CCENT/CCNA [H] study group

I got 80% on config/tshoot routers, and 83% on implement/verify wan, but I got 100% on implement/verify/tshoot NAT and ACLs.
 
I am making a career change to networking. I am an avid helpdesk caller and have only that and user knowledge as my foundation. I took the Cisco "is IT for You" test and scored a 100 in innovation and a 93 overall. Where should I begin? I started looking at the modules for the CCENT and it did not seem completely foreign to me, but I did feel like I should start even lower to make sure I have a firm grasp of the fundamentals. However, I would love to have my CCNA within a year. Does anyone have any suggestions as to an affordable online class (college preferred) or other advice?
 
CCENT is already as low as you can go, there's plenty of fundamentals in it and hardly any pre reqs really. Its at the bottom of the Cisco pyramid for a reason. If you are looking for inexpensive classes, checking your local community colleges for the Cisco Networking Academy is a good start (mine offered it as a online course too, but I preferred to attend class in person to "network" with people). The first course in CCNA Exploration is called "Network Fundamentals" which is where I started. I'm now on the fourth and last course of the CCNA series and planning to take the exams this summer. I really went the long way compared to some people who just self study, but hopefully doing roughly 120 labs and asking the instructor questions in person was worth it in the long run
 
Actually they released a few lower ones. CCT - Cisco Certified Technicians. Mostly for field workers that need the very basics on installing the equipment. Not a whole lot of configuration, if any.

AeonF1 said:
CCENT is already as low as you can go, there's plenty of fundamentals in it and hardly any pre reqs really. Its at the bottom of the Cisco pyramid for a reason. If you are looking for inexpensive classes, checking your local community colleges for the Cisco Networking Academy is a good start (mine offered it as a online course too, but I preferred to attend class in person to "network" with people). The first course in CCNA Exploration is called "Network Fundamentals" which is where I started. I'm now on the fourth and last course of the CCNA series and planning to take the exams this summer. I really went the long way compared to some people who just self study, but hopefully doing roughly 120 labs and asking the instructor questions in person was worth it in the long run
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Well, after 4+ years as a Systems/Servers guy with some networking tasks, so I'm going to pursue CCENT/CCNA. Hope to get CCENT in 1 month (tops). I've taken Cisco 1 & 2 in college as well as having hands on experience. :)
 
KidZer0 said:
Well, after 4+ years as a Systems/Servers guy with some networking tasks, so I'm going to pursue CCENT/CCNA. Hope to get CCENT in 1 month (tops). I've taken Cisco 1 & 2 in college as well as having hands on experience. :)
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If you know subnetting well, then the CCENT will be cake. The Cisco 1 & 2 fill in everything else. Subnetting is the thing that requires thinking. The rest can be memorized.

Check out either Odom's Cisco Press book (Amazon has a set with ICND 1 & 2 for <$30) or Sybex book by Todd Lammle. Both are excellent for both ICND 1 and 2. With the hands on (for brush up on a network you can destroy, GNS3), it'll be a lot easier. Lots of other great information in this thread. Warning, though: they aren't easy exams. You do need to study. But, having a grasp on networking and some Cisco experience puts you ahead. But, there are some things that you rarely come across except on the exam or classroom. Those are what needs to be studied. That, and subnetting. Practice that. Even if you know it, practice it so you're faster. :D
 
Ur_Mom said:
If you know subnetting well, then the CCENT will be cake. The Cisco 1 & 2 fill in everything else. Subnetting is the thing that requires thinking. The rest can be memorized.

Check out either Odom's Cisco Press book (Amazon has a set with ICND 1 & 2 for <$30) or Sybex book by Todd Lammle. Both are excellent for both ICND 1 and 2. With the hands on (for brush up on a network you can destroy, GNS3), it'll be a lot easier. Lots of other great information in this thread. Warning, though: they aren't easy exams. You do need to study. But, having a grasp on networking and some Cisco experience puts you ahead. But, there are some things that you rarely come across except on the exam or classroom. Those are what needs to be studied. That, and subnetting. Practice that. Even if you know it, practice it so you're faster. :D
Click to expand...

Looking into setting up GNS3 now with Virtualbox. I have the Odom's book for ICND1 too. (As well as a Safari Books sub.) Going to read through the book (2ish chapters a day be done in a little over a week) then review what I'm shaky on (most likely subnetting). ICND2 will be a bit longer, once CCNA is done I need to finish MCITP:EA (with three exams left) then possibly VCP and/or RHCSA. Big year this year. :D
 
Ur_Mom said:
If you know subnetting well, then the CCENT will be cake. The Cisco 1 & 2 fill in everything else. Subnetting is the thing that requires thinking. The rest can be memorized.

Check out either Odom's Cisco Press book (Amazon has a set with ICND 1 & 2 for <$30) or Sybex book by Todd Lammle. Both are excellent for both ICND 1 and 2. With the hands on (for brush up on a network you can destroy, GNS3), it'll be a lot easier. Lots of other great information in this thread. Warning, though: they aren't easy exams. You do need to study. But, having a grasp on networking and some Cisco experience puts you ahead. But, there are some things that you rarely come across except on the exam or classroom. Those are what needs to be studied. That, and subnetting. Practice that. Even if you know it, practice it so you're faster. :D
Click to expand...

http://www.amazon.com/640-802-Offic...=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1336136743&sr=1-2

that guy right there?


I'm hoping to get some lab equip setup soon and take the exam in august maybe?

take advantage of the lack of anything on TV all summer, and that my bathroom and kitchen renovations are almost done and should be wrapped up 100% come June
 
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haunter said:
http://www.amazon.com/640-802-Offic...=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1336136743&sr=1-2

that guy right there?


I'm hoping to get some lab equip setup soon and take the exam in august maybe?

take advantage of the lack of anything on TV all summer, and that my bathroom and kitchen renovations are almost done and should be wrapped up 100% come June
Click to expand...

That's it. They updated to the third edition since I bought it, but the price still isn't bad at all considering the cover price.
 
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l3thal6 said:
Thanks!


Passed ICND2!
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Congrats! I'm busy studying for it.

What was your timeframe between ICND1 and 2? Any experience with Cisco stuff besides studying and playing around at home? I'm just trying to gauge a timeframe that I should book mine. I find if I book the test, I force myself to get studying lol.
 
/usr/home said:
Congrats! I'm busy studying for it.

What was your timeframe between ICND1 and 2? Any experience with Cisco stuff besides studying and playing around at home? I'm just trying to gauge a timeframe that I should book mine. I find if I book the test, I force myself to get studying lol.
Click to expand...

I took about 3 months between ICND1 and ICND2. I also had a 1 month interruption midway through when I was sent to some MCTS courses.

I have about 4 years of IT experience, the hardest thing for me was studying for protocols that my employer doesn't use, I got really good with the things I used daily so I had to break myself out of that rut and expand my skillset.

Another thing that helped a LOT was a packet tracer lab I built that utilized every protocol in CCNA, I built, broke and fixed it hundreds of times.
 
Ur_Mom said:
That's it. They updated to the third edition since I bought it, but the price still isn't bad at all considering the cover price.
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sweet I'll probably order it this week

l3thal6 said:
Thanks!


Passed ICND2!
Click to expand...

congrats!!


l3thal6 said:
I took about 3 months between ICND1 and ICND2. I also had a 1 month interruption midway through when I was sent to some MCTS courses.

I have about 4 years of IT experience, the hardest thing for me was studying for protocols that my employer doesn't use, I got really good with the things I used daily so I had to break myself out of that rut and expand my skillset.

Another thing that helped a LOT was a packet tracer lab I built that utilized every protocol in CCNA, I built, broke and fixed it hundreds of times.
Click to expand...

did you use GN3?

I am thinking I will try the whole shebang at once for CCNA
 
did you use GN3?

I am thinking I will try the whole shebang at once for CCNA
Click to expand...


Actually, I didn't use GNS3. I used a combination of my hardware lab and packet tracer for all labbing excercises. Packet tracer can support pretty much anything at the CCNA-level. I am planning on purchasing a few more 29xx and 35xx switches for CCNP:SWITCH and TSHOOT.
 
This thread has rekindled my interest in getting my CCNA/CCNP. I've mucked around with some old 2500's in school, and played with a few sims.. but that was 10 years ago. At my job we are starting to get serious about some more complex networks so the time for me to learn this is now.

I went on an eBay shopping spree and have purchased/bid with the intent to win the following gear. Any critique/comments would be welcome, and/or if I missed anything. To the best of my knowledge, this gear will get me through CCNA, and most of CCNP.

Routers:
1x Cisco 3640, w/ 1x 2E-2W, 1x 1FE-2W
1x Cisco 2610xm, w/ 1x WIC-T1-DSU
1x Cisco 1760, w/ 1x WIC-T1-DSU

Switches:
1x Cisco 2950-EI
2x Cisco 3550

Modules/Etc:
3x WIC-2T (one for each router above)
5x DTE-DCE Smart Serial Cables for the WIC-2T's
1x Startech 12u Desktop Rack (as suggested earlier in this thread)
1x 1U 10-outlet PDU
 
I think you're great for the CCNA with that equipment. Definitely with switches, but for the CCNP you'll probably add another one or two more routers. I'm headed for the CCNP now, as soon as I can motivate myself. You can search the web for topologies like these:

http://www.freeccnaworkbook.com/topology/


(that site also has free labs you can sign up with in case you don't want to buy new equipment)

I also started out with that desktop rack and switched to another one after a while. I couldn't get it to stay up straight for the life of me - - but, it was sitting on carpet. Dantrak sells Skeletec racks that work pretty well.

DevX81 said:
This thread has rekindled my interest in getting my CCNA/CCNP. I've mucked around with some old 2500's in school, and played with a few sims.. but that was 10 years ago. At my job we are starting to get serious about some more complex networks so the time for me to learn this is now.

I went on an eBay shopping spree and have purchased/bid with the intent to win the following gear. Any critique/comments would be welcome, and/or if I missed anything. To the best of my knowledge, this gear will get me through CCNA, and most of CCNP.

Routers:
1x Cisco 3640, w/ 1x 2E-2W, 1x 1FE-2W
1x Cisco 2610xm, w/ 1x WIC-T1-DSU
1x Cisco 1760, w/ 1x WIC-T1-DSU

Switches:
1x Cisco 2950-EI
2x Cisco 3550

Modules/Etc:
3x WIC-2T (one for each router above)
5x DTE-DCE Smart Serial Cables for the WIC-2T's
1x Startech 12u Desktop Rack (as suggested earlier in this thread)
1x 1U 10-outlet PDU
Click to expand...
 
Hey free ccna workbook is back up! It was registering as having malware for me a few months back then the site went down. Great source of labs for practicing.
 
dirtyonekanobi said:
I think you're great for the CCNA with that equipment. Definitely with switches, but for the CCNP you'll probably add another one or two more routers. I'm headed for the CCNP now, as soon as I can motivate myself. You can search the web for topologies like these:

http://www.freeccnaworkbook.com/topology/


(that site also has free labs you can sign up with in case you don't want to buy new equipment)

I also started out with that desktop rack and switched to another one after a while. I couldn't get it to stay up straight for the life of me - - but, it was sitting on carpet. Dantrak sells Skeletec racks that work pretty well.
Click to expand...

Looking at that site looks like I would probably want to get at least one more router, for a frame relay switch in the beginning. This works out since my job agreed to pay for all the hardware I want (up to $1000), provided I complete CCNA by the end of this year, and CCNP by the end of next (2013) year.
 
Passed my 640-802 today with a 966

Was a lot easier than i expected, You can TAB all the commands and even use the "?" if you forget something, I don't know if i should go for my CCNP switch now, or get some easy msft cert

weee, celebration time >:D
 
ValVed RaY said:
Passed my 640-802 today with a 966

Was a lot easier than i expected, You can TAB all the commands and even use the "?" if you forget something, I don't know if i should go for my CCNP switch now, or get some easy msft cert

weee, celebration time >:D
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Congrats dude, were ya sweating lots ?
 
What advice would you guys give to a man who's scheduled to take the ICND1 on 5/23? Like how to not pass out, etc?

Maybe some must do packet tracer labs, re-read Odom's book for the 3rd time, free practice test?
 
Coworker came up with a awesome acronym for the logging levels today that I will share:

Emos - 0 - Emergencies
Always - 1 - Alerts
Cry - 2 - Critical
Even - 3 - Errors
When - 4 - Warnings
Nothing - 5 - Notifications
Is - 6 - Informational
Depressing - 7 - Debugging
 
silasbear said:
Coworker came up with a awesome acronym for the logging levels today that I will share:

Emos - 0 - Emergencies
Always - 1 - Alerts
Cry - 2 - Critical
Even - 3 - Errors
When - 4 - Warnings
Nothing - 5 - Notifications
Is - 6 - Informational
Depressing - 7 - Debugging
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LOL. Nice.
 
I PASSED ICND2! 860. After tons of studying I passed! I'm hella excited and gonna go have a beer after work.

I'm going to go on to CCNA: Security and then work on Microsoft and come back to CCNP later.

:D Top of the world!
 
ValVed RaY said:
Passed my 640-802 today with a 966

Was a lot easier than i expected, You can TAB all the commands and even use the "?" if you forget something, I don't know if i should go for my CCNP switch now, or get some easy msft cert

weee, celebration time >:D
Click to expand...

Congratulations, Microsoft certs are actually pretty challenging, I just went through 2008 R2 Network Infrastructure and 2008 R2 Active Directory. If it hadn't been for a few years of production experience I would have had a really hard time.

Ur_Mom said:
I PASSED ICND2! 860. After tons of studying I passed! I'm hella excited and gonna go have a beer after work.

I'm going to go on to CCNA: Security and then work on Microsoft and come back to CCNP later.

:D Top of the world!
Click to expand...

Congratulations, I took the ICND1/2 route also and scored roughly the same as you, it seems a little harder to do the two separate tests.

silasbear said:
Coworker came up with a awesome acronym for the logging levels today that I will share:

Emos - 0 - Emergencies
Always - 1 - Alerts
Cry - 2 - Critical
Even - 3 - Errors
When - 4 - Warnings
Nothing - 5 - Notifications
Is - 6 - Informational
Depressing - 7 - Debugging
Click to expand...

Thanks! Love acronyms!

fishoil said:
What advice would you guys give to a man who's scheduled to take the ICND1 on 5/23? Like how to not pass out, etc?

Maybe some must do packet tracer labs, re-read Odom's book for the 3rd time, free practice test?
Click to expand...

I have a PT lab I can give you that may help, message me for details. Other than that just make sure you know all the specifics of every CCNA protocol and relax the night before the test.
 
silasbear said:
Passed TSHOOT today.

So easy its a joke.

On to CCIE R & S
Click to expand...

Congrats, I'm starting my Route studies right now it makes me happy to hear TSHOOT is easy.

Any advice for Route?

Any study materials you recommend? I'm going with a GNS3 lab and right now I'm reading the Odom book but I've heard there were issues with that one.
 
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devin_m said:
Congrats, I'm starting my Route studies right now it makes me happy to hear TSHOOT is easy.

Any advice for Route?

Any study materials you recommend? I'm going with a GNS3 lab and right now I'm reading the Odom book but I've heard there were issues with that one.
Click to expand...

The CCNP ROUTE Cisco press book covers everything on the test.

pick that up and configure everything you see in that book in GNS3. Then break it.

Then build this in GNS3:

https://learningnetwork.cisco.com/servlet/JiveServlet/downloadBody/6741-102-1-23100/TSHOOT%20Exam%20Topology.pdf

and break it and fix it until you are tired of looking at it.

That will prepare you for Route and Tshoot.

For switch, I do recommend using actual hardware.
 
Decided I'm going sit the CCNA at Cisco Live this year, since a free exam is included with my pass.

I am curious to know everyone's thoughts are on taking the two exams separate vs all in one shot. Initially, I was thinking about ICND1 first and following up with the other later this summer, but have read that some people actually felt the CCNA was easier than sitting them individually.

Leaning towards that now, as I review the ICND1 material this is all content that I've been exposed to in my previous work environment for the last 5+ years. We'll see if I change my mind again after digging into the ICND2 material :)
 
Still haven't finished my ccna yet but I'm labbing some vlan routing labs and HA stuff this weekend for fun. Easier for me to study when I have a purpose. I've got two 3750s and my 3550 at home to do some testing.
 
Well, I'll be tackling CCNP:SWITCH on June 30th. So far I've logged about 40 lab hours dedicated to SWITCH (not to mention real world experience) and worked through the Foundation Learning Guide and Lab Manual. Now I am about halfway through the Official Certification Guide and breezing through every "Do You Know This?" section. My work will also be sending me to a CCNP:ROUTE course in July/August!
 
Finally taking my ICND2 on Thursday. Looking forward to finishing it so I can start digging into CCNP stuff.
 
Great, just started reading "Authorized Self-Study Guide Interconnecting Cisco Network Devices, Part 1 (ICND1) second edition" and the first 3 questions in chapter 1 review are wrongly answered in the back of the book :(. Quick google search gave me the correct answers. I'm thrilled.
 
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