Passed ExSim Max ICND1 exam A but...

wave

Hi everyone,

I just passed the ExSim Max ICND1 exam A but I was surprised to see some questions asking which command was correct to:

- Configure CHAP/PAP (CLI)
- Configure the SSID (CLI)
- Configure DHCP server settings on a router (CLI)

I had thought that the only DHCP configuration for ICND1 was using the SDM not the CLI. Odom's ICND1 book lead me to believe this as I don't recall seeing anything on dhcp configuration by command.

There certainly wasn't anything on setting the SSID using the CLI or configuring CHAP/PHP - I had thought these were ICND2 topics.

Anyone in the same boat as me here? Thoughts?

Cheers!

melcredo

wave wrote: »

Hi everyone,

I just passed the ExSim Max ICND1 exam A but I was surprised to see some questions asking which command was correct to:

- Configure CHAP/PAP
- Configure the SSID
- Configure DHCP server settings on a router

I had thought that the only DHCP configuration for ICND1 was using the SDM not the CLI. Odom's ICND1 book lead me to believe this as I don't recall seeing anything on dhcp configuration by command.

There certainly wasn't anything on setting the SSID using the CLI or configuring CHAP/PHP - I had thought these were ICND2 topics.

Anyone in the same boat as me here? Thoughts?

Cheers!

thanks for this info. im planning to take the icnd1 next week...this will surely help me with my review. i also thought that this cli commands are for the icnd2 exam...that the icnd1 will be using the sdm operation.

gosh1976

I do believe you are right on those being ICND2 topics at least configuring them via the cli. check the exam objectives https://learningnetwork.cisco.com/docs/DOC-4987

However, You should definitely know about the concepts pretty well -

SdotLow

Interesting. I'm about to start doing labs on my equipment at home and then grab the Boson ex-sim max.

Was it worth the money? Was it much harder than the book tests (I'm hoping so!)?

When do you plan on sitting for the actual exam now?

wave

I can honestly say that I think the ExSim Max pack is totally worth it. Even though I've only taken the first exam of three, I found it to be incredibly helpful.

I took a couple of the boson exams that came with the Odom ICND* books and found them to be much more difficult. But in saying that, they are supposed to be, and they're supposed to catch you out to force you to go back and study material again. Those 'choose all that apply' questions can be annoying.

Boson's exsim exams are supposed to simulate the actual exam, so they tell you how many answers you need to give (check) which makes life MUCH easier.

The Boson exsim exam certainly wasn't easy, but it has given me confidence. I know no my weak areas, and some topics I need to study that weren't in the Odom book! So I plan on hitting the books this weekend, I'll take the Boson exam B on Wednesday and then schedule the ICND1 exam for the following week!

I'll probably take Exam C next weekend.

SdotLow

Thanks for the info. I just finished reading Odom's book and plan on hitting my labs hard for the next couple weeks. Then it's going through Odom's and Lammle's books for the practice questions / exams to see how I do. Brush up some more then shoot for the Boson Exsim Max.

Please post how you do on your exam b /c and when you sit the exam! I'd like to know the differences!

melcredo

how do you get this boson exsim exams?? thanks in advance

wave

Buy them from here: IT Practice Exams | Cisco | Microsoft | CompTIA | (ISC)2

If you purchased a Cisco press book and load the exam from the CD you can get a discount on ExSim Max.

SdotLow

wave wrote: »

Buy them from here: IT Practice Exams | Cisco | Microsoft | CompTIA | (ISC)2

If you purchased a Cisco press book and load the exam from the CD you can get a discount on ExSim Max.

I think that's only for specific exsim's. I saw the CCNA composite on there with a discount, but not the CCENT exsim max.

wave

Maybe hit purchase and it might give you an ICND1 option? I just shutdown my laptop so can check tomorrow. Time for a beer now! Been studying all day

SdotLow

I stand corrected. And it's $20 off! I'll be purchasing that on Friday!

wave

W00t, I think you'll find it to be highly beneficial.

SdotLow

wave wrote: »

W00t, I think you'll find it to be highly beneficial.

I've been planning on buying that for some time now. I've heard great things about it.

wave

Scheduled ICND1 for Tuesday 16th August!!!

I'll be taking another Boson practice exam on Thursday and one on Sunday. I'll let you guys know the result.

SdotLow

wave wrote: »

Scheduled ICND1 for Tuesday 16th August!!!

I'll be taking another Boson practice exam on Thursday and one on Sunday. I'll let you guys know the result.

Nice

I just took the ExSim-Max test A, scored 737 out of 1000. Failed but not bad considering I've only been studying 3-4 weeks.

I have to say, that's a hell of a test. Some of the subject matter seemed a bit off. I got the same questions you mentioned previously, had me a bit flustered. I know what I need to brush up on for sure, and it made me feel quite a bit better about my studying. I'm hoping to sit the exam before the end of August.

GL on your test, let us know how you do!

wave

SdotLow wrote: »

Nice

I just took the ExSim-Max test A, scored 737 out of 1000. Failed but not bad considering I've only been studying 3-4 weeks.

I have to say, that's a hell of a test. Some of the subject matter seemed a bit off. I got the same questions you mentioned previously, had me a bit flustered. I know what I need to brush up on for sure, and it made me feel quite a bit better about my studying. I'm hoping to sit the exam before the end of August.

GL on your test, let us know how you do!

Wow that's great for 3-4 weeks of study! Good work! Yeah I'm loving that exam pack! Once you've done some more study you'll breeze through. Being able to subnet in your head in less than 10 seconds really helps, it's something I never thought I'd be able to do, but I can now!

rickinyorkshire

wave wrote: »

I took a couple of the boson exams that came with the Odom ICND* books and found them to be much more difficult. But in saying that, they are supposed to be, and they're supposed to catch you out to force you to go back and study material again. Those 'choose all that apply' questions can be annoying.

Boson's exsim exams are supposed to simulate the actual exam, so they tell you how many answers you need to give (check) which makes life MUCH easier.

I didn't realise the bosom exams were harder..makes me feel a bit better about me failing haha. Yes and those select all that apply questions really through me off, good to know the actual exam tells you how many.

Good luck on the exam, please post when you've taken it and how you found it

SdotLow

You can go into the settings of the Boson Cisco press ICND1 test that came with the book and check a box to have them show you how many questions need to be answered for the "all that apply" questions. You don't have to do it blind ;P

Wow that's great for 3-4 weeks of study! Good work! Yeah I'm loving that exam pack! Once you've done some more study you'll breeze through. Being able to subnet in your head in less than 10 seconds really helps, it's something I never thought I'd be able to do, but I can now!

Yeah I guess. I'm fresh off of studying for my Network+, with a month plus break inbetween. I spent A LOT of time when studying for my Network+, practicing subnetting like no ones business. I'm pretty damn fast if I say so myself.

That being said, the Exsim-Max really caught me off guard. It's one thing doing subnetting in your head when asked a specific question such as "what is the broadcast address of x.y.z.w". It's an entirely different story doing subnetting for 5 different networks, in very tiny font, and with a clock ticking away in the corner that you're oh so aware of.

Definitely glad I paid the extra cash for the Exsim-max though, I think it'll give me the preparation I need to sit the exam and not get flustered or overwhelmed with anxiety. I'm used to CompTIA exams and I can tell it will be quite a bit rougher than what I've had to do in the past.

Wave - If you don't mind me asking, what score did you get on test A?

wave

SdotLow wrote: »

Wave - If you don't mind me asking, what score did you get on test A?

Not at all, I got 82%. After reviewing the questions I got wrong I realized there was a bug with one of the sims. Once the software downloaded another update I was able to answer it correctly.

Several of my responses were just silly, I knew the answers but for some reason I answered incorrectly during the exam!

wave

Had the worst sleep last night, woke up and took at five hour energy then took Exam B! I scored 89% so I'm pretty stoked.

There were a few things that caught me off guard but now I know what I need to work on.

SdotLow

wave wrote: »

Had the worst sleep last night, woke up and took at five hour energy then took Exam B! I scored 89% so I'm pretty stoked.

There were a few things that caught me off guard but now I know what I need to work on.

Wow! That's a good score. I've been studying really hard, and going over a bunch of things I wasn't so sure about. I need to pound away at the Register config stuff because I can't recall that stuff from memory.

89% is great man! I'll be taking my Exam B this weekend. When I took my Exam A I was half asleep. I have somehow formed the habit of waiting until 10pm on a work night, after studying all day and evening to attempt these practice tests. I want to see how I do after a good night sleep and a few hours awake.

Sounds like you're ready to sit for the exam!

Edit - Also Wave - I just reread your initial post and saw the things you listed as not being subject matter in the book. I guess my Exam A was identical because I had the SAME questions lol. Did you see anything else that popped up on B that is not related to the exam?

johnnyarks

damn $100 just for questions ? for $25 more you can just sit for the real deal..

wave

Johnnyarks: how bad would you feel if you flunked the actualy exam? Many people say that it's important to get used to the types of questions that are asked, time management etc. IMO the practice exams were worth every sent.

SdotLow: There were some surprises. I kind of think I shouldn't tell you what they were as the Exam might lose its effectiveness when you take it. I think if you answer some questions incorrectly, then are forced to go back and study, you'll come out on top!

SdotLow

johnnyarks wrote: »

damn $100 just for questions ? for $25 more you can just sit for the real deal..

$79.99 with registering your account with the Cisco Press ICND1 disk.

That being said, you get 3 test exams that are a pretty good gauge for whether you're ready, and give you a realistic idea of what taking the test is actually like (replicates the exam questions, every kind).

I won't be surprised by the level of difficulty or the complexity of the question types having experienced them. There's a reason a lot of people say it's a good investment.

If you're on a tight budget, well then that's an entirely different story.

wave

In my case, I took those Odom Boson exams that came with the book and I was thining 'are you kidding me!' Some of those questions are very confusing. I wish they had some editors check the English. I really wanted to know where I stood before taking the exam so I bought the Boson pack.

johnnyarks

SdotLow wrote: »

$79.99 with registering your account with the Cisco Press ICND1 disk.

That being said, you get 3 test exams that are a pretty good gauge for whether you're ready, and give you a realistic idea of what taking the test is actually like (replicates the exam questions, every kind).

I won't be surprised by the level of difficulty or the complexity of the question types having experienced them. There's a reason a lot of people say it's a good investment.

If you're on a tight budget, well then that's an entirely different story.

I'm unemployed, so "tight budget" is an understatement, I just put about $600 of lab equipment on my credit card... I feel like that's a better investment, and it has re-sale value, not poo-pooing on the questions I just think it should be considerably cheaper, say like $25-30 at most.

rickinyorkshire

johnnyarks wrote: »

I'm unemployed, so "tight budget" is an understatement, I just put about $600 of lab equipment on my credit card... I feel like that's a better investment, and it has re-sale value, not poo-pooing on the questions I just think it should be considerably cheaper, say like $25-30 at most.

Yea I feel it's a bit expensive. I was all for buying it until I saw the price

SdotLow

johnnyarks wrote: »

I'm unemployed, so "tight budget" is an understatement, I just put about $600 of lab equipment on my credit card... I feel like that's a better investment, and it has re-sale value, not poo-pooing on the questions I just think it should be considerably cheaper, say like $25-30 at most.

I understand. I set up a home lab a few weeks ago for around the same amount. It is a better investment when comparing the two side by side, which is not how I'd compare them personally.

It's just an added investment if the funds are available to help provide that edge. In my case, I've never sat for any exam other than CompTIA. I know now that had I not picked up the exsim-max, I'd probably go in for the CCENT, see how the questions are given, and be completely unprepared and get very nervous. I'd probably consider myself one of those that's a good test taker, but those questions can be pretty rough, especially when factoring in the amount of time you have. You can also go to the Cisco site (and register if you're not already), and take their sample exam which lays out the question types they'll ask. This is what prompted me to actually lay out the money for the exsim-max.

With all of that being said, if you know your stuff, you probably won't have a problem. Just be ready for some rough/complex questions.

SdotLow

Studied all day Friday (literally). Got home, took the Exam B, only got a 74%. Tried to study on some things I needed to brush up on, mainly setting up DHCP in CLI on my home lab and beating Static routing and Default routing into my brain. Attempted Exam B again a couple hours later and did even worse. Went through the Lammle practice bonus exams and 100 of the Cisco press exam questions.

I don't know if any one knows this but when you retake the same exam they move the questions around (on the exsim-max that is), and they even shift the answer orders around.

Took a stab at Exam A again about 10 minutes ago and passed with a 93%. Did not remember any of the questions from the first time I took the test. I did as many other practice tests the night before so I wouldn't. I'm much more confident now to sit for the exam. Saving the Exam C for tomorrow afternoon when I'm fresh and not burned out.

Oh, and I just bought the last discounted voucher for ICND1 from that discount site that everyone uses. Going to sit the exam this coming up Saturday 8/20. Hopefully Exam C gives me some good results.

Post your Exam C results when you take it please wave

wave

Wow, you're really ripping through quickly! I'd say for, a month? of study you are doing extremely well. But it sounds like you've still got to hit the books a little more. Good job so far!

I've been hitting the books all day today, so I know how you must have felt after yesterday! I don't think I'd ever take an exam at the end of the day, you might find you do better if you take one during the day time when you're more alert. Then again, each to their own!

I will be taking Exam C tomorrow around 10.30am EST. Feeling pretty good right now, I'm anxious to get ICND! behind me and crack on with ICND2! For me it's been a four month mission.

SdotLow

wave wrote: »

Wow, you're really ripping through quickly! I'd say for, a month? of study you are doing extremely well. But it sounds like you've still got to hit the books a little more. Good job so far!

I've been hitting the books all day today, so I know how you must have felt after yesterday! I don't think I'd ever take an exam at the end of the day, you might find you do better if you take one during the day time when you're more alert. Then again, each to their own!

I will be taking Exam C tomorrow around 10.30am EST. Feeling pretty good right now, I'm anxious to get ICND! behind me and crack on with ICND2! For me it's been a four month mission.

Yeah it's been about a month give or take, but I just passed my Network+ in June, and I pounded subnetting into my head when I was studying for my Network+. Saved me a lot of time for my CCENT I think.

I think I just took the initial exam A and the two B's last night when I was exhausted. Last night I had this...I don't know how to explain it. Was just this, foggy? feeling in my head? I felt like I couldn't grab ideas very well? I don't know. I slept for 13 hours, did a brief study round for an hour, ate lunch and hit exam A again. I was much more relaxed and could think clearly. It also helped that I understand default and static routes now, lol.

Plan C will be the real gauge for me tomorrow afternoon. Exam A wasn't so bad today, and the stuff I missed was just dumb after going over it (I never went over it the first time, as I couldn't really think clearly). I realized I need to just focus a little bit more and not be so hasty to move through the exam, I ended A with about 47 minutes today and 924/1000.

I bought my voucher and it expires on 8/31 so, it's now or never lol! I'm confident I'll pass at this point though.