ICND1 & 2 help please :)

Hey all,

I've been reading other posts, but most of them talk about CCNA in general, i know the ICND1 & 2 is just CCNA broken down into two parts, but I'll ask for some help anyways!

Im needing to get my CCNA cert. I work very often with cisco products, i am in the networking industry, i had prior computer experience, but no networking experience.

I have base knowledge, but not in depth knowledge, of cisco routing/switching. I want to get more in depth knowledge, and i want to do it extremely fast. I have a LOT of time available to put towards these two exams, and wondering what are the best materials to get me through them. I don't want to spend insane amounts of money on materials, but i can spend some.

thanks for any help guys, i know this type of question has been beaten into the ground, but im just trying to speed up the process, so any help is appreciated

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Comments

Priston

I found CBT nuggets to be helpful
Cisco CCNA Certification Package

along with the ciscopress book
Amazon.com: CCNA Official Exam Certification Library (Exam 640-802), Third Edition (Containing ICND1 and ICND2 Second Edition Exam Certification Guides) (9781587201837): Wendell Odom: Books

jdfriesen

I second the recommendation for Odom's books. I've done ICND1, and am now working on ICND2, and I find Odom's books better than the other commonly recommended book (Todd Lammle - CCNA: Cisco Certified Network Associate Study Guide). I've got them both and find I prefer Odom. However, I'm also doing the 2 exam approach, which Todd's book isn't really geared for, so if you're doing the single exam, Todd's book is certainly an excellent option as well.

mikej412

The Odom books will be your primary learning source -- and it's convenient that they're broken up into ICND1 and ICND2 books.

Todd's book is a fun read and good for someone who's already experience with Cisco and just need and refresher and update on some of the stuff -- but it's also GREAT for subnetting. For a noob, Todd's book can be a first read to get a feel for the scope of the CCNA and be able to recognize some of the stuff when you get to the Odom books. But if you can dig through Odom first, then Todd's book is a fun review. If you're a "video person" you may want to toss some CBTs into the mix -- CBTNuggets or TrainSignal. You need to figure out what works best for you -- but Odom's books should always be part of your study plan.

And Lab, Lab, Lab. The more time you spend doing Lab study, the easier the exam should become. A real hardware lab is preferred, but a simulator will get the job done. There's the Boson NetSim (CCNA and CCNP versions) and the Cisco Press one (which is more of a configuration practice environment than a simulator) which I think you can get bundled with Odom's Cisco Press CCNA Certification Library. Dynamips (with the Dynagen or GNS3 front ends) requires access to a supported Cisco IOS image -- and isn't that great for the Switching portion (but it's GREAT for Routing). Packet Tracer is software from the Cisco Network Academy -- and you have to be a student to download it -- but even they say it isn't a complete lab solution (but maybe someday it will be and hopefully they'll let anybody download it).

brad-

CBT Nuggets are wonderful. If you get them, dont let it be one way though - that is to say, try to get a switch and a router. Console to it while you watch the videos, and do what he does. In the subnetting videos, try to work the problems out before he gives you the solution.

Your situation sounds similar to mine. Experience in IT, but no cisco...so you're basically starting from ground zero. I feel i learned and retained more, 10x faster than I can read it. That alone is worth the cost of admission. So now when i read the Odom book, its a little easier to read that I know wtf is going on.

jtdk985

brad- wrote: »

CBT Nuggets are wonderful. If you get them, dont let it be one way though - that is to say, try to get a switch and a router. Console to it while you watch the videos, and do what he does. In the subnetting videos, try to work the problems out before he gives you the solution.

Your situation sounds similar to mine. Experience in IT, but no cisco...so you're basically starting from ground zero. I feel i learned and retained more, 10x faster than I can read it. That alone is worth the cost of admission. So now when i read the Odom book, its a little easier to read that I know wtf is going on.

well im going for speed cert. i know its not an easy cert to get, i have cisco experience.. routing/switching, but more configuration and chassis installs, not the detailed stuff. so im hoping i can absorb things extremely fast.

thanks for all the feedback everyone, ordered the odom book off of amazon, and looking into CBT nuggets.

i dont think ill be able to get any actual equipment, so what would everyone say is the best sim to go along with the book and cbt nuggets?

thanks again!