CCNA: Crashed and burned!

f3z81

I took the 840-802 CCNA exam today and failed! Ahh!

Passing score 825
Your Score 815

Describe how a network works 75%
VLAN and interswitch communications 62%
IP addressing and IP services 83%
Basic router operation 77%
Admin tasks on WLAN 100%
Identify security threats 100%
NAT and ACL’S 25% - poor
Implement and verify WAN links 100%

It was defo the sims that got me, spent way to long on them, I thought had done plenty of labbing on both real and simulated gear, but just was not getting the desired results on the exam. I need to work on my speed, it didn’t help that I use the tab key a lot on the real routers. The use of “no” to negate a command did not work for all commands (like it does on real routers), and if you make lots of typos (dyslexic fingers), like me, then it’s bad to have to start from the beginning of a series of commands.

On a plus the exam was free, as part of the network academy course I done, I now know what’s expected of me, and I am glad I practiced my subnetting. Up until last week, I had been doing it the official Cisco taught way, which I still like, and I have got quite good, but compared to doing it in your head, it’s no contest. For me the Cisco way took 1-2 min per subnet, and doing it in my head takes 10-30 seconds per subnet – which is great for the “why won’t these hosts talk to each other?” type questions, and any other for that matter. Although I still find doing VLSM questions easier writing out the binary, I can roughly find a subnet every 30 second on average.


I am planning in retaking the test in about 2/3 weeks time, I have a voucher to use from passing CCNA 4 at my local netacad, does any one know how much discount this gives on the CCNA exam (I’m in the UK). I have not yet requested it, as I have yet to speak to the boss, aka the misses about me paying for a re-sit.

Apologies for the rant, just need to vent a bit, as is was so close. AHHHH!

colemic

Good news is, it was free, and you know what area you really need to focus on... best of luck on the next go round!

jamesleecoleman

Hey

I'm sure you'll get it next time. Just hit hard on the NAT/ACL and vlan/interswitch communication. ACL's can be way confusing, especially the extended ones.

okplaya

Tough luck! With that score, I don't think you need 3 more weeks. Maybe 2 weeks max. If you have the time to study I'd re-take this weekend. Good luck next time anyways.

networker050184

Too bad man. Hit up your weak areas and get back at it. You definitely weren't far off!

Chris_

Sorry to hear that. At least you've had some exposure to the exam environment, you'll know what to expect next time - get back on it and nail it next time.

kurfer

Look on the bright side, the fact that you got 25% on ACL/NAT means there is alot of room to improve.

tomaifauchai

It's about 100 or 125$ voucher (USD), can't remember exactly!
Good luck next time

f3z81

Cheers guys, I can’t take the exam before the 22nd, or at lease that’s what I think it said on my score sheet, and well I have kind of promised the family that I will spend some time with them this weekend, (I have 3 wee boys, who I think deserve a trip to soft play).

I ideally I would try and sit it next week but due to other commitments, I would not have the time to do any labbing, and I defo need to do some more practice, well not so much on the commands but more on the logical way of thinking to try and resolve the problem.

It’s not until this morning when I had time to reflect; I know most, if not all the commands that I needed for the sims yesterday, where I lost time was having to think about them on the fly or the logic of how to trouble shoot when things go wrong.

If I were asked what steps you use to trouble shot a particular problem, then I would not have problem ratting them all off, but in an exam environment, when you don’t know what the problem may be, having to think of issues that could possibly be causing the problem is quite hard, and it’s easy to lose track of time.

I think my plan of action is going to be memorising the troubleshooting steps for each topic area of the exam, and learn the logical method of resolving them, so that it becomes second nature, it’s a bit like learning to do subnetting in your head, it’s not that I could not do it before, but being able to do it fast is very important for both the exam and real life.
Anyway guys, cheers again for the support, I will be sure to let you know how I get on when I re-sit.

ccnaomkar

u will clear next time

best luck for u

viper75

You'll slap that test around next time.

Good Luck!

JockVSJock

f3z81 wrote: »

Describe how a network works 75%
VLAN and interswitch communications 62%
IP addressing and IP services 83%
Basic router operation 77%
Admin tasks on WLAN 100%
Identify security threats 100%
NAT and ACL’S 25% - poor
Implement and verify WAN links 100%

Don't give up.

I take it that once you were complete, they printed off a piece of paper which shows pass/fail and the percentage of each area of the test?

f3z81

JockVSJock wrote: »

Don't give up.

I take it that once you were complete, they printed off a piece of paper which shows pass/fail and the percentage of each area of the test?

Sorry for the late reply, yeh, once I finished the exam, I got given a printout with my score and breakdown of the topics I was tested on.

I have re-booked the exam for the 3rd of June, if anyone is interested the Cisco Network Academy discount is 50% off (you need to pass the CCNA 4 module, on the first attempt with 75% or garter to qualify for the discount voucher).

jwashington1981

You got this next time. I sent you a private message the other day. Did you receive it?

f3z81

jwashington1981 wrote: »

You got this next time. I sent you a private message the other day. Did you receive it?

sorry mate just read it, and sent you a messahe back