To Many study materials - Working full time - overkill??

Ive got 4 keys study materials...

1) Exam Cram 2
2) CBT Nuggets Network+
3) Mike Myers Second Edition Network+
4) 160page - Technotes from this site

I work monday - sat 9-5 at an IT helpdesk supporting customers and when i get home and have my dinner i feel so tired to get down to studying, ive got 3 1/2 weeks to study, ive booked a week off for the first week of may to help concentrate on the last few bits before the exam.

So my question is....having to many study matierals a bad thing? some have differnt ways of working out subnetting ect and loose how to grasp it then. Plus working in a sh*t job is making me depressed and stopping me study

I want to get more hands on, i hate sitting at a desk with a headset

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Comments

janmike

Try some practice exams. It is generally agreed that if you're making at least 90% on practice exams, you are probably ready for the real thing.

The Meyers All-In-One study guide got me through Net+ quite well. The ExamCram is there for a quick review to see where you need improvement. I don't know about the others.

You need a better attitude. Be glad you have something in IT, full time. It's just a starting place. You'll move on up sooner than you think. Lots of guys can't even get a job in IT and would gladly do phone support for the experience.

Best of luck!

D-boy

I used All-In-One Network+, MS press Network+ book, Technotes from this site (They are in PDF and very handy to read at work, which I did everyday!) and Transcenders...

I would recommend you to get hold of some practice tests too.....

By the way I scored 780 and I studied for 2 weeks while working full time, it can be done. It just depends how bad you want it and how bad you wanna get out of your current job. If your too tired, try drinking some coffee, I'm serious that's what I do even if it's just to keep you awake long enough to study for an hour or 30mins. Just keep it going and you will start to see how much you learn and how interesting it is... sometimes it takes a while for me to get into reading but once I see how much I learn and knowledge I gain it drives me to wanna read and learn more... Try to keep positive, I know it maybe hard because of you situation, just think of the rewards you will reap! You can do it!

Plus working in a sh*t job is making me depressed and stopping me study

The fact that your job is described above that should drive you to study so you can one day get a better job altogether... But I know what you mean though....

I used to live in London, England... Well I was born and rasied there and moved over here US in 2002, I like it here beter than the UK... eveything is so big & spacious... Everyone is not on top of one another like in the UK... But there's good and bad things about living in both places, but hey that's like anywhere you go!

ja5983

i used network+ for dummies, gives you a basic understanding of what you need to know

mike myers passport for network+ i used in order to get a more in depth knowledge...

i also used the practice exams from the book, from here, from mcmcse, and just about all the practice tests i could find.

honestly though, if you have any experience in IT, the test really is not too hard. I mean, i suggest studying hard because you will need to know this stuff WELL for other tests, but honestly, the net+ is kinda easy.

mgmguy1

I am in the same boat.

I have the following study materials as well.

Exam Cram 2 Network Plus guide by Mike Horwood <---Excellent Book
Network+ Certification Practice Questions Exam Cram 2 500 questions
CBT NUGGETS Network Plus <--Excellent
This sites free Study Guide <--Good
CramSession Study GUide ---Good

I work 2 jobs and try to study in between. It's not easy but I am learning something new every day. Just hang in there. Just remember, The world is going to need more IT people not Less. I know sometimes it may not look it but IT people with the right skills are in high demand.

3000GT

Thanks guys

Just been doing a few hours on CBT nuggets and the more it sinks in the better, my aim is to be MCSA by september when im 25, after this to try and do an MCP every month leading up too it, but i think im having too high hopes?

when you got your test booked for mgmguy1?

I used to live in London, England... Well I was born and rasied there and moved over here US in 2002, I like it here beter than the UK... eveything is so big & spacious... Everyone is not on top of one another like in the UK... But there's good and bad things about living in both places, but hey that's like anywhere you go!

Yeah Idealy i want to get out the UK, its going down the pan, the goverment aint a clue what to do, America or Australia is on the cards, but they wont let you in the county as an imigrant unless you have some good skills for the country, so i want to get some behind me now

reloaded

It's all good, if you just get focused on one thing at a time and go from there, you'll be set. I'm working 50 hours a week (WAN tech), going to college full time, and studying for certs. It's just a matter of focus, you'll do great if you apply your mind. Remember, wax on, wax off.

mgmguy1

I GO AT END OF MAY.
I would have taken the test sooner but my wife's health has not been good lately so I decided to push it back. My wife is going to be fine,But I have to do alot of extra things on top of what I am doing now.

It's probley a good thing I pushed it back. AS I said earler. I learn something new everyday. I just got done watching my Network Plus CBT 30 minutes ago and I am once again very happy I invested $199.00 for this CBT. I was watching the Section on Novel Netware and alot of the stuff I am reading is starting to click. I am even thinking after I pass my Network Plus test on buying some additional materials like....

1. IPv6 Essentials http://www.bookpool.com/sm/0596001258
Everyone is going to need a better understanding of IPV6

2. Routing in Today's Internetworks The Routing Protocols of IP, DECnet, NetWare, and AppleTalk http://www.bookpool.com/sm/0471286206

3000GT

I guess it would be alot more easier if my full time job envolved networking, is does to some point, but not that i can support it much, only on premium rate phone calls....and even that is just basic setting up and AOL broadband router or ADSL using USB...which is hopeless at times!

Ive offered on my days off to work with the network team that looks after the call center network but no reply to my e-mail.....i dont expect much from them as i found out as i went in for overtime, the network had a power cut and all the main servers are screwed....no UPS

Just peped up with pro plus to keep me going throught cd 2 on CBT nuggets

netcom2000

I cannot believe that your company had no UPS, what size of business are we talking about and what Fault tolerance and disaster recovery do they implement, just as a matter of interest?

TeKniques

Yeah this is a tough situation to be in. I know how you feel, I work 40+ a week and have a family. It is really hard to have the time and/or energy to buckle down and hit the books.

For Network+ I used Exam Cram 2 and Transcender and I was more than prepared for the exam. IMO it's relatively easy if you make an effort, which I think you are more than doing. Good luck on your exam!

keatron

I strongly suggest not going through the practice exams until you have absorbed enough material to really have a solid understanding of the concepts and general theory. Then use the practice exams to see where you need to brush up. Just because you're getting 90% on practice tests doesn't always mean you're ready for the real one, due to the fact that memorization comes into play. Sure, after I wade through a group of practice questions 4 or 5 times, I could easily be close to 100% without having any idea of why the answers I'm choosing are correct. I say teach this over and over again, read and practice as much as you can until the concepts seem clear to you then, dive into the practice exams and you will be fine. Three weeks is a tight squeeze and it will be a challenge, but if you commit and do what needs to be done, the rewards are truely priceless.

3000GT

I cannot believe that your company had no UPS, what size of business are we talking about and what Fault tolerance and disaster recovery do they implement, just as a matter of interest?

A callcenter for techincal support in the UK with over 300 ppl on the phones....not saying which company thou or could loose my job for slander

I strongly suggest not going through the practice exams until you have absorbed enough material to really have a solid understanding of the concepts and general theory. Then use the practice exams to see where you need to brush up. Just because you're getting 90% on practice tests doesn't always mean you're ready for the real one, due to the fact that memorization comes into play. Sure, after I wade through a group of practice questions 4 or 5 times, I could easily be close to 100% without having any idea of why the answers I'm choosing are correct. I say teach this over and over again, read and practice as much as you can until the concepts seem clear to you then, dive into the practice exams and you will be fine. Three weeks is a tight squeeze and it will be a challenge, but if you commit and do what needs to be done, the rewards are truely priceless.

Yeah I can see your point, Ive been doing the tests on the MCMCSE site and each one the test questions change, but like you said you get to memorise the answers to them. I like doing tests though as it does show im learning and getting the understanding, but real life networking and labs to test with which i dont have

.

Ive got about 14 days off from work i booked for the exam so it going to be day and night study for me which hopefully should be enought time to study for it.