What is the hardest topic to study for CCNA?

Here's a poll mainly to see on which topics we should focus in our practice exams and TechNotes. The options correspond pretty much with the exam objectives.

Johan

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Comments

Hushang

wow, i see alot of people are having diffuclty with WAN stuff, I comprehended rather easily, I had some problems with switching and ACL.

Danman32

I don't think it was comprehending that was the problem. Mesmerizing(sic) the terms and commands was more my problem. Lots to know and mesmerize.

synthesizer

I'm studying CCNA with CNAP Companion Guide book. In my opinion, WAN technologies are hardest. I don't know Supernetting.

phucdull

I think Access list is the hardest part of CCNA exams.
How many questions in each of CCNA Exams, heck

Kaminsky

Subnetting

I found a very good guide on this on the firewall.cx site which helps a lot with the speed aspect people seem to be worried about.

It shows and explains a simple table which you can easily reproduce when you start your exam which you can then use for any subnetting questions that you may come across.

You can also remember it for normal daily networking quite easily.

I didn't write it. Just letting you know about it.

Look Here -> http://www.firewall.cx/ftopict-2145.html

Paul Boz

the WAN technologies section, by far. There are so many acronyms and configuration types to remember that it's pretty tough. The unfortunate thing is that in a real world scenario you can easily use a reference manual for the vast majority of the nitty gritty stuff the WAN section asks. Most of the WAN material is far too in depth and goes well beyond understanding the technology.

route-e

Im just now studying for the CCNA exam. I found that subnetting is my first hurdle, I believe you just have to stop thinking about passing the test, slow down and focus strictly on subnetting, approach it like a certification itself. Before you know it, the mountain will crumble and your shirt will no longer fit, because your networking muscles will of just grown!!

mattipler

Just started Semester 4 at the academy so I can't comment on WAN technologies but for me, so far, the hardest area of the course has been subnetting, VLSM and summarization. I'm just going to have to batter it and batter it for my CCNA final until I become a machine... able to calculate summarizations as I sleep.

emmajoyce

doing ACL's was my hardest. It wasnt the syntax of the command but the wildcard mask. Subnetting is really easy after you finally get it. Just like algebra. When you get it youve got it. Im not talking about just doing whole subnets, we had to do like every odd and even numbered hosts with a wildcard.

Paul Boz

mtlbenz wrote:

man the access-lists are something i understand but i still can't perfectly implement them

Yeah when I first started studying for the CCNA I swore up and down that WAN tech would be my un-doing, but after realizing that ISDN is practically not even on the series any more I've changed my vote to access lists. Not because I can't use them (because I can) but because they took forever to learn for me.

netcom2000

I have just started, or about to start the chapter on VSM (Variable subnet masks) and think I am going to have trouble with subnetting, oh well, try and try again.

Jammywanks

Ok in order of most difficult to least difficult in terms of being the "most difficult of the CCNA":

1) ISDN - this is old, cumbersome technology, nobody cares about it, and if you still use it, you suck.
I was doing a practice exam and it went to a lab simulation for ISDN interface dialers, both my Exam Cram and Sybex books didn't even touch anything about "dialer pools", as the answer key went into "dialer pool-member 1" and "interface dialer 5" as answers.
2) WAN terminology, PPP, pap chap, dlci PVC, LMI types
3) Access lists using inverse masks, I mean subnetting is somewhat of a different concept to learn, then you have to flip it around and make an inverse mask? WTF?

Julie Jones

Yeah I gotta agree about the ISDN, I used to troubleshoot ISDN dial backups and I was pretty good at it. And I *never* had to know about the N, S, T reference points or whatever they are. And if you're in a managed network environment the line between telco and customer means nothing anyway. I work for the telco and I do occasionally have to know a little frame relay. But the WAN technologies section is definitely the least interesting to me. The subnetting and wildcard masks are harder to grasp conceptually but at least it's not total memorization like much of the rest.

Jammywanks

Well, did anyone get tested on ISDN configuration in the simulation exam part?

wintermute

I haven't sat an exam yet, just practicing using the cisco press cd... Subnetting was a problem for me (only from a time pressure point of view) until I wrote out a table (I believe you can take as much time to write stuff down before you start the exam??? if not someone please tell me as I need to change my strategy!!)

I write down the binary the decimal and the mask bits

eg

Binary dec bits A B C subnets hosts

10000000 128 1 9 17 25 2 126
11000000 192 2 10 18 26 4 62
11100000 224 3 11 19 27 8 30

etc

I also put off to the right the number of subnets and number of hosts for a class C (assuming IP subnet zero is configured).

I also calculate all the powers of 2 and write them down up to 2^24

The other thing I do is write out all of the subnet numbers down to 16 per subnet

eg

0 128
0 64 128 192
0 32 64 96 128 160 192 224
0 16 32 48 64 80 96 112 128 144 160 176 192 208 224 240

it is very quick to look and get the subnet and broadcast from this info, means I don't have to use my brain for mental arithmetic (25 years or so of using a calculator takes it's toll

) for subnets of size 8 or less it is easy to derive from the 0 16.... line.

when dealing with reverse subnets I use the simple subtract subnet from 255.255.255.255 trick

eg reverse mask for 255.255.255.224 subtract 224 from 255 get 31 rest zero so reverse mask is 0.0.0.31

now that I got that sorted, the biggest problem I have is with the routing protocols, specifically remembering all of the little details like default administrative distances, routing update timings etc, anything that involved rote learning.

remembering things like protocol numbers has been a problem but going over and over eventually they stick.

Tony.

JNeko

WAN

I just studied a day of ISDN. I don't think I have ever had such a strong feeling to kill myself. Configuring access lists is up there too, but not so hard to grasp as it is just plain troublesome.

Odieone

I agree wintermule.. I do the same thing except I put Lammle's block sizes in between my CIDR and my hosts and subnets list.

something like.
192 10 18 26 64 62 2 .. And a row of the 16 tables to help me to figure out those questions about which host ip is in this network type questions? I have to say ISDN confuse the hell out of me. Especially those reference points.

I would probably get stoned but I would be a happy man if the entire exam was only on subnets and access lists.

Ciscopimpenator

Access lists were really easy for me, but the WAN stuff is the most difficult to retain.

Paul Boz

I didn't even bother learning ISDN stuff because it's practically not on the exam any more. It's all but removed from the curriculum and will be completely phased out by the next revision. Frame relay is easy by comparison. I feel really bad every time I hear of an aspiring CCNA trying to cram as much ISDN as possible knowing full well that they'll never see it in their professional or academic lives.

iproute

Paul Boz wrote:

I didn't even bother learning ISDN stuff because it's practically not on the exam any more. It's all but removed from the curriculum and will be completely phased out by the next revision. Frame relay is easy by comparison. I feel really bad every time I hear of an aspiring CCNA trying to cram as much ISDN as possible knowing full well that they'll never see it in their professional or academic lives.

I re-covered the entire WAN chapter (11) in the Sybex book last night. This being the third time, I still felt like I had never seen some of the stuff that I was reading and I'll probably at least skim the chapter again before I take Intro on Friday. I focused on the Frame Relay parts very heavily and gave less time to ISDN (due to comments such as those like Paul's).

EdTheLad

Paul Boz wrote:

I feel really bad every time I hear of an aspiring CCNA trying to cram as much ISDN as possible knowing full well that they'll never see it in their professional or academic lives.

Thats a crazy statement, isdn is used alot for remote access to customer networks.I've had to dial in to customer networks over isdn countless times. If you do any travelling with your job to developing countries you will surely come across isdn in some form or another.

JNeko

EdTheLad wrote:

Thats a crazy statement, isdn is used alot for remote access to customer networks.I've had to dial in to customer networks over isdn countless times. If you do any travelling with your job to developing countries you will surely come across isdn in some form or another.

I concur, my father's previous work was primarily based around ISDN implementation, it's still out there.

A quick follow-up on my previous statement about the most difficult subject so far in my CCNA studies --- actually, now that I think about it, and don't laugh at me, when I first began I thought thinking in a "layered approach" with the OSI model was kind of hard to grasp. But once I got over that, all other conceptional thinking encountered in my studies have seemed much simpler. I mean, no matter how intricate the procedures might seem, if you just remember it's just yet another step part of a whole definitive structure, then everything else seems to just rest with memory --- being able to remember the details and specs, as well as being able to remember how to employ correct command strings in the exact order during configuration or whatever. So, I have found if I just keep the big picture in mind, everything else will eventually fall into it's natural place. Just some thoughts.

calaverasgrandes

The ACL questions I have encountered on practice exams are stumpers. It so annoying how the answers they present are all so similar! Subenetting is killing me also. Though I think I turned the corner after I found the little chestnut (in TCP/IP addressing 2nd edition Buck Graham) that borrowed bits have to be be high order contiguous bits. Why doesnt anybody come out and say that explicitly in the CCNA curriculum? Or maybe they did but I missed it.
IOS example configs on the practice exams are killing me. The one I have wont let you off the hook unless you do things in exactly the right order they specify. Though I know from experience (I have 3 routers under my coffee table here) that it just aint so. You can do a lot of these things in a multitude of ways. Like how you navigate from interface serial 0 to interface serial 1.

calaverasgrandes

Until recently I just didnt get VLSM subnetting. Spent 2 weeks just on that. Now I get it, so I can move on to WANs and Routing protocols.

Shatylle

I have to vote for WAN, but for me it was only really ISDN's really hate those and can't say I have ever seen one but then had to work on an X.25 network once so maybe it is still relevant to have ISDN in CCNA

Dmug

my problem is ACL

Plazma

For sure, Frame relay because it makes you think a bit differently and your mixing layer2 and layer 3 information in a way that you have to know whats what to keep your head straight so your not mapping the wrong ip to the wrong dlci.. etc

gshoemaker

KMAN24 wrote:

Correct me if I am wrong.....Athough I am anxious to be a high level Cisco Admin, my Cisco teach quoted the following. "You will not be responsible for Supernetting or Route Summarization on the exam. Is she wrong ?

If you do not understand route summarization or supernetting, you will have a very hard time with the wildcard masks, etc. I would go as far as saying if you do not have a good understanding of subnetting, you will NOT pass the exam.

127.0.0.1

gshoemaker wrote:

KMAN24 wrote:

Correct me if I am wrong.....Athough I am anxious to be a high level Cisco Admin, my Cisco teach quoted the following. "You will not be responsible for Supernetting or Route Summarization on the exam. Is she wrong ?

If you do not understand route summarization or supernetting, you will have a very hard time with the wildcard masks, etc. I would go as far as saying if you do not have a good understanding of subnetting, you will NOT pass the exam.

You do realize that you're quoting a post from December 1, 2004 right ?;)

Lone_HD_Rider

Agree it's quite a challenge. The hard work is rewarding and fun. However.
I was working with a reputable exam simulator for my ICND1, CCENT.
Feeling very comfortable with Subnetting. After practicing in my home lab until I was very comfortable but fast. Setting up subnets breaking them etc across five Wic T1 b2b links.
Third question on the sim (CCENT) had a drawing PC/Host on the Left and a PC/Host on the right.
Between the PC's were 5 Routers. And followed by questions regarding the subnet and path. I perform some work for the Govt of a medium metropolitan city.
That's equal to or more than the subnets we use from the "Core".
After three practice questions immediately stopped the Exam Sim to practice a lot more.
Wow.