FN-GM Posted October 5, 2007 Posted October 5, 2007 Hello I am thinking about doing a Cisco CCNA, what i know will be difficult. I am planning to teach my self to save money. I already have a CBT Nuggets CCNA Tutorial DVD what someone gave me, i also plan to buy some secondhand Cisco equipment for testing. I will be buying some books as well. My question is what books do you recommend? What are the good ones and the not so good? Which ones did you use? (If you have done the exam) Thanks
kingswood Posted October 5, 2007 Posted October 5, 2007 Hi. Good choice of certification. I completed the Cisco Networking Academy but never took the exam (it was a few years ago now). When I was studying the course I was always told to grab the study guide by Wendell Odom- you can find the new study set here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Official-Certification-Library-640-802-Guide/dp/1587201836/ref=pd_bbs_sr_5/203-7842877-4411902?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1191615619&sr=8-5 His book is definitely the best I have seen though deep. Todd Lamle also writes a good study guide and any router simulation software packages you can get would be good. If you can get a cheaper 1600 series router (three if you don't mind the cost) and at least two 1900 series or above (25xx series are better because of the new VLAN component in the exam) switches. It's a fantastic course and will teach you a bucket load about networking in general, and Cisco routing and protocols in particular. Enjoy it and let us know how you get on! Paul
Joedetic Posted October 5, 2007 Posted October 5, 2007 See if you can befriend a cisco instructor and get hold of the lab manuals...because they really are useful. If you're planning on getting yourself some cisco routers then get 2600 series ones. I've got a couple of 2610s with WIC-2T smart serial cards in them for practicing the serial links. For CCNA 1 and 2 you dont configure switches so you dont need cisco switches just yet. Back to the book thing...I've got CCNA 1 and CCNA 2 and havent had to buy any books yet...but i've got access to the online training materials because i'm doing my CCNA through an actual cisco academy. My university does the CCNA and CCNP and IPT and FNS courses as part of my degree so the cost is sort of inclusive.
FN-GM Posted October 5, 2007 Author Posted October 5, 2007 Thanks for your support i already have a Cisco 2924 XL what supports VLAN anyway. Just need a router. Will have a look on eBay at some point.
Joedetic Posted October 5, 2007 Posted October 5, 2007 If you want to practice VLANs properly you'll need two switches.
FN-GM Posted October 5, 2007 Author Posted October 5, 2007 Yes thought so, i can then try out trunking.
Joedetic Posted October 5, 2007 Posted October 5, 2007 Doesn't necessarily need to be another cisco one really does it though. Just as long as you know how to configure a VLAN from the IOS on the cisco one the other one is just implemenation of theory as opposed to IOS commands. I have two cisco 2924-EN-XL switches (different to yours as they have got the enterprise IOS that supports etherchannel and clustered management) and i've also got an Allied Telesyn managed switch which is considerably more naff but still supports vlans so i can have a play using all three
Joedetic Posted October 5, 2007 Posted October 5, 2007 So you've got a 2924-EN-XL Get another one and you can play with etherchannel
FN-GM Posted October 5, 2007 Author Posted October 5, 2007 so i have woo hoo see this is why i need training up!
Ajaz Posted August 16, 2009 Posted August 16, 2009 Hi guys I have got a degree in BEng sofware engineering ( 2:1 ) two years ago and i am still look for a job in the IT industry. I have no problem with my interviews, six months ago someone advised me to do CCNA course and after completing this course I will get a job. I already enquired about the CCNA courses, the courses are very expensive (the cost is around £1700) because of recession i can't afford the cost of the course. I' ve done a full CCNA module ( 20 credits ). I will be very greatfull if someone gives me suitable advice. Thankx :-)
SYNACK Posted August 17, 2009 Posted August 17, 2009 Grab a book to learn it / do revision on it and just take the test at a testing center. There are plenty of online resources that you can look at also, you could probably pick up some old cisco gear off ebay quite cheaply to practice on if required.
Ajaz Posted August 17, 2009 Posted August 17, 2009 Grab a book to learn it / do revision on it and just take the test at a testing center. There are plenty of online resources that you can look at also, you could probably pick up some old cisco gear off ebay quite cheaply to practice on if required. Thanks, any good book you suggest/ online resourses. thanks
SYNACK Posted August 17, 2009 Posted August 17, 2009 Here's a few that provide free sample questions selelected from google: Free cisco ccna certification practice tests braindumps and study guides Practice Questions CCNA Sample Questions Microsoft Certification and Cisco Certification Practice Tests! MCSE and CCNA Sample Questions and Exams! Cisco CCNA Practice Tests - Free software downloads and reviews - CNET Download.com Free CCNA Practice Questions Download Free CCNA practice tests | free CCENT/ICND1 640-822 practice tests | free ICND practice tests | free CCDA practice tests | free BSCI practice tests | free BCMSN practice tests | free ISCW practice tests | free ONT practice tests Not sure on the books as it has been a while since I was looking at the CCNA stuff but there is the DVD suggested in the first psot of this thread. 1
Linfit Posted August 17, 2009 Posted August 17, 2009 Ajaz, you may find that local FE colleges do the CISCO course relatively cheaply - I have just completed a Foundation degree which included the CCNA as part of the first two years and I know the college ran that part of the course also as a stand-alone; it was nowhere near the cost you have quoted, and in some areas there are subsidised courses and grants available; some of the people on my course had access to funding even though they were doing the course part time becuase the college was in a targeted area (I did my course in Manchester).
Ajaz Posted August 17, 2009 Posted August 17, 2009 Ajaz, you may find that local FE colleges do the CISCO course relatively cheaply - I have just completed a Foundation degree which included the CCNA as part of the first two years and I know the college ran that part of the course also as a stand-alone; it was nowhere near the cost you have quoted, and in some areas there are subsidised courses and grants available; some of the people on my course had access to funding even though they were doing the course part time becuase the college was in a targeted area (I did my course in Manchester). i already checked its around £1100. thankx
oalcock Posted September 1, 2009 Posted September 1, 2009 Hi there, I am starting a CISCO course at Burnley College in a weeks time. I previously carried out CCNA Modules 1 and 2 a year back and now I have to do the CCNA 1 and 2 again. Can anybody give me advice on any tricks to bypass 1 and 2 to get straight to 3 and 4. The issue is I believe that the criteria of modules have changed to discovery what ever this means but I feel I have wasted a chunk of my life on carrying out tasks to complete CCNA 1 and 2. The bright side of this course involves me carrying out an NVQ L3 in ICT Professionals. Please could people tell me if this is a good course for me or not to carry me through to a good career in ICT. Also any tips on revision for CCNA and any ways i can recieve help with binary as this is my week point in all this. I really don't have a problem with carrying out CCNA 1 and 2 again if it will mean something more to me, I would appreciate advise Thanks
AyatollahPies Posted September 7, 2009 Posted September 7, 2009 Hi there, I am starting a CISCO course at Burnley College in a weeks time. I previously carried out CCNA Modules 1 and 2 a year back and now I have to do the CCNA 1 and 2 again. Can anybody give me advice on any tricks to bypass 1 and 2 to get straight to 3 and 4. The issue is I believe that the criteria of modules have changed to discovery what ever this means but I feel I have wasted a chunk of my life on carrying out tasks to complete CCNA 1 and 2. The bright side of this course involves me carrying out an NVQ L3 in ICT Professionals. Please could people tell me if this is a good course for me or not to carry me through to a good career in ICT. Also any tips on revision for CCNA and any ways i can recieve help with binary as this is my week point in all this. I really don't have a problem with carrying out CCNA 1 and 2 again if it will mean something more to me, I would appreciate advise Thanks You mean you don't wish to sit through subnetting again? Seriously though, if I haven't done subnetting for a while, I completely forget what I'm doing. No harm in having it refreshed from time to time.
Ignatius Posted September 7, 2009 Posted September 7, 2009 CCNA v3.1 retired at the end of July this year. Version 4 (Exploration and Discovery) cover the material in a different order to v3.1. Some topics are new in v4 (i.e. more wireless) and some things have been dropped (ISDN). I think there's no option but to hit the books (or attend a course) and cover the material in v4 Modules 1 & 2.
john Posted September 7, 2009 Posted September 7, 2009 Hi there, I am starting a CISCO course at Burnley College in a weeks time oooo Burnley are doing that, hmmm I think they should advertise better! As I would be signing up if it was on a part time basis!
FN-GM Posted July 24, 2015 Author Posted July 24, 2015 Thought I would update everyone. I have just passed my ICND 2 exam with a score of 960 out of a 1000. Im now CCNA wooo 8 years later than planned but better late than never!
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