CCNA FAQ - Please read before posting.

CCNA FAQ

Information about the Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) -- the required exam(s) -- can be found on the Cisco website.

Cisco Career Certifications & Paths - CCNA

Following are some of the most common questions in our forums. If you have the same or similar questions, please read these topics first. If you cannot find the answer your are looking for, or want to know more, don't hesitate to post a reply to one of the following or start a new thread. In case of the latter, please use a clear descriptive title (i.e. more than just "I need help") so others can find answers in our forums more easily.

: What Books would you recommend for the CCNA?

Is this enough?

cisco newbie

Was this book helpful to you?

Newbie, currently going for CCNA

Sybex and Cisco Press editions

Books for studying

CCNA Sybex Todd Lammle

And now, a word about the Cisco Press books

what book to use for exam?

Odom Certification Library AND Todd's Sybex book (6th Edition)
The Wendell Odom Cisco Press CCNA Official Exam Certification Library (CCNA Exam 640-802), 3rd Edition and Todd Lammle's CCNA: Cisco Certified Network Associate Study Guide: Exam 640-802, 6th Edition are the books most recommended by TechExams.Net members.

: I don’t have any equipment should I buy a Simulator?

CCNA Router Simuluators

advice needed, no access to routers

what is the best CCNA Network Simulator out there?

RouterSim - Tidbit of advice

Boson Net Sim

Can you please tell me the best CCNA Sim software

So the best sim is _____________?

Best practice test and best Sim?
There is a mixed opinion on this and in the end you will have to decide for yourself. Simulators and real labs both have their merits. It's advisable to buy at least some equipment if you plan to put your certs to work and don't have hands-on work experience with cisco routers and switches. You just can't simulate feeling and connecting cables and connectors.

: I want to setup my own home lab what should I buy and how do I set it up?

www.techexams.net/technotes/ccna/lab_hardware.shtml

home lab -- feeback

Setting up a lab

http://www.techexams.net/forums/ccna-ccent/61082-ccent-ccna-beginner-lab-setup-help.html

The "Matt George" guide to Cisco IOS

Where to buy cisco lab kits

Where to start?

Hardware for CCNA?

Does this router support intervlan routing?

SDM on non ISR Routers

CCNA Home lab question

What type of Router to purchase

Home Lab Q

what routers to buy for ccna?

How to Setup a TFTP Server & Backup/Restore 2500 IOS

The future of Cisco IOS images

802.1Q Encapsulation Support on Cisco 2600/3600 Series Routers

802.1Q encapsulation is now available on the built-in 10BaseT Ethernet interfaces of the Cisco 2610, 2611, and 2612 with Cisco IOS software 12.2(2)T and subsequent releases. Although this feature has been available on the Cisco 2600/3600 series since the release of Cisco IOS 12.1(5)T, support was previously limited to Fast Ethernet interfaces only. 802.1Q is not supported on any other Cisco 2600/3600 series 10BaseT Ethernet interface.

Downloading and Installing Cisco Router and Security Device Manager (SDM)

Table 1 lists the routers and Cisco IOS versions currently supported by SDM.

Cisco Security Device Manager Multimedia Demo

For equipment try www.ciscokits.com

: Subnetting

TechExams.net IP Subnet Calculator for Windows
TechExams.net IPv4 Subnetting TechNotes
TechExams.net IP Subnetting Practice Test

VLSM, Summerization, and Wildcard Masks

Subnetting question...

IP Subnet Zero

A good subnetting table?

subnet mask and Boolean Algebra

IP Addressing - Identify Broadcast Address

Valid IP addresses range and Broadcast address

Silly Subnetting

Subnetting Question (to subnet zero or not to subnet zero)

Learn To Subnet Website

Subnetting Questions Website

: How do the actual simulator questions work and how are they scored?

As mentioned in Cisco's Certifications Online Support section, the sims carry greater weight than regular test questions in calculating the final score. This is something most people do know or at least assume, which only led to more questions. Understandable.

Below are two quotes from the Certfications Online Support section at cisco, the first is rather logical...

Cisco wrote:

Router simulation exams items will accept abbreviated commands that an actual Cisco router will understand. For example: 'Show Config' or ‘Sho Cofig’ or ‘Sh Conf’ and ‘Router #show ip protocol’ or ‘router # show ip prot’ would be acceptable. The exam commands must include the correct spacing, spelling and marks (#@!?).

Cisco wrote:

The router simulation exam questions do not require candidates to save the configuration prior to exiting the simulation question to receive credit.

I did save the config on all my sims (BSCI exam and CCNA intro beta), and wouldn't have passed if the sims were counted wrong cause I had plenty on the BSCI exam.

This leaves the tab mystery unsolved, however, the tutorial sim below suggests the sims work like an actual router:

"This is only a demo of an actual exam simulation. On the exam, the terminal emulation program would respond just as it would when connected to a router"
(This is also my experience, it was fully functional, though I don't know if I actually used the tab, not much used in real world either).

www.cisco.com/go/examtutorial

If you have any more questions feel free to reply to this topic. Do not ask about or mention the topics of the sim or discuss any required steps for specific sims. Everything related to the CCNA objectives that cover something that can be configured, is a possible topic for the CCNA exam. You need to know them all, not just the once Cisco happens to have currently in their exams, or someone else got last week.

Anyway, I hope this solves some of the mysteries around the sims. As I mentioned in a previous post, focus on the topics, gain the knowledge and skills to configure a real router (or a good sim product) and you'll do fine on the actual sims.

Check out this interesting article which includes some information about how much the sims weigh and how they are scored (partial credit):
http://tcpmag.com/features/article.asp?EditorialsID=80

Other Cisco Resources

CCNA Prep Center

CCNP Prep Center

Certification Exam Tutorial

How NAT Works

Cisco Learning Connection - Network Fundamentals

Cisco Learning Connection - Routers

Cisco Learning Connection - Switches

Cisco Learning Connection - IP Routing

Cisco Learning Connection - Routing Protocols

Cisco Learning Connection - Wireless

Cisco Learning Connection - Security and VPN

Cisco Learning Connection - Voice and Unified Communications

Cisco on Cisco Technology Tutorials

Using the Technical Support and Documentation Website

Cisco Documentation Website

NDA and Forum rules

Ten9t6 wrote:

All,

First I want to say welcome to the Cisco section of TechExams. Let me know if you have any questions during your visit. We have some very knowledgeable members that are more than willing to help you out.

BUT...

We do have some rules. It is ok to talk about areas that are good to focus, (like the blueprint for the test) but it is not ok to state what questions or sims you had (To be more clear....do not say I had two on OSPF and one on Underwater Basket Weaving..Yes, I know that is not getting specifics...but you should not be mentioning these at all. It is not my NDA or TechExams NDA...it is what you signed w/ Cisco.) If you can't face the question or the sim, without a heads up, your not ready for the exam.

Again, welcome to the forum. Learn as much as you can. Help when you can help. And please watch what you post.

Thanks...
Ten9t6

mikej412 wrote:

Cisco Candidate Conduct Policy

No candidate will take any action that will compromise the integrity or confidentiality of a Cisco Certification examination or otherwise compromise the integrity of the Cisco Certification program. Such actions include but are not limited to:
&#8226; Disseminating actual exam content via web postings, discussion groups, chat rooms, study guides, etc.

Cisco Career Certifications and Confidentiality Agreement

The main guts of the Cisco NDA is "contents of the exam are confidential."

You agree that the contents of the exam are confidential and that the disclosure of that information could compromise the integrity of the Program and of Certifications. Cisco makes exams available to you solely to test your knowledge of the exam subject matter for which you seek Certification. You are expressly prohibited from disclosing, publishing, reproducing, or transmitting any exam and any related information including, without limitation, questions, answers, worksheets, computations, drawings, diagrams, length or number of exam segments or questions, or any communication, including oral communication regarding or related to the exam (known collectively as &#8220;Proprietary Information&#8221;), in whole or in part, in any form or by any means, oral or written, electronic or mechanical, for any purpose, without the prior express written permission of Cisco.

From Cisco Online Certification Support

As a matter of policy Cisco Systems, Inc. does not disclose the content of our certification exams. This includes exam pass marks, the exact number of questions on each exam, as well as the number of each type of question a candidate will see during their exam.

Thanks for sending the links Wildfire!

Johan

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Comments

jd_mattos

I took the 640-801 exam at a Vue testing center, and they did allow the ? command. I don't remember if it gave all the available options or not, but it did work.
My Instructor told me that the ? command did not work, but I tried it and it did.
I did not try the tab, so I am not sure one that.

My instructor also told me that you had to save config for each router sim aswell, which according to your post is not required. But I did it anyway.

Drakonblayde

The ? command has worked for me on all three Cisco exams I've taken, as long as the command is relevant to the sim. There was one sim on BSCI where I was going a different direction than the sim wanted me to, and the ? command gave me 'Unrecognized command'. That was a hint to me that I was barking up the wrong tree, as it worked just fine for the commands I was supposed to issue.

And I don't care what Cisco says, saving your config is just one of those cover your behind activities that you SHOULD be doing. Why chance failing a sim based on three words?

I'm also curious as to whether the survey questions influence your sim choice. I used to think so, but for BSCI, I answered quite a bit differently than one of my co-workers, and we ended up getting the exact same sims, so I don't think the survey actually does influence your sim choices.

DodgeCar101

I am preparing for the CCNA right now, to save the configs, do they want copy run start, or would write work as well?

I know on the routers I used in class, we just used write to save time.

elcaminoguy

Do they mark you wrong if you go back and fix a screwup before you click the continue button? I know in my exam I got so confused by the bad sentence structure that I ended up configuring the switches backwards. I ended up putting one switches config on the other but then discovered the error and fixed it up.

Also wonder if they mark off for using the help functions. Or am I overthinking it again and all they care about is the config on the device when you click continue.

AceAll

I am going to give my exam in next couple of days. let me know whether the "?" is allowed at pearson vue or not. If not then i will have to postpone my exam to some other date.

Webmaster

AceAll wrote:

I am going to give my exam in next couple of days. let me know whether the "?" is allowed at pearson vue or not. If not then i will have to postpone my exam to some other date.

Pearson VUE and Prometric provide the same test, what goes at Pearson goes at Prometric and vice versa. Regardless, I would postpone if I felt that heavily about the "?".

Do they mark you wrong if you go back and fix a screwup before you click the continue button?

Not unless you do some reall out of line configs.

Also wonder if they mark off for using the help functions. Or am I overthinking it again and all they care about is the config on the device when you click continue.

There's nothing bad about using the help functions in a sim or real life scenario.

elcaminoguy

Do they mark you wrong if you go back and fix a screwup before you click the continue button?

Not unless you do some reall out of line configs.

Ok, what if they are out of line but work.....

milliamp

I took the examlast monday at a Prometric test center and I was able to tab commands and ? in the sim.

I think I tried to "write mem" and got an error so I ended up using copy run start.

KGhaleon

You were able to Tab? The exams I took with Prometric had a dialogue box on the left side of the screen that said Tab was disabled.

KG

milliamp

I remember reading a post on the board from someone that could not use tab on the exam before I took mine. I read the little box on the left and it was listing functions that could be used in the sim, and tab was listed as a supported function.

Maybe some of the test centers are using a different version of the sim software...

sysmax

When I took the exam today I play with the sim, it support full functions better than my Boson NetSim. Forgot to check "show version" to get the info about the software they use.

michael_knight

Can we add a list of Well known port numbers that would most likely be on the test. I think it may help some people. So far I have

20 FTP (Data)
21 FTP (Control)
25 SMTP
23 Telnet
53 DNS
69 TFTP
80 HTTP
110 Pop3
119 NNTP

I think it would also help if someone might be able to split them up between TCP nad UDP port numbers. I got a little confused just now so I didn't do that step (so I don't mess the next person up) when i went to iana.org they had some like TFTP which I always thought was a UDP protocol as both

aquilla

michael_knight wrote:

Can we add a list of Well known port numbers that would most likely be on the test. I think it may help some people. So far I have

20 FTP (Data)
21 FTP (Control)
25 SMTP
23 Telnet
53 DNS
69 TFTP
80 HTTP
110 Pop3
119 NNTP

I think it would also help if someone might be able to split them up between TCP nad UDP port numbers. I got a little confused just now so I didn't do that step (so I don't mess the next person up) when i went to iana.org they had some like TFTP which I always thought was a UDP protocol as both

So here we go (I'm guessing off the top of my head here).

20 / 21 - FTP (TCP)
23 - Telnet (TCP)
35 - SMTP (TCP)
53 - DNS (TCP)
53 - DNS (UDP)
69 - TFTP (UDP)
80 - HTTP (TCP)
110 - POP3 (TCP)
119 - NNTP (TCP??)
143 - IMAP (TCP)
161 - SNMP (UDP)
443 - HTTPS (TCP)

How's that?

Webmaster

www.techexams.net/coexam/start.php?exam=ports

michael_knight

That's Perfect! Thanks!

dynamik

Here's a few good links for configuring 2509-2512 routers as access servers. That was one topic I haven't seen covered in my other resources.

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/tech/tk801/tk36/technologies_configuration_example09186a008014f8e7.shtml

http://ciscotips.wordpress.com/2006/06/26/configuring-a-cisco-router-as-a-terminal-server/

http://www.petri.co.il/how-to-configure-cisco-router-as-terminal-server.htm

drew2000

This one should get added to the subnetting practice section of the FAQ:

http://faculty.valleycollege.net/rpowell/jscript/subnet2.htm

Satcom

i see a lot of links in this FAQ are broken

Webmaster

Satcom wrote: »

i see a lot of links in this FAQ are broken

I just tested a bunch to check, but they should all work again.

mikej412

networker050184 wrote: »

This is why most people recommend people new to the stuff to use real equipment first. Once you have a good foundation knowledge you will be able to handle the quirks of dynamips without being confused.

Cisco Network Topology Icons: Network Topology Icons - Cisco Systems

The last link on that page takes you to the Visio Icons: Products & Services Visio Stencils - Cisco Systems

Dynamips (Dynagen/GNS3) "breakout switch" to access real hardware
7200emu.hacki.at :: View topic - HOWTO Connect Real Switches Using One NIC & QinQ

Exam Day Advice -- should just create a thread (maybe a sticky)
http://www.techexams.net/forums/ccna-ccent/61129-wish-me-luck.html#post480794

How LAN Switches Work - Cisco Systems

Spanning Tree Protocol Problems and Related Design Considerations - Cisco Systems

Understanding VLAN Trunk Protocol (VTP) - Cisco Systems

How NAT Works - Cisco Systems

You may also want to check out the Cisco on Cisco Technology Tutorials which are now on the Cisco Learning Network Website: https://learningnetwork.cisco.com/co...tech_tutorials

The Technology Tutorials - Site Resources By Content Type - Cisco Systems page is also good if you want to do some extra credit study or pick up some talking points for a job interview.

GiddyG

Thanks Mike.

alan2308

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.

mikej412

I'm feeling a Building a CCNA Home Lab TechNote building up inside. Or at least a FAQ update or possibly the starting post of The Ultimate TE CCNA Lab Thread.

http://www.techexams.net/forums/ccna-ccent/61388-complete-newb-setting-up-home-lab-ccna.html#post483146

http://www.techexams.net/forums/ccna-ccent/61082-ccent-ccna-beginner-lab-setup-help.html#post489427

And we should probably start a Standard Cisco Exam Advice thread that collects all the usual suggestions -- time management, read the NDA & check out the exam demo before the exam, read all of the question and answers and read the question again and then pick the correct answer(s), etc.
http://www.techexams.net/forums/ccna-ccent/61129-wish-me-luck.html#post480794
http://www.techexams.net/forums/ccna-ccent/57032-640-802-tomorrow-8-13-10-a.html#post438730

kmcintosh78

I was told not to use the helper commands as it would deduct points.
I followed the advice and passed with a 900.

mikej412

kmcintosh78 wrote: »

I was told not to use the helper commands as it would deduct points.
I followed the advice and passed with a 900.

I used the help (? and tab completion) commands on most of my exams and passed the majority of them with even higher scores than yours.

You get more points for SIMs. You get partial credit on SIMs. Those are the only two things Cisco has admitted about exam grading. Anything else you've heard is just someone's best guess (or joke to mess with you).

Webmaster

mikej412 wrote: »

kmcintosh78 wrote: »

I was told not to use the helper commands as it would deduct points.
I followed the advice and passed with a 900.

I used the help (? and tab completion) commands on most of my exams and passed the majority of them with even higher scores than yours.

You get more points for SIMs. You get partial credit on SIMs. Those are the only two things Cisco has admitted about exam grading. Anything else you've heard is just someone's best guess (or joke to mess with you).

Sounds like wishful thinking out of the desire to have more control over the outcome of the sim - somehow reminds me of an old friend pressing buttons on a slot machines in a certain order he was convinced would lead to better results.

There's no trick for passing the sims or getting the max score. The help features in the Cisco exam sims have actually been expanded/improved since they added sims to the exams. It would make no sense to punish exam candidates for using them.

You may get partial credit on a sim if you haven't completed the configuration, but deducting points for additional actions that don't even show up in the eventual configuration is highly unlikely.

alan2308

Here is another free high quality lab manual.

Priston

: What are the Exam Topics

Cisco does not want me to see their exam topics?

elkristo

is the SDM still covert in the ccent exam?

Roguetadhg

Briefly, Yes.