CWNA or CCNA-Wireless?

I cut my teeth on Cisco books, but I've seen good comments about the CWNA cert, also. I'm just wondering which would be a better first step to go after and/or which employers value the most.

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Comments

carwashguy

I would go CWNA...it's vendor neutral and has more to it from what I've seen. Also just because a company uses Cisco switches/routers does not mean they will be using Cisco Wireless gear. My friend's company is all cisco...but wireless installs are Ruckus and before that they used Aruba.

Cat5

carwashguy wrote: »

I would go CWNA...it's vendor neutral and has more to it from what I've seen. Also just because a company uses Cisco switches/routers does not mean they will be using Cisco Wireless gear. My friend's company is all cisco...but wireless installs are Ruckus and before that they used Aruba.

Interesting that an all-Cisco shop wouldn't want a Cisco wireless man, too.

Cat5

FYI.
Cisco cites data-center, wireless for quarterly revenue increase - Network World

fivestarday

I work for an all Cisco & Motorola shop deploying indoor and outdoor wireless. I have my CCNA Wireless, and would like to get my CWNA. To be honest, I don't see a lot of employers searching for candidates with either certification.

If you would like to learn the theory and principals of wireless, I think I would go with CWNA. In reading the study guides for CWNA, I think it will give you the knowledge you need to know to deploy wireless properly. In deploying wireless you need to know the theory, protocols, and various security mechanisms before you will need to know the Cisco or Aruba way of doing wireless.

If you plan on working for a Cisco only shop, the CCNA Wireless fulfills some partner requirements. My CCNA has done more for my career than my CCNA Wireless.

Cat5

fivestarday wrote: »

I work for an all Cisco & Motorola shop deploying indoor and outdoor wireless. I have my CCNA Wireless, and would like to get my CWNA. To be honest, I don't see a lot of employers searching for candidates with either certification.

If you would like to learn the theory and principals of wireless, I think I would go with CWNA. In reading the study guides for CWNA, I think it will give you the knowledge you need to know to deploy wireless properly. In deploying wireless you need to know the theory, protocols, and various security mechanisms before you will need to know the Cisco or Aruba way of doing wireless.

If you plan on working for a Cisco only shop, the CCNA Wireless fulfills some partner requirements. My CCNA has done more for my career than my CCNA Wireless.

I'm actually considering a mid-level wireless cert - not just stopping at a CWNA or Cisco-Wireless cert. Either a CCNP-Wireless or whatever is the next step up from a CWNA. It's what I enjoy and where I think the world is headed. The only question is which path to go, and right now it's looking like the CWNA path. I couldn't go wrong with any employer that way, surely. My only problem would be no hands-on wireless experience.

fivestarday

You have the right idea. I would not stop until I reached a mid tier certification. I have passed 2 of the 4 tests to become a CCNP Wireless. So far the professional level tests vs associate have been more straight forward and in line with Cisco deployments we use in the field.

The wireless field is a great field to be in, but I hope you are ok with heights! I spend a lot of time 30-40 ft off the ground in a lift indoors and outdoors.

Cherper

I had my CWNA and CWSP and finally let them expire as I have never spoken with any interviewer that even knew what they were. These weren't the HR people, but the technical engineering folks, and this is not two or three times, but closer to 10 - 15. The CWNA track just has never taken off within the industry. The knowledge is great, but if you want a cert with recognition go with the Cisco cert.

pert

I didn't even want a Cisco Wireless cert, but I had to learn wireless and I was reading from the Lammle and Quick Reference guide. After a certain point I figured I may as well take the test. I thought the NA wireless test was absolutely brutal, harder than the NP R/S tests. The only reason I picked up the cert is because I can recertify it with other Cisco exams. It wouldn't take much more for me to get a CWNA now, but I know I'd never recertify it, so why bother?

Cat5

Do employers even ask for wireless certs? I see tons of requests for CCNA/CCNP/CCIE, but hardly anything else. Maybe I'm not looking in the right places.

boobobobobob

I have my CCNA wireless and it doesn't do much for me at all. Nobody seems to care, hah. It's OK i took it just to keep my CCNA valid, it's been a few years now but i remember it being really difficult. I barely passed and i had over 5+ years as a network engineer before i had even taken the exam!

cmitchell_00

The CWNA is the foundation of wireless and it's on the professonal level. Now the Cisco wireless is only the name and I can tell you my CCNA R/S was more valuable than all my certs. If you going down the wireless path for all vendors focus on the CWNA but, if you want to just do CCNA wireless then you know your fate. I know Cisco sells on a resume but, I'm learning it's what you retained in your knowledge bank. I know of shops here locally that want you to have CCNA wireless, Aruba, Meraki (before Cisco acquired it) just to name a few so; it's really where you're employed.

Mike-Mike

My old company was primarily a Cisco shop but used Aruba for wireless

docrice

If I had to throw away one of my certs, my first and immediate choice would be the CCNA Wireless. It helped extend my CCNA expiration, but that's about it. Based on quick glances at the CWNA book, it seems to be much, much more valuable from a skills-development perspective. The CCNA Wireless study guide felt more like Cisco marketing than real technical nuts-and-bolts this-is-how-802.11-works material.

The NP level for Cisco Wireless might be a different story. I don't plan to go down that route so I haven't looked into it at all.

N2IT

Six in one hand half dozen in the other.

Cat5

fivestarday wrote: »

You have the right idea. I would not stop until I reached a mid tier certification. I have passed 2 of the 4 tests to become a CCNP Wireless. So far the professional level tests vs associate have been more straight forward and in line with Cisco deployments we use in the field.

The wireless field is a great field to be in, but I hope you are ok with heights! I spend a lot of time 30-40 ft off the ground in a lift indoors and outdoors.

I'm fine with heights - but I'm just hoping that an employer will give me a chance at a wireless job without any actual paid wireless experience. Perhaps my five years of routing/switching experience will bridge the gap.