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Passed CCENT

tink334tink334 Member Posts: 54 ■■□□□□□□□□
Passed the 1st part of CCNA today scored 862 and had about 25 min remaining but this was not an easy test at all. How long would you guys recommend studying for the next part. Also, if money is not an issue "which it is" would you recommend doing ICDN2 or just take the CCNA total test? Thanks for any advise.

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    bigmantenorbigmantenor Member Posts: 233
    First of all, congrats on the pass! How long you study on the next part is largely predicated by how much experience you have with the topics. I am taking about a month to study for ICND2, but I also have a good amount of study time available to me.

    As far as taking ICND2 or the composite, my view is that you're already halfway there, so why bother with anything but ICND2? If money is an object, then here is some dollars and cents logic for you: ICND2 will cost you $125, composite will be $250. This means you could take ICND2 twice for the same money as taking the composite once. What this effectively means is that you essentially get a "free" shot at ICND2. You could treat it like a practice exam if you wanted. Here's the best part: The first time you take ICND2, you could get a passing score, and you just saved $125. I know what sounds better to me icon_thumright.gif.
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    alan2308alan2308 Member Posts: 1,854 ■■■■■■■■□□
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    tink334tink334 Member Posts: 54 ■■□□□□□□□□
    Thanks! I really got to admit I was shocked by how hard this test was. Very tricky some of the questions.
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    jamesleecolemanjamesleecoleman Member Posts: 1,899 ■■■■■□□□□□
    Congratulations on passing. The ICND2 is tough. You really really have to know the information, how things work, and subnetting. I also suggest taking the ICND2 exam. The length of study depends on how much time you up into studying. I've honestly spent over seven months studying for the ICND2.
    Booya!!
    WIP : | CISSP [2018] | CISA [2018] | CAPM [2018] | eCPPT [2018] | CRISC [2019] | TORFL (TRKI) B1 | Learning: | Russian | Farsi |
    *****You can fail a test a bunch of times but what matters is that if you fail to give up or not*****
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    MrBrianMrBrian Member Posts: 520
    Congratulations! Just keep reading and doing labs and you'll be a CCNA in no time!
    Currently reading: Internet Routing Architectures by Halabi
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    wavewave Member Posts: 342
    Congrats tink!
    Congratulations on passing. The ICND2 is tough. You really really have to know the information, how things work, and subnetting. I also suggest taking the ICND2 exam. The length of study depends on how much time you up into studying. I've honestly spent over seven months studying for the ICND2.

    Wow seven months! How much time are you studying each day?

    I've been studying for almost three months for ICND1 doing about 2.5 hours, sometimes 3.5 hours a day. I've had to take a few days off here and there due to travel. I've got about three chapters of the Odom ICND1 book left and I've been reading a chapter then going over it again, taking notes all the way through. I've filled one note book and am on to the second. I've also been watching the CBT Nugget videos and have been labbing on real equipment, packet tracer and GNS3 depending on where I am at the time.

    Looking at the size of the Odom ICND2 book I'm thinking I'll need to dedicate at least three months to study for that exam.

    I finally cracked subnetting in my head, I'm proud to say I can answer questions from subnettingquestions.com in 10 to 20 seconds. When I first started tackling the beast of Subnetting I never thought I would be able to do that!

    ROUTE Passed 1 May 2012
    SWITCH Passed 25 September 2012
    TSHOOT Passed 23 October 2012
    Taking CCNA Security in April 2013 then studying for the CISSP
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    Dakinggamer87Dakinggamer87 Member Posts: 4,016 ■■■■■■■■□□
    Congrats on pass!! icon_thumright.gif
    *Associate's of Applied Sciences degree in Information Technology-Network Systems Administration
    *Bachelor's of Science: Information Technology - Security, Master's of Science: Information Technology - Management
    Matthew 6:33 - "Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need."

    Certs/Business Licenses In Progress: AWS Solutions Architect, Series 6, Series 63
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    MrXpertMrXpert Member Posts: 586 ■■■□□□□□□□
    I've not been studying for ICND1 very long.Not as long as i want to. Probably a few weeks on and off. I'm on chapter 5 of wendell odoms ICND1 book. i only have packet tracer. dont have enough money or even space for real equipment.
    I did a 180 odd question practice ICND1 test from Boson which apparently is highly recommended(or at least one or two people mentioned it here)
    I achieved 49% score.Obviously a fail but i'm only on chapter 5 of the book and only am half way through the videos of trainsignal and cbt nuggets.
    I'm an Xpert at nothing apart from remembering useless information that nobody else cares about.
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    wavewave Member Posts: 342
    MrXpert wrote: »
    I've not been studying for ICND1 very long.Not as long as i want to. Probably a few weeks on and off. I'm on chapter 5 of wendell odoms ICND1 book. i only have packet tracer. dont have enough money or even space for real equipment.
    I did a 180 odd question practice ICND1 test from Boson which apparently is highly recommended(or at least one or two people mentioned it here)
    I achieved 49% score.Obviously a fail but i'm only on chapter 5 of the book and only am half way through the videos of trainsignal and cbt nuggets.

    Yeah, probs too early for a practice test yet. I've found the Odom book to be excellent so far. The Nuggets are a good break from the text but the text certainly contains much more content. I've been doing the quizz that's printed at the beginning of each chapter at the END of the chapter after I've reviewed the content. That's one thing that's missing from Odom's book, good solid end of chapter tests like Lammle's books.

    ROUTE Passed 1 May 2012
    SWITCH Passed 25 September 2012
    TSHOOT Passed 23 October 2012
    Taking CCNA Security in April 2013 then studying for the CISSP
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    THA_DOCTHA_DOC Member Posts: 99 ■■■□□□□□□□
    Congrats!
    An Open Mind, Working to Get IT!:cheers:

    DOC
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    tink334tink334 Member Posts: 54 ■■□□□□□□□□
    This may be a stupid question but what are the advantages of a real lab vs Packetracer. I know you get to touch the equipment but if you know how to connect a cable i don't see any advantages.

    I do however see advantages to PT no extra electric used, as many devises as you need, and you still need to know what cables to use.

    I have a couple of physical devise 800, 2500 series routers but I feel I would need much more to help out. I can update the IOS with the physical stuff.
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    HypntickHypntick Member Posts: 1,451 ■■■■■■□□□□
    tink334 wrote: »
    This may be a stupid question but what are the advantages of a real lab vs Packetracer. I know you get to touch the equipment but if you know how to connect a cable i don't see any advantages.

    I do however see advantages to PT no extra electric used, as many devises as you need, and you still need to know what cables to use.

    I have a couple of physical devise 800, 2500 series routers but I feel I would need much more to help out. I can update the IOS with the physical stuff.

    The main reason physical is better than packet tracer: Functionality. You have access to everything that IOS has on it with the real gear, with PT you do not.
    WGU BS:IT Completed June 30th 2012.
    WGU MS:ISA Completed October 30th 2013.
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    xenodamusxenodamus Member Posts: 758
    tink334 wrote: »
    This may be a stupid question but what are the advantages of a real lab vs Packetracer. I know you get to touch the equipment but if you know how to connect a cable i don't see any advantages.

    I do however see advantages to PT no extra electric used, as many devises as you need, and you still need to know what cables to use.

    I have a couple of physical devise 800, 2500 series routers but I feel I would need much more to help out. I can update the IOS with the physical stuff.

    My very first networking gig.....very first ticket in my queue....was to update the IOS on several devices. You can't do that on a simulator. I think everyone who attains CCENT/CCNA should have at least 1 real device to upgrade/xmodem for experience.
    CISSP | CCNA:R&S/Security | MCSA 2003 | A+ S+ | VCP6-DTM | CCA-V CCP-V
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