manual - Not the same lab manual listed above. Some of the material is a bit dated (dial-up, ISDN, 1900 switches, etc) but there are still many useful labs for someone studying for the CCNA. I will admit though, some of the choices makde are a bit curious to say the least. For example, designated router elections are listed as a "supplemental lab" that you should go find your own docs and figure out, but there is a full multi-area OSPF lab. Written by Matthew Basham.

Cisco Complete Guide Series - This author has written a complete CCNA study guide and posted it for free download. He is also working on a CCNP Route study guide, and a chapter from that is also available for download. I have yet to read it through, so I can't say what it's worth. Written by Yap Chin Hoong.

Free CCNA Workbook - This one is a work in progress, nearing completion. These labs are all written to be done on GNS3 or dynagen and will therefore be a miracle for those who cannot afford a sufficient home lab. Written by Matthew George, who can be reached on the workbook's site, as well as it's Facebook Fan Page. I've also seen him on this forum. There is also a YouTube Channel for videos related to the workbook.

GNS3 Labs - Another valuable site for labs written for GNS3. This site contains labs for CCNA and CCNP level study.

GNS3 Vault - Yet another collection of labs and other resources for GNS3. Check out the combined lab for ICND2 which manages to get RIP, OSPF and EIGRP all included in a 3 router triangle topology and gets harrier from there.

One more link for the GNS3 crowd. This Blog Post describes how to connect your simulated routers in GNS3 to with your real routers and switches. Now you can have actual switching in your labs.

And before you buy any router to use as a frame relay switch, take a look at this alternative that could end up saving you some money.

The Lab Manuals from the CCNA Network Academy courses should be available on Amazon (or CiscoPress.com).

MosGuy

Here are a couple more for the list:

CCNA Labs : Configure the Network

SUBnet.192 Cisco CCNA Lab Guides

veritas_libertas

Thanks for the guides MosGuy!

DeepBlue99

Thanks very much guys.

This gives me quite a bit of info to get started. Also found these...

Amazon.com: CCNA 1 and 2 Lab Companion, Revised (Cisco Networking Academy Program) (3rd Edition) (9781587131493): Cisco Systems Inc.: Books

Amazon.com: CCNA 3 and 4 Companion Guide (Cisco Networking Academy Program) (3rd Edition) (9781587131134): Cisco Systems Inc., Cisco Networking Academy Program: Books

Anyone used them and can offer an opinion on their effectiveness?

mikej412

DeepBlue99 wrote: »

Anyone used them and can offer an opinion on their effectiveness?

Those are from the old Version 3.1 Academy Courseware for the old 640-801 exam. There's still some good stuff in them, but you'd have to figure out on your own that you can skip IGRP and ISDN labs.... and make up some of your own labs for the new stuff that made it into the updated/upgraded 640-802 exam.

alan2308

As Mike said, those are the old ones. You can find the current ones (with the solid blue covers) pretty cheap on Amazon as well, just search for "Cisco Networking Academy."

I can attest to the quality of those 4 lab manuals. After taking the Academy classes and going through all of those labs, I felt ready for the 802-640.

DeepBlue99

Thanks All.

I got the set of 4 cisco academy manuals from Amazon. They were real cheap, something like $25 all together shipped.

MosGuy

DeepBlue99 wrote: »

Thanks All.

I got the set of 4 cisco academy manuals from Amazon. They were real cheap, something like $25 all together shipped.

Upon Alan's recommendation, I also decided to order the four current lab books from Amazon too for $44 Cdn each. Not that I technically needed them between three different study guides and Jeremy's videos. But one can't have enough techy books or lab time. Glad you found what you were looking for

zulughana

MosGuy wrote: »

Upon Alan's recommendation, I also decided to order the four current lab books from Amazon too for $44 Cdn each. Not that I technically needed them between three different study guides and Jeremy's videos. But one can't have enough techy books or lab time. Glad you found what you were looking for

So, what books did you exactly buy.
It would help if you can name the books please.
Many thanks

lieuallen

my friend bought this lab workbook for his CCNA study, and it said it is awesome.

Ltat42a

Check out my Lab gear Blog (in my Sig below), all kinds of Lab info.

hth