CCNA help?

Discussion in 'The Veterans' Lounge' started by FL!P, Aug 1, 2020.

  1. FL!P Augur

    Hey guys, I know this is not exactly on the subject of Everquest. But this game has more or less been my home since i was 13. I figured since this community has more or less gotten me through some rough times I would ask. I am currently trying to find a way to study for the CCNA test. I am not really sure where to start though. I purchased a couple of books and I am currently reading through them.
    Every time I feel like I understand something though I will try a practice test and just bomb it. So I guess my real question is, to you guys who have passed the CCNA, what study strategies did you use? Any suggestions on content to help prep? Is there certain material that the test focuses on so I can study that area harder? Any suggestions on packet tracer labs?
    This will be my first cert test, so with losing 2 semesters due to covid closing school and being my first cert test I am pretty terrified. I appreciate any feedback or suggestions. Or if anyone knows of a tutor? At this point im scatterbrained and rambling...

    Thanks everyone,
    Flip
  2. Pimento Lorekeeper

    hands on equipment
    Xianzu_Monk_Tunare likes this.
  3. Xianzu_Monk_Tunare Augur

    For the test, the best way is to just take a lot of those practice tests, find the areas that you did poorly in, study up on those areas, and then repeat the process until you get the score you want on the test. Also, don't spend too much time on any single question. You'll be best served to finish the rest of the exam and/or section you are doing and then go back to the questions you weren't sure on. Then do a review your answers if you have time towards the end. A lot of times these tests have questions later which spell out the answer to previous questions or vice versa.
  4. Kobra Augur

    I work in IT and I am a senior engineer.

    I don't have a single cert.

    My advice is if you want to learn networking then get some cheap switches and routers and start building more and more complex networks. The books are good for learning the theory so you can explain it in an interview, and if you can understand the theory and apply it then you probably don't need the cert.

    Learn how to automate the configuration with something like ansible. Put your playbooks on github even if your code is basic as long as it works then that is all that matters. More experienced people can teach you how to make your code more elegant once you're in a job.

    If you can do this and demonstrate in an interview you know what you're doing you can land a job without any certs. Where I work none of the other engineers have any certs. In my experience people with certs are good at taking tests, but not good at doing the job because they can't problem solve, they can only memorize answers.

    If you want to get into this field explaining your thought process and being honest about what you don't know is how you get a job. Getting hands on will hone your problem solving skills.

    If someone came to me with no professional experience and wanted to get a entry level job I would want to see something like this.

    Setup a linux machine to act as your home router/gateway device.
    Install a vpn server
    Learn iptables and create a firewall.
    Set up a local DNS resolver/cache server (understanding how DNS is critical for any IT person)
    Set up pihole
    Definitely memorize the TCP/IP network model and explain how you would trouble shoot a network problem starting at the physical layer and working your way up the stack.
    Learn how to subnet (I assume you know this if you're studying the CCNA)

    These are projects that you should be able to grasp as a beginner and shows initiative. I would do this stuff in addition to studying the CCNA. As you complete a project put it on your resume and start submitting it. If you land a job make your employer pay for the CCNA if they even care (odds are they won't).
    Veteran_BetaTester and Pano like this.
  5. FL!P Augur

    I can not stress enough how thankful I am for your responses. I start my self inflicted boot camp tomorrow. You guys have given me an incredible amount of direction. While I am between semesters I will combine your suggestions. 4 hours of knoweldge and prac test, then 4 hours of lab work and building up a portfolio.
    Thanks again guys these has been such a solid help. My drive to learn is there, I just get scatterbrained sometimes and get lost.
    Aneuren likes this.
  6. Gidono https://everquest.allakhazam.com

    I'm not a network engineer but I am working on a Software Engineering degree.

    What has worked for me mastering tests is to read everything until things start to make sense and then do the practice runs over and over again until you get 100%. Even then, sometimes my college likes to throw curve ball questions that weren't necessarily in the main course material but in an article they linked in the material. So that comes along with making sure to read everything. It can be time consuming depending on the material you need to know.

    Also notes notes notes! You can normally spot a pattern as to what will be needed so paste it into google docs. It makes searching for things much quicker than reading through all the course material.
    Nniki likes this.
  7. Metanis Bad Company

  8. Aneuren Tempered Steel

    This is not my field of expertise, but stopping by to wish you the best of luck!