Ray Winder On How He Earned His CCNA 4 Nov 2018 10:00 PM (6 years ago)
We asked Ray Winder a former student of ours what was the secret to his success in earning his A+, Network+, Security+ and CCNA. Ray replied to us with some interesting encouragement and tips for us all based on his experience.
"To those of you who are interested in Cisco certification or some other technology I encourage you not to give up on your goal or dream. I am an older dislocated worker and started all over again around the time many are ending their careers.
I went back and attended school several times at night and during the day and earned my A+, Network +, Security +, and now my CCNA. My next step will be CCNA Security and perhaps IPV6, and CCDA if I can handle the study time.
Reading material can be difficult at times, especially something like Cisco. The material can be dry and does not flow easily. I class I sat in front of the computer for days on end editing and putting commands in on the CLI sometimes not knowing what I was doing, but doing it anyway. Some of it sank it due to its repetitive nature. Most of it is so complex it requires substantial foundation and a way for it to be all tied together. Various routing protocols and how they can work together or not. For me I had little dialogue with any instructor and no one I could easily exchange ideas and questions with.
I came across several Cisco learning sites, www.internetworktraining.com was one of them. I was skeptical at first but Nik kept sending me these little daily questions which I regularly answered. It wasn’t long before I realized I was getting more answers right than wrong. I had paid for other online training which was good but sometimes put me to sleep while watching it. One day Nik ran a special for his training package and I decided to dive into it. It wasn’t long before I was listening to videos every chance I got and doing questions ad nauseam. Actually, I enjoy doing questions as it has always helped me find out where I needed to do more work, in what areas. Questions always lead to more questions which help me study. If I came across something I wasn’t sure of and wanted more in depth information I would go to Wikipedia or Cisco online and read up further.
In reviewing for my CCNA exam I realized I needed to be secure in a lot of areas. I answered questions on STP, RSTP, PVST, VLAN’s, EIGRP, ACL’s, OSPF etc. Some of these were easier for me than others. As much as you might not like it study what you have the most difficulty with and go from there. For me STP and RSTP were very challenging and still are but I spent time studying them and it was a good thing too. If you sit for the exam you probably will see multiple questions on them.
When I first began doing questions on Nik’s site I was getting 60% and 70% which was quite discouraging as I had already been in a class for a year and had earned my CCENT. I was watching the videos as well and the information began coming together as he explained many things that I had not properly understood previously.
Watch videos, do questions and study what you are weak in. Yes, Nik’s ICND2 cheat sheet is very good to review as well. Those are the things that helped do it for me. I wish I had spent more time in Packet Tracer that is the only thing I would have done differently, but the time it took to set up the networks seemed more of a distraction at the time, than productive.
I’m sorry if this is a little long but it has been a long and winding road of sorts.
Now on to the next study and hopefully employment that will track with what I have been studying.
Good luck to you all in your studies.
Know if I can do it, then you definitely can."
Ray Winder
A+, Network +, Security +, CCNA
Internetwork Training Testimonials 13 May 2018 9:11 AM (6 years ago)
Here are a select few of the many emails we receive from our happy customers...
We also asked some of our CCNA Bootcamp students to tell us what they thought about our online CCNA course.
New CCNA Routing and Switching Syllabus Update 30 Sep 2016 9:46 AM (8 years ago)
You may have heard that Cisco has refreshed the CCNA Routing and Switching syllabus (17th May 2016) to bring it up-to-date with current networking technologies.
Since this news was announced earlier this year we have been busy updating the CCNA exam prep materials on our CCNA training website.
So far we have updated everything except our CCNA Bootcamp videos, which will need re-recording. This is now our main priority.
The new exam numbers are:
ICND1 v3.0 - 100-105
ICND2 v3.0 - 200-105
CCNA v3.0 - 200-125
As of now, you won't be able to take the old exams, but fear not, as only a few topics have changed.
Here's a summary of the changes:
ICND1
- Added RIPv2
- Added Syslog (previously in ICND2)
- Added IOS Management (previously in ICND2)
- Added IOS Licensing (previously in ICND2)
ICND2
- Added SPAN
- Added Extended ACL (previously in ICND1)
- Added MLP
- Added PPPoE
- Added QoS
- Added OSPF (previously in ICND1)
- Added EBGP
- Added External authentication (RADIUS/TACACS)
- Added Switch stacking
- Added Cloud computing
- Added APIC-EM
- Removed Frame Relay
- Removed GLBP and VRRP
Note: Only premium members will have access to the new material.
Microsoft or Cisco Certs? 1 Oct 2014 11:02 AM (10 years ago)
We sometimes get asked, "What's the difference between Microsoft and Cisco certifications?"
To quickly summarize:
Microsoft certifications are about managing computers and servers, working with operating systems, potentially opening the boxes and working with hardware, and definitely a lot of application and other software installation, troubleshooting, and upgrading. There are some major specializations, such as Exchange, SQL Server, or SharePoint.
Cisco certifications are networking-based, that's subnetting, routing, switching, working with networking devices and managing traffic. The focus isn't on servers or end-users, but on the underlying networks and the technologies that make data flow over the wire. You'll also see things like voice, wireless, and storage networking, which are all fairly specialized. All of the fundamentals of routing and switching are covered in the CCNA certification.
CCNA Exam Question Types Demo 15 Feb 2014 9:54 AM (11 years ago)
We received this email last week about the CCNA exam simulation questions.
"Earlier this month, I actually decided to take the test. Needless to say, I didn't pass for a simple reason.... The simulations were a bit confusing. I pretty much had to skip all of them. I do know how to configure switches and routers, but for some reason I just couldn't wrap my head around the simulations; they were much different than I assumed. What everything came down to in the end was really the troubleshooting (which I'm working on being as much familiar with it as possible now that I know it was a weak point). All in all, I feel that I will have a chance on passing it next go around. If ever your training goes back down to 99 dollars, I may consider that route, but for now I will continue my studies that way I have been."
A lot of students fall into this trap. They learn the theory and a little bit of troubleshooting, but they have no idea what the CCNA exam will be like when they go to the testing center.
Luckily Cisco have a little known demo which shows you what types of questions you will encounter on the exam and lets you try them out. Once you are familiar with the different types of exam questions, you'll be much more confident going into the exam.
Go to the Cisco Exam demo
How to Setup Your CCNA Lab 9 Jan 2014 10:44 AM (11 years ago)
We often get asked the question "How do I set up my CCNA lab?".
Your CCNA lab setup will change depending what exercises you are working on.
For example: If you are building an EIGRP lab, you will need a completely different configuration to a lab designed for Router-On-A-Stick.
Luckily our CCNA Bootcamp explains all the kit you will require in your CCNA lab, and during the course you will discover how to setup your lab for certain exercises.
Getting hands-on lab practice is important, but sometimes it isn't practical to build your own lab, so we will explain alternatives you can use such as lab simulators.
You'll learn about the different cable types, connectors and devices, how to connect and configure them, and then how to troubleshoot the setup. You will also learn all the syllabus required to take and pass the Cisco CCNA exam.
So what are you waiting for? Enroll in our online CCNA Bootcamp today and begin your journey into the world of computer networking.
If you are unsure about the CCNA or you want to try our training course enter your name and email address on our homepage to begin your free trial.
See you in class soon!
Do you Offer a CCENT Boot Camp? 24 Nov 2013 12:27 PM (11 years ago)
We get this question a lot, so we thought we would clear up the concerns some people have before deciding to enroll.
Most people who set out to get a Cisco certification aim to get their CCNA, as this is the most popular Cisco certification. This is why our course focuses on the CCNA.
While the CCENT is a certification in it's own right, many students use the CCENT as a stepping stone to the CCNA certification.
Our online CCNA Success Bootcamp covers both the CCENT and the CCNA certifications.
So you can pursue the CCENT first should you choose, but you could equally study for the CCNA all in one go.
All the training materials on our website are categorized into CCENT and CCNA for your convenience.
To begin your free trial of our online CCNA Success Bootcamp simply enter your name and email on our homepage.
Bill Davis's CCNA Success Secrets 1 Oct 2013 11:32 PM (11 years ago)
Our latest CCNA graduate shares his experience with studying and passing his CCNA exam.
1.) A lot of people never know if they are ready to sit the exam, what advice would you give them?
For me to feel that I had a complete understanding, at least at a CCNA level, of the information I was studying I needed to practice theory and lab and utilize them together when troubleshooting (where you really learn). If you can complete new, and challenging troubleshooting labs, you have a firm understanding of both hands on and theory. Other than that make sure you know your subnetting. I am not one for memorization, so I ensure that I understood subnetting well enough that I could do it in my head, quickly.
2.) Revising for the CCNA exam can be daunting due to the amount of knowledge you need to be able to recall, how did you overcome this?
Review, review, review. I ended up utilizing 5 single subject notebooks for my studying. As I came closer to my test date I also utilized testing applications and websites. Utilize sites that test your abilities, not dump sites.
3.) What kept you motivated towards your goal of becoming CCNA certified?
Looking forward to a better job and career
4.) How did you ensure you had studied enough on specific topics?
Via testing applications and test sites.
5.) What methods did you use to study for the CCNA?
I used a combination of books, videos, labs, test application and test sites.
6.) If you were to begin studying again, what would you do differently?
I would have set my test date at the beginning. I took too long to study for my CCNA, although I did finish with a 960.
7.) What difference did our site have on your overall success?
Having questions of the day hit my inbox really was refreshing and I still utilize them daily. In fact, I forward them to several colleagues that are contemplating studying for their tests.
Bill Davis
CCNA Certified
WAN/Internet/Security
Do I Need Equipment for CCNA Course? 5 Sep 2013 10:39 AM (11 years ago)
While you could attempt to pass the CCNA exam without any practice configuring and troubleshooting labs, we do not advise it. The CCNA is not an easy exam, especially if you are unprepared.
The CCNA syllabus covers a lot of practical skills along side the theory behind it, and the exam is designed to test your knowledge of this.
There are different ways you can get this practical experience, and we've put together a video explaining your options.
The video is part of the free trial of our online CCNA Success Bootcamp. To begin your free trial simply submit your name and email on our homepage.
Muhammed's CCNA Success Tips 26 Aug 2013 2:35 AM (11 years ago)
Our latest CCNA success story is Muhammed Islam from England, who passed his CCNA on August 10th 2013.
We asked Muhammed what tips he could give to help other CCNA students. His answers are below...
1.) A lot of people never know if they are ready to sit the exam, what advice would you give them?
For me to be ready for the CCNA exam, I focused on studying all topics and going through questions before I booked an exam date.
That way, I was not worried about if I was ready for the exam (as I had no exam date set) and I just concentrated on studying.
Once I had a full understanding of both the subjects and questions+answers, I booked an exam date on a Saturday afternoon, so I could recap on Sat morning.
2.) Revising for the CCNA exam can be daunting due to the amount of knowledge you need to be able to recall, how did you overcome this?
I have worked with Cisco switches, routers, firewalls since 2001 in the same NHS organisation I am employed in.
I learnt everything myself from existing configs, and practising on obsolete 2503/2601/2811/2950/3550 routers/switches at home.
I did my ICND Intro back in 2005 but never completed ICND2.
For revising I had 3 weeks off work so I just spent time at my parents house studying. I watched a Kojak season 5 episode via Youtube in between - to allow my mind to rest. I also attended 6x 2hr CCNA classroom sessions but my self-studying helped me more.
3.) What kept you motivated towards your goal of becoming CCNA certified?
I was motivated by self-studying, knowing I had to complete it by 30 Sept (when the old CCNA exam retires), and praying to God for Him to help me pass first time.
4.) How did you ensure you had studied enough on specific topics?
Although I knew about some CCNA subjects (like configs, subnetting, etc), I choose to start from scratch - as these would be properly explained to me and help refresh my mind.
After each subject, I attempted as many questions on the subject. Once I studied a subject, I studied it again several days later to ensure I understood and remembered.
My PCs and phones still have CCNA bookmarks, and PC remains with console cables connected to Cisco devices.
5.) What methods did you use to study for the CCNA?
CCNA study materials I used included Todd Lamale's CCNA 7th edition. I thanked him and he replied saying he was pleased the guide helped me. I also used two CCNA dumps etc.
I was fasting in Ramadan whilst studying and I saw little TV (except Youtube Kojak season 5 episodes).
Travelling to and from work (before my 3 weeks off), I studied the PDFs on London tube to and from work.
6.) If you were to begin studying again, what would you do differently?
I would not change anything different from my studying. Right now I am studying a CCNP guide on tube to and from work.
I rarely watch TV now and I still set my Sky box to record for me to watch late evenings. That way, my daytime (outside of work) I use to study my CCNP.
Any website, PDF guide, router/switch I try to find time to study and learn. This helps me concentrate and not waste time on not studying.
7.) What difference did our site have on your overall success?
Your website is always useful and I enjoy reading its emails including CCNA daily question.
I remember one email you wrote about you being unemployed and using the time to get your CCNA and setup your company.
It shows you were motivated to doing something useful (whilst being unemployed) and achieving success.
I would like to setup an IT training centre (including CCNA and Microsoft) in my home country Bangladesh and your success story does help me.
Muhammed Islam
CCNA