Preparing for CCENT - please evaluate my study materials

tukki

i am studing for ccent, i have a todd lammle 7th edition book / wendell odom book and cbt nuggets videos / and i plan to work with packet tracer for simulations.Is that enough study material for passing ccent ?

drkat

Let me first say Lammle's book is boring as holy hell and odom is about as dry as a 500yr old well in the savannah

but yes it should be enough - the only vote I give is Cioara -- I also recommend Cisco Is Easy

tukki

i see you`re ccna or am i wrong / which study material you use to study and how long you study

tr1x

I found the Lammle book pretty good, Odom was kind of dry but had some good material. I used Lammle/Odom/Boson Ex-Sim. I highly recommend that combination for the CCENT, the test was no biggie after going through those resources.

Still use Packet Tracer (or GNS3 or a real lab) so you actually know how to use what you're learning, that will make the exam easier and give you experience.

MAC_Addy

drkat wrote: »

Let me first say Lammle's book is boring as holy hell and odom is about as dry as a 500yr old well in the savannah

I highly disagree with you.

Quick question, do you read books for enjoyment? I've found people that don't read at all to have difficulties with these books. I have found that Lammle's book is very interesting and Odoms book is a little dry, but very informative - which takes away the dryness for me.

Somnipotent

Lammle's book is far from dry... especially compared to Odom's material. Difference, is, of course, Odom's stuff goes DEEP and LENGTHY while Lammle just gives you what you need to know. Going all Jeremy Cioara is a big mistake too. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely LOVE this guy, but he does not adequately prepare you for the exam(s). Good lectures to go along with the written material, but do not go full CBTN only.

Darthn3ss

drkat wrote: »

Let me first say Lammle's book is boring as holy hell and odom is about as dry as a 500yr old well in the savannah

but yes it should be enough - the only vote I give is Cioara -- I also recommend Cisco Is Easy

The subnetting chapter in the Odom book was just awful. I skipped it.

r_durant

Somnipotent wrote: »

Lammle's book is far from dry... especially compared to Odom's material. Difference, is, of course, Odom's stuff goes DEEP and LENGTHY while Lammle just gives you what you need to know. Going all Jeremy Cioara is a big mistake too. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely LOVE this guy, but he does not adequately prepare you for the exam(s). Good lectures to go along with the written material, but do not go full CBTN only.

I agree, try Chris Bryant...I've just started his and they seem pretty good. Try a different perspective. (I have Jeremy Cioara as well)

iwannaknowIT

tukki wrote: »

i am studing for ccent, i have a todd lammle 7th edition book / wendell odom book and cbt nuggets videos / and i plan to work with packet tracer for simulations.Is that enough study material for passing ccent ?

That should suffice for icnd1............

iwannaknowIT

drkat wrote: »

Let me first say Lammle's book is boring as holy hell and odom is about as dry as a 500yr old well in the savannah

but yes it should be enough - the only vote I give is Cioara -- I also recommend Cisco Is Easy

Very nice link.......thnx

drkat

MAC_Addy wrote: »

I highly disagree with you.

Quick question, do you read books for enjoyment? I've found people that don't read at all to have difficulties with these books. I have found that Lammle's book is very interesting and Odoms book is a little dry, but very informative - which takes away the dryness for me.

Nope, I've never been a read for fun kinda guy.

drkat

tukki wrote: »

i see you`re ccna or am i wrong / which study material you use to study and how long you study

I do have a CCNA yes, but it's going to be up to the individual. I found that reading the books and doing the labs and etc wasnt for me; so I was fortunate enough to have experience working in the field so that helped. However, if you have no prior experience then this route may work for you.

I just cant get into it. I liked to read CCNA blogs, watch CBT's, and just google my questions and read the case studies or folks opinions etc etc. I didnt lab anything up or anything, but I'm currently looking at GNS for my NP studies and it looks good and lately I've been labbing up stuff I run into at work in packet tracer so I dont have to modify customer equipment (guess i'm trying to start planning more)

In closing - go with what works for you; You only know your own learning style. Me? I'm a hands-on learner so I fall asleep easily with videos and books hence my "all over the place" learning materials.

I used:

Sybex 7th Edition
CCNA Exam Cram - 640-802
Cisco is Easy
Packetlife
CCNA "Ultimate Study Guide" by Bryant
Boson CCNA (outdated)
CCNA for Dummies I like to read things in plain english
Network Warrior - which filled in some holes
Just kinda read what I could on the subject I was learning about and it seemed to work. Then again I'd been contemplating taking the CCNA for a few years and kept putting it off and putting it off and putting it off....

Then work says.. if you get your CCNA within 90 days of hire we'll get your X raise. So I went and did it (took three tries) but I got it and that's all that counts. Could've been the way I studied? who knows.. I have problems with tests anyway so like I said YMMV and do what works for you