How to study for the CCENT/CCNA. [Tutorial]
Roguetadhg
Member Posts: 2,489 ■■■■■■■■□□
in CCNA & CCENT
Congratulations! You've decided to study for a Cisco certification!
The next question you're thinking is: How do you get the CCNA? Schedule & Pass the CCNA test with Pearson Vue!
Tip: Scheduling the test before you study can help you focus to study.
To that end: If, at the date you schedule, you don't feel ready; You can reschedule and push the date back. Ask your certification center for the "rules". My testing certer is 1 day i]24 Hours[/i before your test. You can reschedule as many times as you want.
The next, next question you're thinking is: How do I actually learn this stuff?
Welcome! This thread is laid out to help you start studying. No, this thread will not help you study specifc topics - like EIRGP, RIP, Subnetting... That's the next step beyond this thread. This thread's sole purpose is to help answer the never-ending questions: "How do I study", "Strategies to study", "How do I get the CCNA quick?".
Bottom Line: I can not give you the answer for your situation. Everyone has their own goals, budget, work situation. However, I can you share the many methods successful people have used to gain their Certifications. I will also share my own experiences, as well as experiences of other forum members.
Cisco has a lot of short i]Less than 15 minutes[/i webinars as "Studying for Results". As of this edit, they haven't posted all the videos. Note: You need to be logged into Cisco's Website to watch the short films.
https://learningnetwork.cisco.com/community/learning_center/self_study_survival_tips?utm_source=netacad&utm_medium=fb&utm_campaign=cepsr3
The thread is separated into two sections:
X1 - Methods) - How you can study for your CCNA: There's a lot of ways to get the piece of paper that says "CCNA", along with a small plastic card. I will highlight the ways you can get this knowledge!
X2 - Self-Study) - How to self-study for your CCNA: For those that want the flexibility, and have the drive - or are just want the cheap way (Like me). This highlights the numerous questions, as well as explores the answers, giving examples, tips, tricks from people around the globe on Tech Exams. Yes.
First thing first: There's two major routes to get the same CCNA certification. Yes, I know there's three listed here.
1) Take the ICND1 (640-822) Exam. Pass it. Take the ICND2 (640-816) Exam. Pass that within 3 years.
Notes: The two-test route is what I took. I recommend this over the single exam for self-studiers (More below). It's cheaper to pass and cheaper to fail. It covers less material.
2) Take the CCNA Composite (640-802) Exam. Pass it.
Notes: The CCNA Composite exam needs to cover ICND1/ICND2, so the depth of questions may not be as deep. However, if you fail the exam - you're short 300 dollars and you have much more to study and retain
3) Take the ICND1 (640-822) Exam. Pass it. Take the CCNA Composite (640-802) Exam. Pass it.
Notes: Some people have taken the Composite afterwards, as this covers all the material and is not as indepth. It's the most expensive route, and not recommended.
Index:
________________________________________________
X1 - Methods >> There are a few methods to acquire the CCNA:
1) Formal:
- CCNA Discovery
- CCNA Exploration
- Boot Camps
2) Self-Study:
- No Experience.
- With Experience
X1.1 - Formal Methods:
Cisco hosts something called "Cisco Networking Academy" or Cisco "Net Acad". You also may hear it called "CCNA Discovery" or "CCNA Exploration". Both are fundamentally the same: A teacher, physical lab, books. However, there are some differences between the two that you may not know:
X1.1.A - CCNA: Discovery - Designed for students with basic PC skills and foundational math and problem solving skills. Gentle learning, more time may be spent on developing the theories.
Example: If you've taken the Cisco Networking Academy during High School - Like I did. This is an example of "Discovery". It's a two-year, half day, every day, vacation from High School.
X1.1.B - CCNA: Exploration - Designed for students with advanced problem solving and analytical skills. More material. More Depth. Quicker speed.
Example: Colleges. Expect to cover what you need to know in a single semister. Atleast my local colleges planned it out that way.
Pros:
+ Teachers
+ Lab equipment supplied
+ Other students.
+ You paid a lot of money.
+ Packet Tracer (Not available otherwise)
Cons:
- Time & Dedication
- Can be a lot more expensive.
- You paid a lot of money.
- May include cheating methods.
X1.1.C - Boot Camps:
Boot camps are designed as an intense, condensed introduction to the material. Usually, a boot camp will last for a week (3-6 Days).
The most attractive thing about Boot Camps are they're short. The bad thing is that they are short. There isn't a lot of time to absorb or understand hard-topics. You get in. Do your thing. Get out.
Some companies will provide boot camp training, as a time-efficient means to get employees up to speed. Boot camps can be done in person (You travel to them) or over the internet.
The people that will gain the most benefit out of boot camps are persons that have a high-level understanding prior to the boot camp. In Otherwords, People that already know the major topics and theories and won't need to spend a lot of mental strength on these heavy topics. These people don't know the finer details and just looking for some formal instruction as a supplement.
My thoughts: As a newcomer to Cisco, boot camps will not/can not give you the time to absorb the information. Oftentimes will offer test **** as "Practice Exams" to boost numbers. Afterall: What good is a certification if you don't remember anything?
Cost: 2K+ (Not including travel and other expenses)
Pros:
+ Teachers
+ Other students.
+ A lot of money spent.
Cons:
- Not a lot of time to absorb
- Not a lot of time to understand
- May include cheating methods.
Examples: VibrantBootCamp,
X1.2. Self-Study:
Everyone learns at their own rate. If you push too much information into your head, you will not retain the information you learned. Motivation, Dedication, Time, and yes... Money. All these will play a part in your studies. Because when it boils down to it, you have the control of the throttle.
Expected time span: 2-6 Months. Zero to CCNA
X1.2.A - Self-Studiers - No Experience:
Haven't touched a switch or router in a couple years? Never even seen a switch or a router? You fall into this category. No biggie. Most of us do.
Tech-exams is a perfect example of people that "Self-Study". There are a lot of ways to self-study. I will go deeper into "how" later in the thread. I place myself in this category, because I don't work in a field with cisco equipment. Cisco is out of the ordinary.
Recommended Testing: ICND1, ICND2
Pros:
+ Self-Paced
+ Cheaper.
+ Can still be expensive
+ Work may help
Cons:
- Hard to stay motivated
- Easy to stop studying
- Hard to know what do to, what to buy, where to start.
- You won't often see the benefits of a CCNA right away
- Work may not help
Note: After you've become a CCNA, strive to retain the information. Do not forget it. However, this is beyond the scope of this thread.
X1.2.B - Self-Studiers - With Experience:
You work with Cisco Equipment day in, day out. You know the material, but you still want/need to get certified. It may be required for work. Either way, you've got your foot in the door.
Recommended Testing: CCNA Composite
________________________________________________
X2 - SelfStudy >> How to Self-Study for the CCNA - No Experience
The rest of the thread is dedicated to those that are intested in self-studying. I would hope you are. It's an exciting, vast world. One that I hope you can share my excitement someday! The networking world is much more involved than routers and switches. At the same time, most electronic information relies heavily on routers to route, and switches to switch. This is the door to all of it, and CCNA is a great start to look into the key-hole.
"It's hard to know what to do. It's hard to know what to buy." It's easy to say those two things. (I do know. I say that when it comes to thinking about CCNA:SP). At the same time your motivation can burn out trying. I'm not saying that it's going to be easy. Because it's still going to require dedication, time, practice. But this thread is to make it somewhat less foggy.
Ultimately, the best way is get right in! Jump in and do it!
Cisco gives you everything you need to know. Which is fantastic. How? Take a gander at their exam websites. They practically hand you the answers!
Exam Syllabus: ICND1 / ICND2 / CCNA Composite
You'll need to:
1) Buy & Read a book.
- This is a requirement. Yes, I know it's thick, it's heavy and boring with A lot of word-things.
2) Enter commands.
- Type in commands for the equipment. See the Output. Make it work!
Additional Goodies
3) Practice Exams
4) Videos
5) Motivation
6) Additional Tips, Tricks, Experience.
X2.1) You'll need to pickup a book!
Yes. I said it. Run for the hills, lock your windows, bar your doors. You heard me. You will need to read something. It's going to be dry. It's going to be boring.
First the books: These are the most-often recommended books members at Tech-Exams gravitate towards:
- Todd Lammle. CCBA Study Guide. 1 Book.
- Wendell Odom. CCNA Offical Cert Library. 2 Books
I prefer the hardcover for a couple reasons: 1) Depth of material 2) Looks great on the shelf 3) Lasts longer 4) I can study for the CCENT
Optional Readings:
1. RFCs (Request for comments): Getting used to reading technical documents will sooner or later become a need. There's over 5 thousand RFCs (Request for Comments). Might as well start with a few entertaining ones: 1882, 2324, 2795.
2. Cisco Documentation: Advice from the horses mouth... so to speak. There's documentation, graphics, command syntaxes. It's free and there's a lot of information.
X2.2) You'll need to enter commands!
Perfect practice makes perfect! Getting into the terminal, seeing the command-line (or SDM), and practicing commands is a must-do for CCNA candidates.
X2.2.A) Simulators - Simulators will give you feeling without the hassle. Some include labs with it. Convienent, Quick.
X2.2.A.a) Free - TechExams, NetSimK, Cisco Packet Tracer (Must be a NetAcad Student/Alumni).
X2.2.A.b) Paid - NetworkSims (Iristheangel), Boson NetSim8
X2.2.B) Emulators - Emulators will use the actual Cisco IOS. It acts like the real thing without the hardware! Great for saving some cash.
X2.2.B.a) Free - GNS3
X2.2.B.b) Paid - Unknown
X2.2.C) Hardware - I recommand buying hardware for candidates. It's expensive, I know. But there's experience you can't get with the other options.
Examples: How do you upgrade the IOS? How do you find out the DTE/DCE cabling are bad? That's just a taste of it. Personally, I just like to see the lights blink
How to console into hardware:
If you're going to have your own equiment, invest in a USB-to-Serial Converter. You'll going to need to console into the equipment, which, will usually be a Light-Blue Console cable, with a serial port at the end. The Serial end would go to the PC. Thankfully, we've phased the serial portion out! But it's still used for the cables, so far.
Prolific Adapter url=http://www.amazon.com/Plugable-Adapter-Prolific-PL2303HX-Chipset/dp/B00425S1H8/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1348579456&sr=8-3&keywords=usb-to-serial]Amazon Link[/url is what was recommended to me because it worked without problems. I bought it, tried to use it without drivers, then installed the drviers. It still worked! Yes, you'll need to install the drivers (Win7 64bit) before plugging it in! My Ubunutu didn't need drivers, though.
Windows Terminal Emulation Programs:
Free: PuTTY, Tera Term, mintty, Hyper Terminal (Non-Vista or Newer)
Paid: SecureCRT.
Settings: 9600 bits per second, no parity, 8 data bits, 1 stop bit.
X2.2.C.a) Minimal - (1) Switch, (1) Router.
X2.2.C.b) Multi-Lab - (3) Switches, (3) Routers.
X2.2.C.c) OverKill - (3) Switches, (6+) Routers.
X2.2.C.d) Hardware (Models) Like I stated before, buying equipment is not cheap. It's also not easy. But dang, it's fun! It's the benefit of window shopping without the guilt. Better than Chocolate!
Hold on! Before you go out and start looking at 10000-class routers, and switches that have blades in them... I'll just give you a list. It's a compliation of what works for most people. Some models will be cheaper than other, some may be old as dirt. For this list, I tried to keep the cost to reasonable - Less than 500 USD. Yes, Less than 500 USD is a reasonable investment for your own hardware.
I talked you into buying some hardware. Great! But... What do you look for in hardware? You'll be looking for the IOS version. It's the big one. Besides buying something that tests correctly! Routers with 12.4 is a must, as it's what's tested and what's current of this thread. Focus on simple and cheap. Keep a few bucks in your pocket.
Note: Models in Bold are recommended as cheap and Effective for the CCNA-Level topics.
X2.2.C.d.1) Switch Models - 2950 or 2950C/T/G, 2960, 3550, 3560.
X2.2.C.d.2) Router Models - 1721, 1760, 1841, 2501, 2610XM/2620XM, 2611, 2611XM/2621XM, 3640
X2.2.C.d.3) Frame Relay Routers - 1721, 1841, 2520, 2610XM w/ NM-4A/S Module
X2.2.C.d.4) Example Lab: There's a lot of choices. So here's what you'll need to do everything. You'll need 3 routers, and 3 switches. Keep in mind that "Module" equipment will be more expensive - because it's flexible for labs. You'll pony up the cost for the Module and the Router/Switch separately. I'd say dedicated hardware is better, atleast it should be cheaper to replace. Knowing how to troubleshoot modules can also be a good thing, and can decrease the overall size of your lab!
Note: I won't be listing everything - like cables, or transcievers, if needed. I have tried to go through the list and find compatable items, but there's so many options out there, you'll need to do the rest of the legwork. I'd recommend looking at Kits, see what they include. Figure out the answer to this question: Why?. Check Cisco's site. It's a lot of leg work, but this is something you might be doing. With that said: I can not guantee my example lab is correct. It may not meet your needs!
Switches: 3x 2950c (17-30$)
Routers: 1x 2520 (37-50$), 3x 1721 (~20$ ea)
Extras: 6x WIC-1T Modules [For 1721] (~14$ ea),
Pros:
+Exciting! Window shopping for equipment to help you in the long run!
+It's yours. Forever.
+Interesting to see how other equipment may have been setup in the past.
+Can be a lot cheaper than Hardware Kits
Cons:
-Can be expensive than Hardware Kits.
-Warranties aren't guanteed.
-Time will be invested. You'll need to look for a good, inexpensive buy.
-You don't know exactly what you'll get until you get it in your hands.
Warning: Make sure the ports are "Green". "Amber" is a bad color. This is a great indicator that the hardware is in great working order. Look for IOS 12.4 for Routers. If possible: ask for terminal outputs: show version, show post. Examples of both can be found at the end of this post: 6.C, 6.D.
Examples: eBay, CraigsList, Many "Kit" websites (see next section).
X2.2.C.e) Hardware Kits - While it's a fun time to go hunt for hardware. You never know what you'll find... But sometimes, we just don't want to deal with all of that. I get it. Hardware Kits come in all ranges - Barebones to Extravagant. You'll need to weigh your options, and make sure the shipping doesn't kill that good looking cost.
Pros:
+Convienent
+Warranties
+Technical Support for hardware
+May include labs, wiring and everything needed to start doing labs the first day.
+Upgraded to latest version, most of the time
Cons:
-Expensive
-Not as much "Thrill" buying them all together.
Warning: Stay away from eBay kits. I've read some posts where eBay Kits were known to malfunction, older (Not useful) IOS versions.
Examples: CertificationKits, CablesandKits, Network Communication Solutions
X2.2.D) Rack Time - Use the internet connection, connect to a rack, start labbing! It's a cost-effective method for people that want to use expensive setups but can't afford the cost, or maintence. Best of all. You don't need to worry about IOS software, and it's ultra-portable!
Pros:
+Convient. Access your lab from around the world.
+It's not yours.
+Cheap
Cons:
-You're scheduling time. First come, first served.
-It's not yours.
-Service may not be available
Examples: INE.com, Bryant Advantage,
X2.2.E) Labs - You need material to work with!
Free Examples: Ltat42a's Labs, Freeccnaworkbook
Paid Examples: 101 Labs for the Cisco CCNA Exam
X2.3) Practice Exams
First off, I need to talk about the elephant in the room: Test ****, Brain ****. These are questions that come from the cisco certification exams. Don't do them. It's cheating. Cheating is bad. i]As in certification termination. Certification Testing Ban[/i Period. Stay out of trouble, follow my links!
Practice exams are great to knock cobwebs loose. It also allows you to get into the testing mind-set. There is a right way and a wrong way to take these exams.
Wrong Way: Go through each question, seeing the right answer, and immediately selecting that correct answer.
- Did you give a thought to any reason why? What about the other answers?
Right Way: Go through each question, seeing the right answer. Then you ask yourself: Why are the others wrong? You can get 4x the benefit out of a single question by asking that one question, and working through it.
Examining the answers will help you dig up and strengthen the material. You may discover that you may not know that acronym like you thought you did.
This is a procedure that works to help avoid memorizing test answers. Memorizing a practice test and its answers won't help you. If you happen to pass the real test, you'll find out that you'll be missing Why. Why something works like it does is the most important question to ask while you test and when you get on the job.
Free Examples: CertGUARD, Tech Exams
Paid Examples: Boson ExamSim.
X2.4) Videos
So what's the next-best thing to a real teacher in class? A video lesson. While not interactive, it can be used to help understand the fundamentals and can also add other bits of information that you would otherwise not have known about.
Warning: Do not use videos as a subsitute for reading a book and/or labbing!
Free Videos: Youtube, Youtube Channels: Bryant Advantage, The, Keith Barker, Booduh099, DansCourses,
Paid Videos: CbtNuggets, TrainSignal, INE.com
X2.5) Motivation
YOU! STOP! Before we move on, I have a few questions for you:
1) Are you driven to get this certification? Yes. I know you are. You know you are.
2) What about 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 Months from now? Are you sure you are? To be quite honest, I'm not sure you have it in you.
Those are some long months ahead.
It's going to be harder once you realize that this stuff is pretty scary. It's new. They're topics you've never seen before. A lot of stuff will be thrown at you: EIGRP, VTP, Router and Switch commands, Subnetting -just to name a few! You'll be reading books that look like they came from Harvard! Then you'll need to work through lab problems, solving them yourself. You'll need an advil to get rid of the headache!
"Do you really want to be studying for 6 months?".
// End Scene.
Your motivation is already going down. I can feel it (Yes, through time and space and the future internet) It's that nagging itch at the back of your mind. You don't want to acknowledge it- but it's there. It waits in the depths for a weak moment. Then out of the blue - It'll hit. Hard. It'll hit so hard that you won't want to do anything at all.
This is the feeling everyone that has studied for a certification, or any test can atest to. For some people, this feeling is more prominent than others. But it's still there in one degree or another.
I'm a betting man. I'd be willing to bet on that sometime during everyone's life - they sensed it too. So you're in good company.
If you're still with me... [I hope I didn't scare anyone off?] ...I wanted to try to introduce you to the enemy. I'm going to help you. You can't fight what you pretend doesn't exist. Ignorance does not help you. It's there, even if I couldn't shine a light on the blob. I can guantee it sometime down the road: You will second guess the pace you're studying. You know what's better? It happens to everyone - admit it or not.
So how can you fight it? How can you protect yourself against this motivational pirate?
1) Make Studying self-sustaining. Are you thinking about going head-first and quitting everything to get it done? Don't. Go to the gym. Play video games. Go out with family. See your friends. Humans by nature are social creatures. Don't punish yourself for something that's good.
The key here: Time Management. It sounds like a "Diet", right? You could boil it down to dieting. But saying "Diet" is like saying "Crazy-Axe-Murderer-Friend-thats-too-emotional". You just don't want it (or him) around. My Tip: Don't use the word "Diet". Forget "Time Management". They were dropped from Wikipedia, Webster's Dictionary long ago.
What you want to do is to make room to study. It may not be hours, or half a day. It may be just 10, 20, 40 minutes. Just do something, for what you can, everyday. No stress. When you're in the bathroom, prop up a book. That's the way Txxx xxxxxxxxx should be!
2) Tech Exams: We are all your peers. We may not know, or like you. Yet, We are what we are. Some are more knowledgable than others. We work in your field, or want to be. Reach out to us. The good thing about the internet, and these forums: You can talk to anyone around the globe. Use it.
You know what Lennon said: "I get by with a little help from my friends."
3) Set small goals. Complete them. Reward yourself for doing every one. Example: Read Chapter 2 tomorrow. Reward: Bottle of BAWLS. Personally: My reward for finishing this post is to order a case of BAWLS. Yeah, It works. Bribe yourself with a carrot. That said...
Tip: Do not punish or take away something if you don't complete it. Why would you try do something that punishes you all the time?
4) Practice: You'll learn to like it through doing it. You may hate it at first. I hated reading. I've learned to tolerate it. I'm starting to enjoy it. I (I can't emphasis this enough) never owned anything that didn't include the words "Strategy Guide" in them before last year. If you read this entire post so far, you can definitely make it through the Cisco Books. See how that worked? color=darkgrey]I genuinely amazed myself[/color
Above all, Do not forget...
No matter what you do, you will have a moment of weakness. Somehow, Someway it will happen and It really sucks when it does. What you do at that moment is what makes people successful, and those working at the local Burger joints. That my friend, is not just with Cisco or Certifications, but anything worth doing.
I'll leave this section with a few good quotes. Bites for your noggin'. Sources
"Even if you fall on your face, you're still moving forward." - Victor Kiam
"The harder the conflict, the more glourius the triumph" - Thomas Paine
"Perseverance is failing 19 times and succeeding the 20th" - Julie Andrews
"Invest something in yourself for the future to want to invest more in you." - Me
X2.6) Additional Tips, Tricks, Wisdom
6.A: Life: Expect personal problems to come up. Deaths, illness, legal, weddings, children, Holidays, Work projects, All Life. You'll need to manage your time around it. You'll need to get efficient at learning. I've run into a lot of those bumps in the road.
The only suggestion I can make: Print out some of your notes. Otherwise, If you can afford a cheap e-reader/tablet/net book, pick one up. All the time you're doing nothing, you should be doing something. Might as well be something to help you.
There's only so much you can do about Life, the rest needs to play out on it's own. Of course - Do what you can, then get your head back in the game. Don't forget us.
6.B: Ask Questions on Tech Exams. Asking questions helps you, helps me, helps everyone. When you ask questions people will see the question and think about the problem. The mere act of trying to think about the topic helps to retain knowledge.
6.C: Show Version. 3550 Switch output. Yes, it's upto date!
The next question you're thinking is: How do you get the CCNA? Schedule & Pass the CCNA test with Pearson Vue!
Tip: Scheduling the test before you study can help you focus to study.
To that end: If, at the date you schedule, you don't feel ready; You can reschedule and push the date back. Ask your certification center for the "rules". My testing certer is 1 day i]24 Hours[/i before your test. You can reschedule as many times as you want.
The next, next question you're thinking is: How do I actually learn this stuff?
Welcome! This thread is laid out to help you start studying. No, this thread will not help you study specifc topics - like EIRGP, RIP, Subnetting... That's the next step beyond this thread. This thread's sole purpose is to help answer the never-ending questions: "How do I study", "Strategies to study", "How do I get the CCNA quick?".
Bottom Line: I can not give you the answer for your situation. Everyone has their own goals, budget, work situation. However, I can you share the many methods successful people have used to gain their Certifications. I will also share my own experiences, as well as experiences of other forum members.
Cisco has a lot of short i]Less than 15 minutes[/i webinars as "Studying for Results". As of this edit, they haven't posted all the videos. Note: You need to be logged into Cisco's Website to watch the short films.
https://learningnetwork.cisco.com/community/learning_center/self_study_survival_tips?utm_source=netacad&utm_medium=fb&utm_campaign=cepsr3
The thread is separated into two sections:
X1 - Methods) - How you can study for your CCNA: There's a lot of ways to get the piece of paper that says "CCNA", along with a small plastic card. I will highlight the ways you can get this knowledge!
X2 - Self-Study) - How to self-study for your CCNA: For those that want the flexibility, and have the drive - or are just want the cheap way (Like me). This highlights the numerous questions, as well as explores the answers, giving examples, tips, tricks from people around the globe on Tech Exams. Yes.
First thing first: There's two major routes to get the same CCNA certification. Yes, I know there's three listed here.
1) Take the ICND1 (640-822) Exam. Pass it. Take the ICND2 (640-816) Exam. Pass that within 3 years.
Notes: The two-test route is what I took. I recommend this over the single exam for self-studiers (More below). It's cheaper to pass and cheaper to fail. It covers less material.
2) Take the CCNA Composite (640-802) Exam. Pass it.
Notes: The CCNA Composite exam needs to cover ICND1/ICND2, so the depth of questions may not be as deep. However, if you fail the exam - you're short 300 dollars and you have much more to study and retain
3) Take the ICND1 (640-822) Exam. Pass it. Take the CCNA Composite (640-802) Exam. Pass it.
Notes: Some people have taken the Composite afterwards, as this covers all the material and is not as indepth. It's the most expensive route, and not recommended.
Index:
[color=red][i][b][color=green]X1 - Methods[/color][/i]
[u]X1.1 - Formal Methods[/u]
x1.1.A - CCNA: Discovery
X1.1.B - CCNA: Exploration
X1.1.C - Boot Camps
[u]X1.2 - Self-Study[/u]
X1.2.A - Self-Studiers (No Experience)
X1.2.B - Self-Studiers (Experienced)[/b][/color][b][color=blue]
[i][color=green]X2 - Self-Study - How to Self-Study for the CCNA - No Experience[/color][/i]
[u]X2.1 - You'll need to pickup a book!
X2.2 - You'll need to enter commands![/u]
[color=blue]X2.2.A -[/color][color=darkblue] Simulators[/color]
[color=darkblue]X2.2.A.a -[/color][color=black] Free[/color]
[color=darkblue]X2.2.A.b -[/color][color=black] Paid[/color]
[color=blue]X2.2.B -[/color][color=darkblue] Emulators[/color]
[color=blue]X2.2.C -[/color][color=darkblue] Hardware[/color]
[color=darkblue]X2.2.C.a -[/color][color=black] Minimal[/color]
[color=darkblue]X2.2.C.b -[/color][color=black] Multi-Lab[/color]
[color=darkblue]X2.2.C.c -[/color][color=black] Overkill[/color]
[color=darkblue]X2.2.C.d -[/color][color=black] Hardware (Models)[/color]
[color=black]X2.2.C.d.1 - Switch Models[/color]
[color=black]X2.2.C.d.2 - Router Models[/color]
[color=black]X2.2.C.d.3 - Frame Relay Routers[/color]
[color=black]X2.2.C.d.4 - Example Lab[/color]
[color=darkblue]X2.2.C.e -[/color][color=black] Hardware (Kits)[/color]
[color=blue]X2.2.D -[/color][color=darkblue] Rack Time[/color]
[color=blue]X2.2.E -[/color][color=darkblue] Labs[/color]
[u]X2.3 - Practice Exams
X2.4 - Videos
X2.5 - Motivation
X2.6 - Additional Tips, Tricks, Wisdom[/u][/b][/color]
________________________________________________
X1 - Methods >> There are a few methods to acquire the CCNA:
1) Formal:
- CCNA Discovery
- CCNA Exploration
- Boot Camps
2) Self-Study:
- No Experience.
- With Experience
X1.1 - Formal Methods:
Cisco hosts something called "Cisco Networking Academy" or Cisco "Net Acad". You also may hear it called "CCNA Discovery" or "CCNA Exploration". Both are fundamentally the same: A teacher, physical lab, books. However, there are some differences between the two that you may not know:
X1.1.A - CCNA: Discovery - Designed for students with basic PC skills and foundational math and problem solving skills. Gentle learning, more time may be spent on developing the theories.
Example: If you've taken the Cisco Networking Academy during High School - Like I did. This is an example of "Discovery". It's a two-year, half day, every day, vacation from High School.
X1.1.B - CCNA: Exploration - Designed for students with advanced problem solving and analytical skills. More material. More Depth. Quicker speed.
Example: Colleges. Expect to cover what you need to know in a single semister. Atleast my local colleges planned it out that way.
Pros:
+ Teachers
+ Lab equipment supplied
+ Other students.
+ You paid a lot of money.
+ Packet Tracer (Not available otherwise)
Cons:
- Time & Dedication
- Can be a lot more expensive.
- You paid a lot of money.
- May include cheating methods.
X1.1.C - Boot Camps:
Boot camps are designed as an intense, condensed introduction to the material. Usually, a boot camp will last for a week (3-6 Days).
The most attractive thing about Boot Camps are they're short. The bad thing is that they are short. There isn't a lot of time to absorb or understand hard-topics. You get in. Do your thing. Get out.
Some companies will provide boot camp training, as a time-efficient means to get employees up to speed. Boot camps can be done in person (You travel to them) or over the internet.
The people that will gain the most benefit out of boot camps are persons that have a high-level understanding prior to the boot camp. In Otherwords, People that already know the major topics and theories and won't need to spend a lot of mental strength on these heavy topics. These people don't know the finer details and just looking for some formal instruction as a supplement.
My thoughts: As a newcomer to Cisco, boot camps will not/can not give you the time to absorb the information. Oftentimes will offer test **** as "Practice Exams" to boost numbers. Afterall: What good is a certification if you don't remember anything?
Cost: 2K+ (Not including travel and other expenses)
Pros:
+ Teachers
+ Other students.
+ A lot of money spent.
Cons:
- Not a lot of time to absorb
- Not a lot of time to understand
- May include cheating methods.
Examples: VibrantBootCamp,
X1.2. Self-Study:
Everyone learns at their own rate. If you push too much information into your head, you will not retain the information you learned. Motivation, Dedication, Time, and yes... Money. All these will play a part in your studies. Because when it boils down to it, you have the control of the throttle.
Expected time span: 2-6 Months. Zero to CCNA
X1.2.A - Self-Studiers - No Experience:
Haven't touched a switch or router in a couple years? Never even seen a switch or a router? You fall into this category. No biggie. Most of us do.
Tech-exams is a perfect example of people that "Self-Study". There are a lot of ways to self-study. I will go deeper into "how" later in the thread. I place myself in this category, because I don't work in a field with cisco equipment. Cisco is out of the ordinary.
Recommended Testing: ICND1, ICND2
Pros:
+ Self-Paced
+ Cheaper.
+ Can still be expensive
+ Work may help
Cons:
- Hard to stay motivated
- Easy to stop studying
- Hard to know what do to, what to buy, where to start.
- You won't often see the benefits of a CCNA right away
- Work may not help
Note: After you've become a CCNA, strive to retain the information. Do not forget it. However, this is beyond the scope of this thread.
X1.2.B - Self-Studiers - With Experience:
You work with Cisco Equipment day in, day out. You know the material, but you still want/need to get certified. It may be required for work. Either way, you've got your foot in the door.
Recommended Testing: CCNA Composite
________________________________________________
X2 - SelfStudy >> How to Self-Study for the CCNA - No Experience
The rest of the thread is dedicated to those that are intested in self-studying. I would hope you are. It's an exciting, vast world. One that I hope you can share my excitement someday! The networking world is much more involved than routers and switches. At the same time, most electronic information relies heavily on routers to route, and switches to switch. This is the door to all of it, and CCNA is a great start to look into the key-hole.
"It's hard to know what to do. It's hard to know what to buy." It's easy to say those two things. (I do know. I say that when it comes to thinking about CCNA:SP). At the same time your motivation can burn out trying. I'm not saying that it's going to be easy. Because it's still going to require dedication, time, practice. But this thread is to make it somewhat less foggy.
Ultimately, the best way is get right in! Jump in and do it!
Cisco gives you everything you need to know. Which is fantastic. How? Take a gander at their exam websites. They practically hand you the answers!
Exam Syllabus: ICND1 / ICND2 / CCNA Composite
You'll need to:
1) Buy & Read a book.
- This is a requirement. Yes, I know it's thick, it's heavy and boring with A lot of word-things.
2) Enter commands.
- Type in commands for the equipment. See the Output. Make it work!
Additional Goodies
3) Practice Exams
4) Videos
5) Motivation
6) Additional Tips, Tricks, Experience.
X2.1) You'll need to pickup a book!
Yes. I said it. Run for the hills, lock your windows, bar your doors. You heard me. You will need to read something. It's going to be dry. It's going to be boring.
First the books: These are the most-often recommended books members at Tech-Exams gravitate towards:
- Todd Lammle. CCBA Study Guide. 1 Book.
- Wendell Odom. CCNA Offical Cert Library. 2 Books
I prefer the hardcover for a couple reasons: 1) Depth of material 2) Looks great on the shelf 3) Lasts longer 4) I can study for the CCENT
Optional Readings:
1. RFCs (Request for comments): Getting used to reading technical documents will sooner or later become a need. There's over 5 thousand RFCs (Request for Comments). Might as well start with a few entertaining ones: 1882, 2324, 2795.
2. Cisco Documentation: Advice from the horses mouth... so to speak. There's documentation, graphics, command syntaxes. It's free and there's a lot of information.
X2.2) You'll need to enter commands!
Perfect practice makes perfect! Getting into the terminal, seeing the command-line (or SDM), and practicing commands is a must-do for CCNA candidates.
X2.2.A) Simulators - Simulators will give you feeling without the hassle. Some include labs with it. Convienent, Quick.
X2.2.A.a) Free - TechExams, NetSimK, Cisco Packet Tracer (Must be a NetAcad Student/Alumni).
X2.2.A.b) Paid - NetworkSims (Iristheangel), Boson NetSim8
X2.2.B) Emulators - Emulators will use the actual Cisco IOS. It acts like the real thing without the hardware! Great for saving some cash.
X2.2.B.a) Free - GNS3
X2.2.B.b) Paid - Unknown
X2.2.C) Hardware - I recommand buying hardware for candidates. It's expensive, I know. But there's experience you can't get with the other options.
Examples: How do you upgrade the IOS? How do you find out the DTE/DCE cabling are bad? That's just a taste of it. Personally, I just like to see the lights blink
How to console into hardware:
If you're going to have your own equiment, invest in a USB-to-Serial Converter. You'll going to need to console into the equipment, which, will usually be a Light-Blue Console cable, with a serial port at the end. The Serial end would go to the PC. Thankfully, we've phased the serial portion out! But it's still used for the cables, so far.
Prolific Adapter url=http://www.amazon.com/Plugable-Adapter-Prolific-PL2303HX-Chipset/dp/B00425S1H8/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1348579456&sr=8-3&keywords=usb-to-serial]Amazon Link[/url is what was recommended to me because it worked without problems. I bought it, tried to use it without drivers, then installed the drviers. It still worked! Yes, you'll need to install the drivers (Win7 64bit) before plugging it in! My Ubunutu didn't need drivers, though.
Windows Terminal Emulation Programs:
Free: PuTTY, Tera Term, mintty, Hyper Terminal (Non-Vista or Newer)
Paid: SecureCRT.
Settings: 9600 bits per second, no parity, 8 data bits, 1 stop bit.
X2.2.C.a) Minimal - (1) Switch, (1) Router.
X2.2.C.b) Multi-Lab - (3) Switches, (3) Routers.
X2.2.C.c) OverKill - (3) Switches, (6+) Routers.
X2.2.C.d) Hardware (Models) Like I stated before, buying equipment is not cheap. It's also not easy. But dang, it's fun! It's the benefit of window shopping without the guilt. Better than Chocolate!
Hold on! Before you go out and start looking at 10000-class routers, and switches that have blades in them... I'll just give you a list. It's a compliation of what works for most people. Some models will be cheaper than other, some may be old as dirt. For this list, I tried to keep the cost to reasonable - Less than 500 USD. Yes, Less than 500 USD is a reasonable investment for your own hardware.
I talked you into buying some hardware. Great! But... What do you look for in hardware? You'll be looking for the IOS version. It's the big one. Besides buying something that tests correctly! Routers with 12.4 is a must, as it's what's tested and what's current of this thread. Focus on simple and cheap. Keep a few bucks in your pocket.
Note: Models in Bold are recommended as cheap and Effective for the CCNA-Level topics.
X2.2.C.d.1) Switch Models - 2950 or 2950C/T/G, 2960, 3550, 3560.
X2.2.C.d.2) Router Models - 1721, 1760, 1841, 2501, 2610XM/2620XM, 2611, 2611XM/2621XM, 3640
X2.2.C.d.3) Frame Relay Routers - 1721, 1841, 2520, 2610XM w/ NM-4A/S Module
X2.2.C.d.4) Example Lab: There's a lot of choices. So here's what you'll need to do everything. You'll need 3 routers, and 3 switches. Keep in mind that "Module" equipment will be more expensive - because it's flexible for labs. You'll pony up the cost for the Module and the Router/Switch separately. I'd say dedicated hardware is better, atleast it should be cheaper to replace. Knowing how to troubleshoot modules can also be a good thing, and can decrease the overall size of your lab!
Note: I won't be listing everything - like cables, or transcievers, if needed. I have tried to go through the list and find compatable items, but there's so many options out there, you'll need to do the rest of the legwork. I'd recommend looking at Kits, see what they include. Figure out the answer to this question: Why?. Check Cisco's site. It's a lot of leg work, but this is something you might be doing. With that said: I can not guantee my example lab is correct. It may not meet your needs!
Switches: 3x 2950c (17-30$)
Routers: 1x 2520 (37-50$), 3x 1721 (~20$ ea)
Extras: 6x WIC-1T Modules [For 1721] (~14$ ea),
Pros:
+Exciting! Window shopping for equipment to help you in the long run!
+It's yours. Forever.
+Interesting to see how other equipment may have been setup in the past.
+Can be a lot cheaper than Hardware Kits
Cons:
-Can be expensive than Hardware Kits.
-Warranties aren't guanteed.
-Time will be invested. You'll need to look for a good, inexpensive buy.
-You don't know exactly what you'll get until you get it in your hands.
Warning: Make sure the ports are "Green". "Amber" is a bad color. This is a great indicator that the hardware is in great working order. Look for IOS 12.4 for Routers. If possible: ask for terminal outputs: show version, show post. Examples of both can be found at the end of this post: 6.C, 6.D.
Examples: eBay, CraigsList, Many "Kit" websites (see next section).
X2.2.C.e) Hardware Kits - While it's a fun time to go hunt for hardware. You never know what you'll find... But sometimes, we just don't want to deal with all of that. I get it. Hardware Kits come in all ranges - Barebones to Extravagant. You'll need to weigh your options, and make sure the shipping doesn't kill that good looking cost.
Pros:
+Convienent
+Warranties
+Technical Support for hardware
+May include labs, wiring and everything needed to start doing labs the first day.
+Upgraded to latest version, most of the time
Cons:
-Expensive
-Not as much "Thrill" buying them all together.
Warning: Stay away from eBay kits. I've read some posts where eBay Kits were known to malfunction, older (Not useful) IOS versions.
Examples: CertificationKits, CablesandKits, Network Communication Solutions
X2.2.D) Rack Time - Use the internet connection, connect to a rack, start labbing! It's a cost-effective method for people that want to use expensive setups but can't afford the cost, or maintence. Best of all. You don't need to worry about IOS software, and it's ultra-portable!
Pros:
+Convient. Access your lab from around the world.
+It's not yours.
+Cheap
Cons:
-You're scheduling time. First come, first served.
-It's not yours.
-Service may not be available
Examples: INE.com, Bryant Advantage,
X2.2.E) Labs - You need material to work with!
Free Examples: Ltat42a's Labs, Freeccnaworkbook
Paid Examples: 101 Labs for the Cisco CCNA Exam
X2.3) Practice Exams
First off, I need to talk about the elephant in the room: Test ****, Brain ****. These are questions that come from the cisco certification exams. Don't do them. It's cheating. Cheating is bad. i]As in certification termination. Certification Testing Ban[/i Period. Stay out of trouble, follow my links!
Practice exams are great to knock cobwebs loose. It also allows you to get into the testing mind-set. There is a right way and a wrong way to take these exams.
Wrong Way: Go through each question, seeing the right answer, and immediately selecting that correct answer.
- Did you give a thought to any reason why? What about the other answers?
Right Way: Go through each question, seeing the right answer. Then you ask yourself: Why are the others wrong? You can get 4x the benefit out of a single question by asking that one question, and working through it.
Examining the answers will help you dig up and strengthen the material. You may discover that you may not know that acronym like you thought you did.
This is a procedure that works to help avoid memorizing test answers. Memorizing a practice test and its answers won't help you. If you happen to pass the real test, you'll find out that you'll be missing Why. Why something works like it does is the most important question to ask while you test and when you get on the job.
Free Examples: CertGUARD, Tech Exams
Paid Examples: Boson ExamSim.
X2.4) Videos
So what's the next-best thing to a real teacher in class? A video lesson. While not interactive, it can be used to help understand the fundamentals and can also add other bits of information that you would otherwise not have known about.
Warning: Do not use videos as a subsitute for reading a book and/or labbing!
Free Videos: Youtube, Youtube Channels: Bryant Advantage, The, Keith Barker, Booduh099, DansCourses,
Paid Videos: CbtNuggets, TrainSignal, INE.com
X2.5) Motivation
YOU! STOP! Before we move on, I have a few questions for you:
1) Are you driven to get this certification? Yes. I know you are. You know you are.
2) What about 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 Months from now? Are you sure you are? To be quite honest, I'm not sure you have it in you.
Those are some long months ahead.It's going to be harder once you realize that this stuff is pretty scary. It's new. They're topics you've never seen before. A lot of stuff will be thrown at you: EIGRP, VTP, Router and Switch commands, Subnetting -just to name a few! You'll be reading books that look like they came from Harvard! Then you'll need to work through lab problems, solving them yourself. You'll need an advil to get rid of the headache!
"Do you really want to be studying for 6 months?".
// End Scene.
Your motivation is already going down. I can feel it (Yes, through time and space and the future internet) It's that nagging itch at the back of your mind. You don't want to acknowledge it- but it's there. It waits in the depths for a weak moment. Then out of the blue - It'll hit. Hard. It'll hit so hard that you won't want to do anything at all.
This is the feeling everyone that has studied for a certification, or any test can atest to. For some people, this feeling is more prominent than others. But it's still there in one degree or another.
I'm a betting man. I'd be willing to bet on that sometime during everyone's life - they sensed it too. So you're in good company.
If you're still with me... [I hope I didn't scare anyone off?] ...I wanted to try to introduce you to the enemy. I'm going to help you. You can't fight what you pretend doesn't exist. Ignorance does not help you. It's there, even if I couldn't shine a light on the blob. I can guantee it sometime down the road: You will second guess the pace you're studying. You know what's better? It happens to everyone - admit it or not.
So how can you fight it? How can you protect yourself against this motivational pirate?
1) Make Studying self-sustaining. Are you thinking about going head-first and quitting everything to get it done? Don't. Go to the gym. Play video games. Go out with family. See your friends. Humans by nature are social creatures. Don't punish yourself for something that's good.
The key here: Time Management. It sounds like a "Diet", right? You could boil it down to dieting. But saying "Diet" is like saying "Crazy-Axe-Murderer-Friend-thats-too-emotional". You just don't want it (or him) around. My Tip: Don't use the word "Diet". Forget "Time Management". They were dropped from Wikipedia, Webster's Dictionary long ago.
What you want to do is to make room to study. It may not be hours, or half a day. It may be just 10, 20, 40 minutes. Just do something, for what you can, everyday. No stress. When you're in the bathroom, prop up a book. That's the way Txxx xxxxxxxxx should be!
2) Tech Exams: We are all your peers. We may not know, or like you. Yet, We are what we are. Some are more knowledgable than others. We work in your field, or want to be. Reach out to us. The good thing about the internet, and these forums: You can talk to anyone around the globe. Use it.
You know what Lennon said: "I get by with a little help from my friends."
3) Set small goals. Complete them. Reward yourself for doing every one. Example: Read Chapter 2 tomorrow. Reward: Bottle of BAWLS. Personally: My reward for finishing this post is to order a case of BAWLS. Yeah, It works. Bribe yourself with a carrot. That said...
Tip: Do not punish or take away something if you don't complete it. Why would you try do something that punishes you all the time?
4) Practice: You'll learn to like it through doing it. You may hate it at first. I hated reading. I've learned to tolerate it. I'm starting to enjoy it. I (I can't emphasis this enough) never owned anything that didn't include the words "Strategy Guide" in them before last year. If you read this entire post so far, you can definitely make it through the Cisco Books. See how that worked? color=darkgrey]I genuinely amazed myself[/color
Above all, Do not forget...
No matter what you do, you will have a moment of weakness. Somehow, Someway it will happen and It really sucks when it does. What you do at that moment is what makes people successful, and those working at the local Burger joints. That my friend, is not just with Cisco or Certifications, but anything worth doing.
I'll leave this section with a few good quotes. Bites for your noggin'. Sources
"Even if you fall on your face, you're still moving forward." - Victor Kiam
"The harder the conflict, the more glourius the triumph" - Thomas Paine
"Perseverance is failing 19 times and succeeding the 20th" - Julie Andrews
"Invest something in yourself for the future to want to invest more in you." - Me
X2.6) Additional Tips, Tricks, Wisdom
6.A: Life: Expect personal problems to come up. Deaths, illness, legal, weddings, children, Holidays, Work projects, All Life. You'll need to manage your time around it. You'll need to get efficient at learning. I've run into a lot of those bumps in the road.
The only suggestion I can make: Print out some of your notes. Otherwise, If you can afford a cheap e-reader/tablet/net book, pick one up. All the time you're doing nothing, you should be doing something. Might as well be something to help you.
There's only so much you can do about Life, the rest needs to play out on it's own. Of course - Do what you can, then get your head back in the game. Don't forget us.
6.B: Ask Questions on Tech Exams. Asking questions helps you, helps me, helps everyone. When you ask questions people will see the question and think about the problem. The mere act of trying to think about the topic helps to retain knowledge.
6.C: Show Version. 3550 Switch output. Yes, it's upto date!
[color=green][b]Neo>show version[/color][/b] Cisco IOS Software, C3550 Software (C3550-IPSERVICESK9-M), [color=red][b]Version 12.2(44)SE6[/b][/color], RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc1) Copyright (c) 1986-2009 by Cisco Systems, Inc. Compiled Mon 09-Mar-09 20:28 by gereddy Image text-base: 0x00003000, data-base: 0x012A99FC ROM: Bootstrap program is C3550 boot loader Neo uptime is 1 minute System returned to ROM by power-on System image file is "flash:/c3550-ipservicesk9-mz.122-44.SE6.bin" This product contains cryptographic features and is subject to United States and local country laws governing import, export, transfer and use. Delivery of Cisco cryptographic products does not imply third-party authority to import, export, distribute or use encryption. Importers, exporters, distributors and users are responsible for compliance with U.S. and local country laws. By using this product you agree to comply with applicable laws and regulations. If you are unable to comply with U.S. and local laws, return this product immediately. A summary of U.S. laws governing Cisco cryptographic products may be found at: http://www.cisco.com/wwl/export/crypto/tool/stqrg.html If you require further assistance please contact us by sending email to export@cisco.com. Cisco WS-C3550-24-PWR (PowerPC) processor (revision G0) with [color=red][b]65526K/8192K[/b][/color] bytes of memory. Processor board ID CATxxxxxxxx Last reset from warm-reset Running Layer2/3 Switching Image Ethernet-controller 1 has 12 Fast Ethernet/IEEE 802.3 interfaces Ethernet-controller 2 has 12 Fast Ethernet/IEEE 802.3 interfaces Ethernet-controller 3 has 1 Gigabit Ethernet/IEEE 802.3 interface Ethernet-controller 4 has 1 Gigabit Ethernet/IEEE 802.3 interface 24 FastEthernet interfaces 2 Gigabit Ethernet interfaces The password-recovery mechanism is enabled. 384K bytes of flash-simulated NVRAM. Base ethernet MAC Address: xx[IMG]https://us.v-cdn.net/6030959/uploads/images/smilies/icon_mad.gif[/IMG]x[IMG]https://us.v-cdn.net/6030959/uploads/images/smilies/icon_mad.gif[/IMG]x[IMG]https://us.v-cdn.net/6030959/uploads/images/smilies/icon_mad.gif[/IMG]x[IMG]https://us.v-cdn.net/6030959/uploads/images/smilies/icon_mad.gif[/IMG]x[IMG]https://us.v-cdn.net/6030959/uploads/images/smilies/icon_mad.gif[/IMG]x Motherboard assembly number: xx-xxxx-xx Power supply part number: 341-xxxx-xx Motherboard serial number: CATxxxxxxxx Power supply serial number: LITxxxxxxxxx Model revision number: xx Motherboard revision number: xx Model number: WS-C3550-24PWR-SMI System serial number: CATxxxxxxxx Configuration register is 0x10F6.D: Show Post. 3550 Switch output.
[b][color=darkgreen]Neo>show post
^
[color=darkred]% Invalid input detected at '^' marker.[/color]
Neo>enable[/color]
[color=green]Neo#show post[/color][/b]
Stored system POST messages:
POST: CPU Buffer Tests : Begin
POST: CPU Buffer Tests : End, Status [color=green]Passed[/color]
POST: CPU Interface Tests : Begin
POST: CPU Interface Tests : End, Status [color=green]Passed[/color]
POST: Switch Core Tests : Begin
POST: Switch Core Tests : End, Status [color=green]Passed[/color]
POST: CPU Interface 2nd Stage Tests : Begin
POST: CPU Interface 2nd Stage Tests : End, Status [color=green]Passed[/color]
POST: CAM Subsystem Tests : Begin
POST: CAM Subsystem Tests : End, Status [color=green]Passed[/color]
POST: Ethernet Controller Tests : Begin
POST: Ethernet Controller Tests : End, Status [color=green]Passed[/color]
POST: ILP Controller Tests : Begin
POST: ILP Controller Tests : End, Status [color=green]Passed[/color]
POST: Loopback Tests : Begin
POST: Loopback Tests : End, Status [color=green]Passed[/color]
In order to succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure.
TE Threads: How to study for the CCENT/CCNA, Introduction to Cisco Exams
TE Threads: How to study for the CCENT/CCNA, Introduction to Cisco Exams
Comments
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TurK-FX
Member Posts: 174
the topic "Self Studier with experience" you put self studier with no experience instead. edit that outWGU classes: Transferred -> AGC1, CLC1, TBP1, CJC1, BVC1, C278, CRV1, IWC1, IWT1, C246, C247, C132, C164, INC1, C277. Appealed -> WFV1 and C393.
What is Left to take - > EUP1, EUC1, C220, C221, BNC1, GC1, C299, CTV1, DJV1, DHV1, CUV1, CJV1, TPV1, C394
Currently Studying -> CCNA security (Designing Customized Security & Security) -
FloOz
Member Posts: 1,614 ■■■■□□□□□□
Great thread! Maybe now all the "What material do I need to pass the CCNA?" threads will stop.....nahhh lol -
lantech
Member Posts: 329
I think under education you should also put the boot camps as well. Not just the colleges or high schools. As much as they suck people still do use them.
Also for the academy courses I think you should put packet tracer down as a pro since that's the only legal way to get it and is still more than enough to get your CCNA. With the academy courses you should be using it to build a fairly complex network when it comes to CCNA studies.
BTW, I vote for this to be a sticky
2012 Certification Goals
CCENT: 04/16/2012
CCNA: TBD -
mikeybikes
Member Posts: 86 ■■□□□□□□□□
For the equipment list, I feel you need to state the list is not all inclusive. -
JeanM
Member Posts: 1,117
mikeybikes wrote: »For the equipment list, I feel you need to state the list is not all inclusive.
Since the 25xx are included, I think non XM 26xx are capable for many tasks... also 3640s are cheap and can run 12.4 as well 2015 goals - ccna voice / vmware vcp. -
mapletune
Member Posts: 316
yea~~ 3640's rock!! just got myself one of these steals! =D
(hopefully CCIE lab won't update to IOS 15 within a couple of years.... ;-;Studying: vmware, CompTIA Linux+, Storage+ or EMCISA
Future: CCNP, CCIE -
Roguetadhg
Member Posts: 2,489 ■■■■■■■■□□
I've heard some -rough- things about boot camps. So I'm hesitant to include this in the list. But yeah, I'll include it just because they're around. Thank you for your suggestions/corrections. Rep for all!
I'm encouraging comments, corrections, additions. :P
I added the 3640. I'll keep adding models, but I will need to check to see the latest IOS available for that model. Please include exact model numbers In order to succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure.
TE Threads: How to study for the CCENT/CCNA, Introduction to Cisco Exams -
FloOz
Member Posts: 1,614 ■■■■□□□□□□
A network engineer at my company was sent to do a bootcamp for his ccna. I picked his brain on what was covered at the boot camp and he pretty much said that for a week straight (up to 10 hours a day) the class labbed and studied. Side note: He is the senior network engineer at my company so I know it was a breeze for him since he has 10+ years networking experience.
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lantech
Member Posts: 329
Might also want to mention the Certguard website so those that are interested in practice exams can avoid the brain ****.2012 Certification Goals
CCENT: 04/16/2012
CCNA: TBD -
Roguetadhg
Member Posts: 2,489 ■■■■■■■■□□
I'm not saying boot camps are bad. They have their place. I've tried to notate that in the first post
I've seen people go through boot camps - for example CCNP/CCIE-to-be. These people already have the knowledge, they just need to polish it. They don't need to be 'introduced'. Well - They may need to be introduced to a few topics, or rethink topics. But they have a better understanding of what's happening.
However, for a new comer straight into CCNA from no experience. 6 days (the maximum I've seen for a ccna bootcamp - I've looked for myself) isn't enough when factoring in someone with 0 experience, with limited computer knowledge going into the class. It's going to be a mind-blowing experience. I would stay away from Boot camps if I knew nothing. It took me a long time to really say "I got this"
For example Just to list something that pops into my head - Subnetting. This takes practice. A lot of practice. Not over night practice. But over time, keep-doing-it, practice. It's not a topic that can really be memorized and forced. Memorizing that 192 = 128+64 [and the significance of those two numbers] comes from doing practice, not reading a book. Not to mention there's a lot of ways to learn subnetting, but it all equals to one goal - Splitting network addresses into smaller chunks.
There's memorizing, and then there's understanding. Boot camps can't allow the understanding that comes with time.
@Mikeybikes, Lantech - Added both suggestions. Thanks! I can't give you rep yet In order to succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure.
TE Threads: How to study for the CCENT/CCNA, Introduction to Cisco Exams -
mapletune
Member Posts: 316
i agree with rogue that 6 days of "intense training" cannot carry someone from zero to ccna.
Depending on how it's planned and carried out, though, at least it could be a fun experience! =pStudying: vmware, CompTIA Linux+, Storage+ or EMCISA
Future: CCNP, CCIE -
lantech
Member Posts: 329
This is exactly why I thought that the boot camps should be included in the post. For those that don't have experience thinking that the boot camp would be a good idea when it's not.2012 Certification Goals
CCENT: 04/16/2012
CCNA: TBD -
Roguetadhg
Member Posts: 2,489 ■■■■■■■■□□
@Lantech: That's why it's already been included In order to succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure.
TE Threads: How to study for the CCENT/CCNA, Introduction to Cisco Exams -
Mischief
Member Posts: 9 ■□□□□□□□□□
Great post, this will help and put a fire under a lot of people who are eager to earn their certification.
I have been watching Keil Martin (booduh099) on youtube, he went from zero to CCNP in 3 years. He also spent everyday studying and doing labs...dedication and hard work pays off. -
FloOz
Member Posts: 1,614 ■■■■□□□□□□
Great post, this will help and put a fire under a lot of people who are eager to earn their certification.
I have been watching Keil Martin (booduh099) on youtube, he went from zero to CCNP in 3 years. He also spent everyday studying and doing labs...dedication and hard work pays off.
I really like his videos as well. Good guy
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Illumanati
Banned Posts: 211 ■□□□□□□□□□
Roguetadhg wrote: »@Lantech: That's why it's already been included
I am about to embark on my maiden voyage via *ONE* of your suggestions above- taking a Cisco NetAcad course!!
CCNA: Exploration - Designed for students with advanced problem solving and analytical skills. More material. More Depth. Quicker speed.
Example: Colleges. Expect to cover what you need to know in a single semister. Atleast my local colleges planned it out that way.
Would the Cisco IV class be this CCNA: Exploration?
Keep up the GREAT work. I love this thread and to compound the matter, and can't wait! This thread is perfect "how to structure" your start or approach to studying and how to begin it in terms of mindset!! I would just like to add that if motivation, which is not included, is an issue..do everything in yourpower to overcome it even if it means enrolling or in some cases, re-taking a cisco "exploration" course Accessing the WAN. Then, all you need to do is or you can brush up the Accessing the LAN stuff which is basically just routing and switching, add subnetting and you're done! Fighting the test monster is a different animal but not by much! -
Roguetadhg
Member Posts: 2,489 ■■■■■■■■□□
@Mischief, FloOz: I'll find his channel and link him to the thread. If it has two people's approval, it's definitely worth the work to link! Rep given!
@Illumanati:
I did try to include motivation, as one of the lower portions of the post. I didn't make it a large topic, however. Would you say it would be better as a larger topic? See 5.b.
I didn't get around to that area yet so I didn't have a chance to look over it from last night. I rushed it out last night to get people's thoughts and opinions, corrections, etc. Rep for constructive feedback!
I'm not sure what Cisco IV is. It may be. It may not be. The colleges around where I lived tried to summarized Cisco topics within a semister or two. Not 4 semisters. To me, 4 semisters is a 2 year program.
If Cisco I went over the basic computing aspects - such as what is a CPU, RAM, BIOS, POST,... things of that nature that could be considered material covered with a CompTIA A+ certification, I'd consider it "Discovery" instead of "Exploration". I may have to try to pickup a course at the college. Basicly "Discovery" brings someone upto speed from zero information, what we could call "End Users". Gives them information that can be dangerous (or not), and starts to teach them Networking basics, then Cisco topics ontop.In order to succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure.
TE Threads: How to study for the CCENT/CCNA, Introduction to Cisco Exams -
lantech
Member Posts: 329
The way my college handled the cisco courses was they were 8 weeks per class. When I took the classes they were about 3 hours a night twice a week. I've heard they've redone that a little at other colleges in the area. At the time the college I went to was the only one with Cisco courses. With the 8 week time frame you could get all the classes done in a year. Or a semester if you weren't working. I don't remember there being prerequisites for any of the courses other than Comptia knowledge either through classes or certifications. But I think the courses are really meant to be taken in order and build off the lower level courses. The fourth class put the knowledge of all the classes together. That being said I would really suggest taking the classes in order instead of out of order.
Sorry for the formatting of the post. It's been a long three weeks and I'm exhausted and getting ready for my final night of work for the week. Yeah, finally a 4 day weekend.2012 Certification Goals
CCENT: 04/16/2012
CCNA: TBD -
Roguetadhg
Member Posts: 2,489 ■■■■■■■■□□
Formatting & Revisions are completed!
Time to order me a case of BAWLS from thinkgeek!
@lantech: No blood Lost. No Foul!In order to succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure.
TE Threads: How to study for the CCENT/CCNA, Introduction to Cisco Exams -
TehToG
Member Posts: 194
It's very good. I'd add something about how to study as some people don't know. Reading isn't enough, you need to understand (and do examples) etc.
I would emphasize the downside of **** i.e. that if you get caught you get banned from cisco exams for life (career ender for a network admin) and also you would fail every technical interview/be unprepared for every job you do get.
Also I would note that bootcamps are really only for when your employer requires that you get you get a certification quickly (which can happen with HR shakeups, Redundancies and mergers)
edit: typo at:
Todd Lammle. CCBA Study Guide. 1 Book.
Also 7th edition is the latest. -
FloOz
Member Posts: 1,614 ■■■■□□□□□□
Roguetadhg wrote: »Formatting & Revisions are completed!
Time to order me a case of BAWLS from thinkgeek!
@lantech: No blood Lost. No Foul!
OMG! I love BAWLS! Definitely my favorite energy drink of ALL time! 7-Eleven used to carry it but they don't anymore
I may have to join you in ordering a case, I haven't had one in 2+ years. -
FloOz
Member Posts: 1,614 ■■■■□□□□□□
Hey rogue here is another great youtube channel that you may want to add to your thread. He has tons of content for CCNA certification.
DansCourses - YouTube -
staticz
Member Posts: 54 ■■□□□□□□□□
Awesome thread. I'm getting ready to embark on this journey (6 months is the goal/requirement set) and it was nice to stumble onto a well organized post on how to do it!
This weekend I'll be ordering a set off books (most likely these - Amazon Link) and trying to start on my lab. Luckily we have piles of 2960s at work so I'll be able to get those easily, not sure on the routers quite yet. Is the biggest requirement iOS 12.4? The reason I ask is I may be able to get newer equipment through work... -
Roguetadhg
Member Posts: 2,489 ■■■■■■■■□□
Keep the updates coming!
If you got links, suggestions, make them known! I'm trying to make a single source of information for CCENT/CCNA/None of the above!
Added: Pros/Cons to Hardware Buying
I drink black tea. It's been a while since I've had BAWLS, a couple months. Im not sure which to pick up actually - RootBeer, Original, or Cherry. I liked them all - except for the sugar free! AMP has been my staple drink for the latest. Monster isn't drinkable for me.In order to succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure.
TE Threads: How to study for the CCENT/CCNA, Introduction to Cisco Exams -
Ltat42a
Member Posts: 587 ■■■□□□□□□□
Here's a couple more Youtube Channels -
Keith Barker
Keith Barker - YouTube
Chris Bryant (The Bryant Advantage)
The Bryant Advantage - YouTube -
Mischief
Member Posts: 9 ■□□□□□□□□□
Here is the link to Keil Martin's YouTube page, a lot of good videos. He offers good information and real life experience that he has encountered.Kiel Martin brings Cisco Concept to Light - YouTube
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JeanM
Member Posts: 1,117
Hey rogue here is another great youtube channel that you may want to add to your thread. He has tons of content for CCNA certification.
DansCourses - YouTube
+1, really good stuff!2015 goals - ccna voice / vmware vcp.
