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Networking vs Computer Engineering
- Thread starter unc0ntr0l
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Snugglebear
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Don't let the dollar signs or calc series control the rest of your life. Decide what you enjoy doing, then find the associated major.
Dude the problem is that I have no idea what Computer Engineering is and that is why I dont know if I like it, Networking is cool but Cisco can sometimes get pretty boring and I have seen some statistics showing that Networking jobs are not that good since people are not paying them as they are suppose to, help?
But thanks for the comment
But thanks for the comment
andres9606t
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Computer engineering is much more difficult, but IMHO much more interesting. I'm a computer engineering student, and it's proved more fun than networking ever could be.
comp engineering is more along the lines of designing computing systems to do certain things, or using existing hardware (software too?) to do new things or do things more efficiently... I am not a CE major (I am not even in college yet...only 33 days of HS left tho!) but i am considering minoring in CE and majoring in CS/MIS. The CE that was explained to me was bascailly working more with robotics and designing small electronics setups and such...
The networking major is probably much more focused on network design, implementation and maintenence, and network theory
both would be fun.
The networking major is probably much more focused on network design, implementation and maintenence, and network theory
both would be fun.
Snugglebear
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EE: design chips and other devices. You're being bred to be an engineer. 5-6 years of school.
CE: figure out how to use those chips and devices to do useful things. Lots of potential for what you can do with this, very highly paid, but figure 6 years of schooling for the BS.
CS: little bit of everything, chip design, network use/design, lots of programming. With this you can be a programmer, and admin, a network tech, whatever. You need lots of math and physics for CS and those above in this list. Figure 5 years in school.
CIS: a lot of everything, network use/design, lots of programming, business minor, lots of work with various OSes; it's what I am. Most consider it training to be an administrator or network guy, but I steered myself such that I was taking graduate-level EE chip design courses and high level software development for the challenge. Little math/physics.
MIS: business school with high level networking, programming, and general tech courses. This really focuses on how organizations utilize technology. Almost no math/physics (well, accounting and finance, but if you can do algebra, it's no big deal). I've seen MIS stoodents turn into consultants, IT guys, and some management. Definitely an easy major compared to the others.
NOTE: these are highly simplified and not 100% accurate, especially given that not all schools use standardized programs.
CE: figure out how to use those chips and devices to do useful things. Lots of potential for what you can do with this, very highly paid, but figure 6 years of schooling for the BS.
CS: little bit of everything, chip design, network use/design, lots of programming. With this you can be a programmer, and admin, a network tech, whatever. You need lots of math and physics for CS and those above in this list. Figure 5 years in school.
CIS: a lot of everything, network use/design, lots of programming, business minor, lots of work with various OSes; it's what I am. Most consider it training to be an administrator or network guy, but I steered myself such that I was taking graduate-level EE chip design courses and high level software development for the challenge. Little math/physics.
MIS: business school with high level networking, programming, and general tech courses. This really focuses on how organizations utilize technology. Almost no math/physics (well, accounting and finance, but if you can do algebra, it's no big deal). I've seen MIS stoodents turn into consultants, IT guys, and some management. Definitely an easy major compared to the others.
NOTE: these are highly simplified and not 100% accurate, especially given that not all schools use standardized programs.
ipconfig /all
Limp Gawd
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Welcome to the computer industry.
Based on the average salary (Network Engineering) & how much real work gets done..... we're doing fine. People always complain that they aren't paid enough for the work they do.
But don't look for a job based mainly on the pay. And don't believe the myth of the certification (MCSE, CCNA, etc), it alone will not earn you $60k/year without experience.
How much math? In the real world, we use things like calculators and spreadsheets to handle most of the math.
I can't offer much insight into Computer Engineering.
I'm going to dispute this only because i was a CS Major. (Sounds like a 50's horror movie...)
CS is definitely the "science" of computing.
Number Theory, in depth logic, parallel / symmetrical concepts, encryption, data encoding and communictations, etc.
Depending on how far you go, the more in depth it is. As far as I went, there was very little coding involved and more math than could be imagined. (I was focused on number theory and encryption
)Honestly I didn't learn jack about networking or admin'ing in my years of school. Indirectly, I learned it all, since I needed to setup systems with the proper environment, etc, but there was no "book" learning it.
Also there wasn't much "programming" training either. There were algorithms, and stuff like that. But no real "Intro to Programming" etc... The basic Programming classes were "core" classes (everyone had to take them, not just CS people)
Sorry for the long post, I just don't want people to make a mistake (more or less what I did... "Hey, I want to make video games! I'll be a CS Major" Good thing I actually liked that stuff
)CE seems very interesting because I don't think programming is going to be good for me since I have been reading many articles that said that companies are starting to get workers from other countries to build websites or software for them, without properly paying them.
It's "simple": a Computer Engineer designs and builds switch and router hardware (i.e. the "motherboards"). Computer Scientists write the software (firmware) for these devices. Network engineers install and maintain these devices.
Network hardware design these days seems to focus a lot on designing ASICs, and then integrating those into a product. You're trying to make it go as fast as possible while remaining as cheap as possible.
Writing the firmware involves writing a custom OS, writing appropriate protocol stacks (i.e. link layer, and/or protocol layer drivers), writing switching/routing code, etc. As an outsider, it gets pretty blurry what exactly is being done in software and what is done in hardware.
As a Network engineer, you get to decide which devices to employ where, configure them, connect them together, and then sit back and watch all the computers talk to each other. Well, until something goes "bump". Then you get to test out how much of this networking stuff you really truely understand...
Network hardware design these days seems to focus a lot on designing ASICs, and then integrating those into a product. You're trying to make it go as fast as possible while remaining as cheap as possible.
Writing the firmware involves writing a custom OS, writing appropriate protocol stacks (i.e. link layer, and/or protocol layer drivers), writing switching/routing code, etc. As an outsider, it gets pretty blurry what exactly is being done in software and what is done in hardware.
As a Network engineer, you get to decide which devices to employ where, configure them, connect them together, and then sit back and watch all the computers talk to each other. Well, until something goes "bump". Then you get to test out how much of this networking stuff you really truely understand...
BobSutan
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This is a really good example of what kind of work a Network Engineer does (its from a job offer I recieved this other day ).
).