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CCNA Self Study

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  • 22-06-2005 2:05pm
    #1
    nahgoe
    Registered Users Posts: 18 ✭


    Not sure if this is the place to post this, but here goes

    I'm thinking of doing the CCNA self study course this year. Can't really afford to do a taught one, and i'm not too pushed about doing the exams just yet ( i'm more interested in learning the stuff than getting a qualification ).

    Can anyone reccomend a decent book, or set of books that will teach everything you need to know, from a pretty basic level?

    Also, how important is having hardware to play with and practise? We have a few cisco switches in here but it's only the spare one that i'd be able to do anything with. I've seen some of the books come with simulators, are they any good?

    Thanks


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    #2
    skywalker_208
    Registered Users Posts: 1,350 ✭✭✭skywalker_208


    http://www.celticrover.com/

    try that site... have loadsa stuff including router setup simulations... dont know about a book coz i didnt use one :)


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    #3
    BeardyGit
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,946 ✭✭✭BeardyGit


    I picked up the Sybex guide (Todd Lamell), Hill & McGraw and the Cisco books to cover the 801 exam too - They're both good (Sybex is better) but don't actually give you all of the black and white answers on the exam questions but good for a detailed overview.

    The Cisco Press books are great. Covers everything you need to know for the exam and also gives you the bottom line on what Cisco will support with current IOS implementations. The included Sim CD's will be enough to get you through the exam if you cover everything in the book and work through the accompanying labs.

    Pick one of the first and add the Cisco Press and you're all set. Both are available in Easons - I paid around 60 for the Sybex book, 50 for the Hill & McGraw and 80 for the boxed pair of Cisco Press books.

    If you find the Sims included with these publications aren't detailed enough - Have a look for the Network Visualiser Sim. It's the latest fully fledged product from RouterSim.com

    Hope this helps,

    Gil


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    #4
    axer
    Registered Users Posts: 5,517 ✭✭✭axer


    I have done a CCNA course and have used the sim that came with the cisco press book, routersim and Boson. Routersim is definitely better. I think you would be fine with simulators but if and when you are going to sit the exam you should try with real hardware for practicing.
    You should get the Cisco Press books as they cover everything fine.
    Good luck.


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    #5
    jesus_thats_gre
    Registered Users Posts: 17,441 ✭✭✭✭jesus_thats_gre


    Hi Lads

    Am a little overwhelmed by the sheer number if CCNA orientated books out there.. Am looking at Amazon and there is pages of them and the majority have positive reviews..

    Any chance someone could link to 1 or 2 essential books that cover everything and 1 or 2 books that offer a comprehensive overview?


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    #6
    shoegirl
    Registered Users Posts: 2,021 ✭✭✭shoegirl


    I sat the CCNA yesterday after about 9 months of self study and passed.

    I mainly used Richard Deal's CCNA Cisco Certified Network Associate Study Guide (Exam 640-801) published by McGrawHill (its about 30-35 euros if you buy through Amazon marketplace), which includes tests by Boson and the Boson simulator.

    I also bought the Exam Cram 2, found it ok for a bit of revision, but as you can imagine there is a lot left out - in the end I concentrated most of my study on the main textbook - you have to do this as the CCNA has a pass mark of about 849/1000 and its incredibly detailed. On the other hand the practice tests were excellent.

    My company has a books24x7 account, so I did dip into other books:
    CCNA: Cisco Certified Network Associate Study Guide (640-801) ~Todd Lammle - might be better than the Richard Deal as a text book but no router simulator.
    Ccna Fast Pass
    Todd Lammle, Sean Odom - better than the Exam Cram, but without the practice tests.

    "Real world experience" is a pipe dream. Realistically very few people are going to have the access to a router to try out commands and even if they do you'd need a few of them, some switches and the right kinds of cabling to really get much out of it. The simulators are excellent.

    Actually I did get a some real world experience when I was managing IT changes for a large UK branch of a company that ended up being sold off to a bigger player. I was looking at ACLs, frame-relay configs and trunking configs every day (my main focus was on a data centre which had terminal servers set up to connect to the networks of over 100 customers - so there was a huge amount of network changes happening). This did get a lot of commands into my head. Its nice to have real world experience but a router sim is the next best thing.


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