Failed CCNA 640-802

jetdynamics

I am now thinking my options, If will retake the 2 route (ICND1 and ICND2 or retake 1 route test(CCNA Composite Exam). Although my study is on and off for the past 3months because I am busy at work. Is ICND1 more on subnetting ? I know my subnettings skills but my weak area is about ACL's ,NAT. Don't have much time for creating Labs. Any advice is highly appreciated...

vinbuck

Sorry to hear that...unfortunately, labs are the key to understanding with most things networking. Depending on how much time you have put into studying, you may be looking at more work to go back and do the 2 exam route. You should have a sheet that shows your weak areas. Focus on those first to make the most efficient use of your study time. Focus on NAT and ACLs first and do several repetitions of labs. Very few people can look at the book and make a working config on the first try without having previously built it in the gear.

Check out this site for great pre-built labs

Welcome to GNS3Vault

Puffy

Here is a link for some packet tracer labs: pkt_labs.zip
Found those in the Cisco Learning Network and I thought they were very useful in my CCNA lab practice. I suggest you do them until you could just take a glance at the requirements and the commands are already running through your head.

Next, if you have the CCNA book by Wendell Odom, I suggest that you do the exams that came with them. Although those exams are much more difficult that the real one, they really test you knowledge on the CCNA topics. After you have identified your weak areas based on the results of the Odom's exams, start studying over the relevant chapters.

jetdynamics

Thanks for the feedback I think I will need to work on more labs because "practice makes perfect" same thing what i did on subnetting, I would definitely use the packet tracer labs thanks Puffy.

SharkDiver

From what you say your strong and weak points are, I would think you could do the ICND1 now, and study some more for the ICND2 before taking it.

You'll get there, don't give up.
Good Luck!

jetdynamics

SharkDiver wrote: »

From what you say your strong and weak points are, I would think you could do the ICND1 now, and study some more for the ICND2 before taking it.

You'll get there, don't give up.
Good Luck!

Yes I will not give up it really hit me on area where I need to focus and re-think my strategy in preparing for the exam...As I look at the material for ICND1 I think I would try to take the 2 route test so I can focus more on the subject matter.

nkillgore

Honestly, I wish I had taken the single exam route. I felt like the ICND1 was so easy, and you had to know everything on it for the ICND2 anyway. May as well have just gotten it all over with at once. You really need to know ACLs and NAT and IPv6 and Routing Protocols for the ICND2.

jetdynamics

Single exam is good if you are 101% percent ready and know how to do it fast. I recall while watching CBT Nuggets video by Jeremy this is one of the reason differs from taking 1 exam route and 2 exam route. Cisco expects you that you're already familiar with it since your only taking the 1 exam route and can answer sim questions quickly. Which on my case is not so I will do it slowly this time.

MrXpert

Puffy wrote: »

Here is a link for some packet tracer labs: pkt_labs.zip
Found those in the Cisco Learning Network and I thought they were very useful in my CCNA lab practice. I suggest you do them until you could just take a glance at the requirements and the commands are already running through your head.

Next, if you have the CCNA book by Wendell Odom, I suggest that you do the exams that came with them. Although those exams are much more difficult that the real one, they really test you knowledge on the CCNA topics. After you have identified your weak areas based on the results of the Odom's exams, start studying over the relevant chapters.

Thanks for the link to those labs! and I know it is CCNA but still I found it a really nice refresher. Got me using PT again too.

Roguetadhg

Yeah, I suggest taking the 2 test route. If you pass ICND1, you get a certificate - and the negative side, if you fail you've lost 150 dollars less.

jetdynamics

Roguetadhg wrote: »

Yeah, I suggest taking the 2 test route. If you pass ICND1, you get a certificate - and the negative side, if you fail you've lost 150 dollars less.

Correct!!! One of the reason I consider is the cost $$$ for taking the test.

Roguetadhg

Since you don't have a lot of time on your hands to make labs, here's one thing I do suggest.

Albiet, it's not cheap.

Boson Netsim8.

I used it for my ICND1 and ICND2. Amoung the other well-known labbing methods except for the actual hardware.

It is a simulator, like Packettracer. I can not stress this enough. Because it's a simulator, you can only do as the simulator is programmed to do. You'll be limited to commands - for example I was unable to use the pipe command " | " to shorten show commands with it. However, it's neat, does switching, does routing, includes labs, and configures topologies for the labs.