Those Having Trouble with Sims/No Routers/Simple Exam Questi

I just passed my ICND2 (Second Attempt) I missed it by 1 question the first time, and this time I scored a 986. I owe my good fortune to Packet Tracer 4.1 where I was able to work on my labs and sims

I figured I would start this post for others who don't have 2 routers and 2 switches laying around which they can play with. I will give you a straight answers because I found that a lot of people on here are really discouraging almost like they don't want you to pass.

Some people come on here asking simple questions and they are told that the question cannot be answered because there are too many variables. Well, I will give you a quick and general answer so that you at least have an idea of where you stand. (Like how much study time will I need)

I know there is a pessimist who will say they dislike Packet Tracer because it is too simplistic, but that is exactly what you need for the CCNA. A simple understanding of network equipment.

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nicklauscombs

first off congrats on the pass!

no doubt about it packet tracer can help you to pass, I bet people could pass without even touching a command line with enough studying and theres nothing wrong with this approach if you are on a budget.

the reason most people are down on simulators only is all the learning you miss out on, if you were to go into a job interview and they asked you to load an IOS image onto a router and set it up and cable it and you only touched simulators more than likely you wouldn't be able to do it.

dynamik

hcelada wrote:

I just passed my ICND2 (Second Attempt) I missed it by 1 question the first time, and this time I scored a 986. I owe my good fortune to Packet Tracer 4.1 where I was able to work on my labs and sims

Congratulations!

hcelada wrote:

I figured I would start this post for others who don't have 2 routers and 2 switches laying around which they can play with. I will give you a straight answers because I found that a lot of people on here are really discouraging almost like they don't want you to pass.

Huh!?

hcelada wrote:

Some people come on here asking simple questions and they are told that the question cannot be answered because there are too many variables. Well, I will give you a quick and general answer so that you at least have an idea of where you stand. (Like how much study time will I need)

Questions like that are impossible to answer because of there being too many variables. I bet Mike could pass the CCENT with no prep while someone with no networking experience at all would take 6-12 months. How about available study time? Quality of study habits? If you can take all that into account and come up with a good estimate, by all means go for it. We just don't want to give people bad information; no one is trying to be rude.

hcelada wrote:

I know there is a pessimist who will say they dislike Packet Tracer because it is too simplistic, but that is exactly what you need for the CCNA. A simple understanding of network equipment.

I thought the general consensus was that router/switch simulators would good enough to get through the CCNA, but real equipment was preferable

Are you sure you've been reading these forums?

ITHern

I fully realize that THE best way to learn Cisco is with real equipment. But there are many people that come to this forum, ask a simple question, and are discouraged from asking again.

Why?

1. Because not everyone has the money to buy Cisco equipment
2. CCNA is a catch 22. You need a job to practice in a live setting, but need to be certified to get the job.

So this post was for those who are eager to learn, yet don't have all the money to shell out for routers and switches. You should never kill someones eagerness to learn.

nicklauscombs

hcelada wrote:

You should never kill someones eagerness to learn.

Like Dynamic said what are you even referencing? I think you're taking people preferring real equipment too personally, why sweat it? you passed right

Inc

Dynamips ftw.

Slowhand

First off, congratulations on the pass. Good to see you got the ICND2 knocked out and that you're a CCNA.

Second, I wanted to address some of the comments you'd made about the forum and your complaints that people don't answer simple questions.

ITHern wrote:

I fully realize that THE best way to learn Cisco is with real equipment. But there are many people that come to this forum, ask a simple question, and are discouraged from asking again.

With the exception of a few, there really isn't anyone here that's going to discourage you from asking questions. When a question is asked on this forum, I've always seen the other members either answer it, or point the poster in the direction of finding the answer. In the case of ambiguous questions, like "how long will it take me to study for this exam", it's true: we really can't answer. If you tell someone that it'll take them two months to pass an exam, and then they bank all they've got on that, only to fail, are you going to want to be responsible for bad information? Are you going to want to be held responsible for the job they didn't get or the promotion that never came through because they didn't pass the test in the time you told them? Probably not, that's why we try to be realistic and either give how long it took us to study for it, or give a reply that includes the "it depends on you" statement. Everyone is different, and you can't dictate answers that you don't have to give.

ITHern wrote:

Why?

1. Because not everyone has the money to buy Cisco equipment
2. CCNA is a catch 22. You need a job to practice in a live setting, but need to be certified to get the job.

No, you're right. Not everyone has the money to buy Cisco equipment right off the bat. They will have to make due with simulators until they can. However, this is an investment you make, pursuing a Cisco career certification. If you really want it, investing money in real equipment is not a huge sacrifice to make. You save up, you set money aside, and before you know it, you have the $500 or $600 you need to buy a couple of 2600's and a 2950 or two from eBay. It's really up to you, and how much you want it. It'd be like going to college and saying "I can't afford books and lab-supplies, that's not fair. I just want someone to answer all my questions, without doing any homework, so that I can take the final." It just doesn't work that way, unfortunately. You do your best, as countless others have done before you, and you either get through it or you wash out.

As for needing on-the-job experience, that's not exactly a catch-22. In some cases, yes, employers want to see some work experience in addition to a CCNA. What you have to remember, though, is that the CCNA isn't the be-all and end-all for getting a networking job. That's why the CCENT and Network+ exist, to get your foot in the door if you absolutely cannot find any work, whatsoever, without some type of certification. In a lot of cases, just like with the experience required for the CCNA exam, entry-level networking positions require you to know what you're talking about and be able to show that to your employer. The CCNA helps (a lot) in finding work, but it's not impossible to find a networking job without one.

ITHern wrote:

So this post was for those who are eager to learn, yet don't have all the money to shell out for routers and switches. You should never kill someones eagerness to learn.

The funny thing is, that's what this entire forum is for. It's a free resource for anyone who is studying for a certification exam. If you don't have the money for everything you need, this forum is here to give you a hand, there is a vast bank of information in the forum-threads alone, if you're willing to search a little bit. Then there's the TechNotes, the recommended topsites, the subnet calculator, the router sims, the information on saving some cash with exam vouchers. . . I could go on for quite a while, and that doesn't include coming in with a specific, material-related question and finding that there are MCSEs, CCIEs, CISSPs, C|EHs, RCHEs, and a whole slew of other certified and experienced professionals ready to help you. If you've had bad experiences when asking simple or open-ended questions, then I don't really know what to say. I'm sorry to hear that it happened, but you'll find that what you got back was generally the truth, not just a smack for the sake of smacking you.

Again, congratulations on the pass, and good luck on your future exams. If you have had a hard time here on TechExams, I wish you a better experience in the future. We don't want to see anyone leave because they're unhappy or dissatisifed. I think I speak for most of the users here when I say that we'll be looking forward to hearing more from you on this forum, both in asking and answering questions.

Kaminsky

I've seen some of the prices on ebay uk and I can see your point. I get a long flat box with a coupel of flashing lights in the post and the mrs asks how much that cost... I get no luvy for a long time

waaay longer than the usual Christmas and Birthday rota !

It also seems to be a cornered market on ebay with the traders outbidding your standard one off ccna student so they can mark it up and add it to their portfolio.

Tips like dynamips and bosun are really usefull.

However, saying that. I can see the logic of anyone wanting to really have a long term career and continue their certs upwards ( ccNP being the kind of defacto standard for a proper stand alone network engineer - certainly not ccNA ) and for that you should really try to start building your "ccie" lab at ccent and keep adding.

A ccie lab would fill a full height 42U cabinet and there is no way most people can buy that as a one off without "no luvy for a long time..." kicking in.

Share the wealth people. Lets talk makes / models and what they give and possibly where else you could get that in a different device.

[Edit] Posted at same time as Slowhand and my post is a bit of thunder stealing now I geuss. DOH! appologies SH!

Slowhand

Kaminsky wrote:

[Edit] Posted at same time as Slowhand and my post is a bit of thunder stealing now I geuss. DOH! appologies SH!

Heh, heh, not a problem. My posts are long, so there's a good chance you were at it at the same time I was, just because I take a while to get all my rambling out. Good post, and I can attest to the "no luvy for a long time" when neck-deep in studying and buying equipment.

mikej412

ITHern wrote:

I will give you a straight answers because I found that a lot of people on here are really discouraging almost like they don't want you to pass.

Yeah, we can be a bit discouraging here to people who violate the Cisco Career Certifications and Confidentiality Agreement and Cisco Candidate Conduct Policy and want to **** to pass the exam.

Didn't I delete a thread of yours (and send you a PM) for an NDA Violation -- posting your exam SIMs after your failure? I also deleted a post after that where you were asking for "labs" for those SIMs.

LOkrasa

Just wanna chime in...

Best forum ever.

Thank you.

nel

LOkrasa wrote:

Just wanna chime in...

Best forum ever.

Thank you.

Amen to that!

If you ask an honest question around here you always get an honest answer. This forum is amazing.

Netwurk

A lack of response to a question about a simulator can be due to the fact that a majority of the folks here don't use simulators and for that reason can't help you.

If we could help, we would. I think that goes for about 99% of us.

sprkymrk

ITHern wrote:

But there are many people that come to this forum, ask a simple question, and are discouraged from asking again.

You keep saying this. Can you post a few examples (url's) of members discouraging others who ask simple questions? You really need to back up a statement like that with examples. This is by far the most helpful tech forum I have ever had the pleasure of partipiating in.

Essendon

sprkymrk wrote:

ITHern wrote:

But there are many people that come to this forum, ask a simple question, and are discouraged from asking again.

You keep saying this. Can you post a few examples (url's) of members discouraging others who ask simple questions? You really need to back up a statement like that with examples. This is by far the most helpful tech forum I have ever had the pleasure of partipiating in.

+100. Havent seen so many people very helpful at the one place.

Kaminsky

mikej412 wrote:

ITHern wrote:

I will give you a straight answers because I found that a lot of people on here are really discouraging almost like they don't want you to pass.

Yeah, we can be a bit discouraging here to people who violate the Cisco Career Certifications and Confidentiality Agreement and Cisco Candidate Conduct Policy and want to **** to pass the exam.

Didn't I delete a thread of yours (and send you a PM) for an NDA Violation -- posting your exam SIMs after your failure? I also deleted a post after that where you were asking for "labs" for those SIMs.

Ouch. I felt that and I'm on a completely different continent.

shednik

LOkrasa wrote:

Just wanna chime in...

Best forum ever.

Thank you.

Pretty much the only way to put it