CCNA - Passed it

Author

Passed it

seantx

2003-03-10, 12:37 pm

900/1000 60 Questions 90 minutes. I used about 60 minutes.

Hard test. I was quite sure I bombed it. The two sims were easy.

Used the Sybex book, a crappy router sim, and my "lab" which consists of an ancient 2501 and a spanking new Catalyst 2900XL.

Best advice for those studying is to read the Sybex book cover to cover 3 times. Do the review questions - all of them - at the end of each chapter. Do them until the answers are automatic in your head. If you can get ahold of a router, practice setting it up with passwords, IP addresses and routing protocols, etc. Erase startup config, reboot and do it again. Do this until it is automatic.

Know subnetting cold. Impossible to pass unless you know how to do it. I made a "cheat sheet" as soon as I sat down to take the exam with the netmasks, max hosts, max networks and increments before touching the keyboard. Twice I was able to answer a question by referring to my cheat sheet instead of having to figure it out. For those with more cranial fortitude than myself, know how to do it in your head.

Seven layers. This is an obvious requirement. Know them cold. Know everything about them. Know what devices operate at what layer.

There is a lot more stuff I could add, but I'm not sure what is kosher to say and what isn't so I'll STFU.

Good luck to all! I'm going to take a week off then probably start on CCNP.

Nistis

2003-03-10, 12:46 pm

Congradulations on your pass! I hope to be there soon. Although at my present job, I have already configured a Pix firewall and 5 1751's, I would like to get some sims work in before taking the exam. Good luck on the CCNP

Sexy Lexy

2003-03-10, 2:11 pm

Congratulations on your pass, did the hands on help with the router and switch?

Are you stopping at CCNA or going onto CCNP?

Well Done again!

ruscorp

2003-03-10, 2:37 pm

Congrats on your CCNA. It's one tough exam!

seantx

2003-03-10, 3:37 pm

Thanks people.

Having the router around was good, but to be honest you could probably master everything needed for the sims with a good sim program.

Repetition is the key for me when learning things like this. On my router I was able to set it up with basic configs - passwords, IP addresses, routing protocol commands, etc - then blow it away and do it again. You could accomplish the same thing on a sim really. Plus on a sim you can setup multiple routers much easier (make that cheaper) than having the actual hardware.

The switch only came about because I got a great deal on it. It really didn't add anything to my prep for the test. (That is not to imply or hint in ANY way that you do not need to know switching for the exam.)

The Sybex book and CD were enough for me. I spent 2-3 hours every night for just under 3 weeks preparing. I work with Cisco equipment on the job but not enough to say that it helped me to any large extent.

Another piece of advice is to go to Cisco's web site and take a look at the router sim that you will see in the exam. It isn't anything out of the ordinary, but it would help to be familiar with the layout when you sit the test.

*Remember - copy run start after you have made the configs in the sims!!!*

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