Tackling the CWNA.

SteveO86

Well after my experience with the CWTS (and knocking out the CCDA before retirement), I'm going back to tackle the CWNA.

I've been going through the Sybex official study guide for a few days now, and you guys were right the CWNA is more up my ally then the CWTS.

Looks like I'll be hitting my 2-4 hours a day of study time again. I'm thinking by the end of June I'll be able to take a shot at this. I'm pretty familiar with alot of the topics but I've noticed the CWNA goes into a bit more detail then I deal with on a day to day basis (as far modulations and all the RF math...). This should be interesting.

JDMurray

Good luck!

Let us know if we can help.

chrisone

Nice choice for a new journey my friend! CWNA is a very respectable certification for the wireless field. I wish you the best and the best of my opinions if i could ever be of service to you. By the way , what materials do you plan on using for this adventure? Anything other than the sybex book?

NOC-Ninja

Good luck!

SteveO86

Thanks guys!

I'm going to start off with the Sybex Book. I've already been through the CWNA video course from Preplogic back when I was studying for the CWTS (When I had their unlimited access account) but that was a few months ago, so we'll see how it goes.

I might look into CBT Nuggets or Trainsignal.

hiddenknight821

SteveO86 wrote: »

Well after my experience with the CWTS (and knocking out the CCDA before retirement), I'm going back to tackle the CWNA.

I dunno about everyone else here, but I have to say I find your cert list quite disturbing, especially when you listed CWNP and yet you claimed that you will tackle the CWNA. Did it expired or something?

JDMurray

The CWNP is not a certification; it's the business name of the organization that offers the CWTS, CWNA, CWSP, etc. wireless certifications.

hiddenknight821

JDMurray wrote: »

The CWNP is not a certification; it's the business name of the organization that offers the CWTS, CWNA, CWSP, etc. wireless certifications.

My mistake. To be honest with you, I think that was a bad choice of name for their whole collection of wireless certs. I mean if I tell an employer that I got a Cisco certification, then they would know that's a name of the vendor. On the other hand, if I tell the employers that know a little or nothing about certs that I have a Certified Wireless Network Professional certification, they would jump the gun and say something nice, but what they didn't know is that I have the lowest-level cert from that vendor.


Nevertheless, I still find his list of certs disturbing since it keeps us in the dark.

JDMurray

It's up to the hiring managers and HR people to understand what-cert-is-what, and be knowledgeable enough to ask, "Specifically which wireless certifications do you have?"

chrisone

hiddenknight821 wrote: »

My mistake. To be honest with you, I think that was a bad choice of name for their whole collection of wireless certs. I mean if I tell an employer that I got a Cisco certification, then they would know that's a name of the vendor. On the other hand, if I tell the employers that know a little or nothing about certs that I have a Certified Wireless Network Professional certification, they would jump the gun and say something nice, but what they didn't know is that I have the lowest-level cert from that vendor.


Nevertheless, I still find his list of certs disturbing since it keeps us in the dark.

A little over to critical ?

NOC-Ninja

hiddenknight821 wrote: »

My mistake. To be honest with you, I think that was a bad choice of name for their whole collection of wireless certs. I mean if I tell an employer that I got a Cisco certification, then they would know that's a name of the vendor. On the other hand, if I tell the employers that know a little or nothing about certs that I have a Certified Wireless Network Professional certification, they would jump the gun and say something nice, but what they didn't know is that I have the lowest-level cert from that vendor.


Nevertheless, I still find his list of certs disturbing since it keeps us in the dark.

CWNA is actually popular if they are looking for wireless guys. Usually they will post CWNA in the job description.

SteveO86

hiddenknight821 wrote: »

Nevertheless, I still find his list of certs disturbing since it keeps us in the dark.

I had listed all my certs previously but just decided to list the vendors... I suppose I could list them in my profile again.

CCNP, CCDA, CCNA:Security/Wireless
MCSA, MCITP:SA, MCTS SQL 2008
A+, Network+, Security+, CWTS
BlackBerry Certified Server Support Specialist

As far as my wireless experience, I've done spectrum/protocol analysis on various occasions, managed both lightweight and autonomous AP's (LWAPs for the last 2 years, autonomous another 2 years before that). I've site survey'ed offices, warehouses, and a county jail (which proves to be a very interesting RF environment).

When I initially started asking about CWNP many people here recommend I start with the CWNA (I see why and I should have listened) but I wanted to see the exam format of the CWNP exams prior to putting too much effort/time into the CWNP certifications. I may currently only have my CWTS but I do know my way around a WLAN

Am I any less disturbing now

chrisone

SteveO86 wrote: »

Am I any less disturbing now

I still find it very disturbing and emotionally life changing the way you post vendor names for certs! I just cant take it anymore!


jaja sorry hiddenknight821 i am just teasing you.

ITdude

SteveO86 wrote: »

Am I any less disturbing now

Better to be disturbing, than disturbed!:)

hiddenknight821

NOC-Ninja wrote: »

CWNA is actually popular if they are looking for wireless guys. Usually they will post CWNA in the job description.

I was aware of that, but I have a bad habit of reading CWNP as it own certification kind of like CCNP before CCNP Security. I was thinking the Cisco way. I actually have the official Sybex study guide for CWNA and CWSP, because I want to master it before I retake my wireless class at my previous school. However, since I left there, I realized I got myself into debts and became broke again, so I couldn't pursue more certifications in a while. So maybe much later.

SteveO86 wrote: »

Am I any less disturbing now

Lol, no not at all. You brought us into the light now But now I'm being disturbed by Chrisone

chrisone wrote: »

jaja sorry hiddenknight821 i am just teasing you.

Don't you make me throw my hearing aid at you, buddy!

chrisone

hahaha