Taking the Test soon

I am new here. This forum seems to be the more active than other sites.
It is filled with great info that I have seen so far.

I have been through the training with Test-Out. Many times over. refining my skills on my weaknesses such as ISDN and Frame-Relay.

I just got done a project of setting up our network with all cisco layer 3 switches using Etherchanneling, Vlans, routing and port security for a large building to building wireless system.

I seem to know the stuff very well, but I can't get over the complexity of this test.

I failed the test about 2 years ago, but barely had any experience and I was training with the old test material that focused on routers, not switches, vlans, stp and etherchanneling. I scored in the mid 600 range (I know horrible) not to mention, I thought the test would be as easy as my microsoft and novell engineering certs. CNE and MCSE. God was I wrong.

I don't feel like wasting my money, but when do you know it's time?

anyone else take the test-out tests? I scored a 95% on it, but all the questions are rated equal and I have seen them more than once, so it might not be a fair assessment.

The sims are great on test-out and that seems to be my strong point.

Any advice out there?

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Comments

Netstudent

I haven't taken it, but I was asking one of my professor's at school the same thing just the other day. He is certified. I told him kinda what you just said. I just told him that everything is starting to get repetitive and monotonous. Everytime I open a book, it just seems like i'v already seen that material a hundred times. He said thats when you know you are ready. When the material starts to get less complicated, less complex, and more repetitive, then thats a pretty good indication that you are ready or very close.

There is no definitive answer to how to know when you are ready. All you can do is be comfortable with all the topics. If you pass then great, if not well then you know what you need to do to pas it the next time.

I have played around with testout a little. I just can't seem to sit and listen to it for very long because I'm just like ya ya already heard this a million times. Also I don't agree with some of theor terminology on those final big tests at the end. Their terminology is totally different than Cisco's

njcowboy

Netstudent wrote:

I haven't taken it, but I was asking one of my professor's at school the same thing just the other day. He is certified. I told him kinda what you just said. I just told him that everything is starting to get repetitive and monotonous. Everytime I open a book, it just seems like i'v already seen that material a hundred times. He said thats when you know you are ready. When the material starts to get less complicated, less complex, and more repetitive, then thats a pretty good indication that you are ready or very close.

There is no definitive answer to how to know when you are ready. All you can do is be comfortable with all the topics. If you pass then great, if not well then you know what you need to do to pas it the next time.

I have played around with testout a little. I just can't seem to sit and listen to it for very long because I'm just like ya ya already heard this a million times.

I am a pretty seasoned veteran when it comes to Wireless, Fiber and ethernet networks. I was not privy to the older stuff.

I guess another couple of days focusing on Frame-relay and OSPF and I should be bored off my mind.

I also have done the test questions on here as well as bought semsim. at least I am getting different questions.

hopefully the test has dropped the focus on isdn and x.25. The last exam a couple of years ago beat me up good on ISDN as well.

Netstudent

they have dropped almost all of ISDN. you may get a trivial question here and there. IGRP i'm pretty sure is gone. x.25.......wait whats x.25????

njcowboy

Netstudent wrote:

they have dropped almost all of ISDN. you may get a trivial question here and there. IGRP i'm pretty sure is gone. x.25.......wait whats x.25????

I am assuming most of the focus is on Eigrp and OSPF.

Slowhand

If you've come that far, and if you've both worked through the TestOut course a couple of times and done a good chunk of hands-on work, you're probably ready to take the test. I'd say, if you're worried about nailing down some details, pick up a study guide like the Cisco Press books, Todd Lammle's book, or even just the CCNA Flashcards. With the amount of practice and experience you have, all you'd really need is one book or another to help you with the "trivia-question" type of information you'll need for the exam, which may not always be the kind of knowledge you'd learn or use in the real world.

Netstudent

yep and RIP. But i would assume that the meat of the complexity would involve EIGRP and OSPF. Also my professor told me don't forget about route redistribution and ISDN standards like Q series, I series,ect...
but you never really know what questions you will get from the bank. You could get hit hard on switching but not routing and vice-versa so I'v been told.

I have used so many resources. Sybex CCNA, cisco press ICND, ICND test engine, CCNA flash cards book, testout, cisco's warppublic pages, countless hours on gear at home and school. So I'm about as ready as I can be without actaully taking the test. I sit tomorrow.

njcowboy

Netstudent wrote:

yep and RIP. But i would assume that the meat of the complexity would involve EIGRP and OSPF. Also my professor told me don't forget about route redistribution and ISDN standards like Q series, I series,ect...
but you never really know what questions you will get from the bank. You could get hit hard on switching but not routing and vice-versa so I'v been told.

I have used so many resources. Sybex CCNA, cisco press ICND, ICND test engine, CCNA flash cards book, testout, cisco's warppublic pages, countless hours on gear at home and school. So I'm about as ready as I can be without actaully taking the test. I sit tomorrow.

If I was not going out drinking tonight and didn't have my day filled with meetings, then I would probably take it tomorrow or saturday.

Good luck and I wouldn't mind picking your brain after the exam, if you don't mind.

Netstudent

ok thanks.

njcowboy

Slowhand wrote:

If you've come that far, and if you've both worked through the TestOut course a couple of times and done a good chunk of hands-on work, you're probably ready to take the test. I'd say, if you're worried about nailing down some details, pick up a study guide like the Cisco Press books, Todd Lammle's book, or even just the CCNA Flashcards. With the amount of practice and experience you have, all you'd really need is one book or another to help you with the "trivia-question" type of information you'll need for the exam, which may not always be the kind of knowledge you'd learn or use in the real world.

Thanks.
SemSim hit a little on route redistribution with OSPF, but not really indepth.
TestOut was pretty good with the basics, but I guess I am a little gun shy. I passed all my other exams on the first try without trying real hard and the CCNA was the only exam that I ever failed.

Right now, my focus is on Frame-Relay, VTP and OSPF.

Hopefully, I will get the short-bus test when I go. LOL

Netstudent

me too! One chic on here got a 1000 no bull ****. I didn't think that was possible. She claimed she got a lucky/easy set. Maybe she did but still a 1000 geesh

r_durant

Netstudent wrote:

yep and RIP. But i would assume that the meat of the complexity would involve EIGRP and OSPF. Also my professor told me don't forget about route redistribution and ISDN standards like Q series, I series,ect...
but you never really know what questions you will get from the bank. You could get hit hard on switching but not routing and vice-versa so I'v been told.

I have used so many resources. Sybex CCNA, cisco press ICND, ICND test engine, CCNA flash cards book, testout, cisco's warppublic pages, countless hours on gear at home and school. So I'm about as ready as I can be without actaully taking the test. I sit tomorrow.

Good luck Netstudent!! I didn't realize your test was so close...

From your posts, there's no doubt you will pass...

Netstudent

thank you very much for the words of encouragement. I'm doing some last minute lab stuff right now so we'll see tomorrow.

networker050184

Good luck!! Experience and study equals sure success in anything in life and certifications are no different. I'm sure you guys will do excellent. Only the ones who rush into things with out the proper experience and knowledge fail.

rjbarlow

Netstudent wrote:

thank you very much for the words of encouragement. I'm doing some last minute lab stuff right now so we'll see tomorrow.

Netstudent, break them all! Good luck!