Study Resources

Here is a page where I post helpful links for studying and add my two cents.

Recommended Lab equipment for Cisco CCNA

Simulators:
Packet Tracer
GNS3
VIRL

Online Training:
Pluralsight
CBTnuggets
NetworkLessons

Form Help:
Cisco Learning Network

Study Guide Tips:

  • CCNA (Get books)
  • Read 2-3 chapters per week (Read pages)
  • Ask for help (You better ask!)
  • Make lab work (Just do it!)
  • Brick it ( See what it does when you break it)
  • If you’re just starting out, get Todd Lammle’s CCNA book. If you want to go more in depth, get Wendell Odom’s CCNA book.
  • I can tell you from experience that you need a lot of time for each chapter. In order to solidify and really remember, you need a lot of repetition. Once you get a few chapters in, you’ll start to forget things! (What did I do 9 chapters ago?)
  • There are a ton of protocols to learn at different stages (Configuring > Verifying > Troubleshooting). Each stage gets harder and it depends on what the exam requires (CCNA Exam Topics)
    • Configuring is just knowing what commands are required to make something work properly (Easy)
    • Verifying is after configuring your protocol. You see if it’s working by using different show commands (Okay)
    • Troubleshooting is the hardest part. You need to interpret the show commands to see what is configured wrong. (Hard)
  • This CCNA is not a read the book and pass the test thing. It really is a journey, and it starts with you always plugging away. Don’t be surprised or frustrated when you start to forget things. It’s just a lot of material to take in. Did you know the CCNA was originally a few hundred pages long?! Now it’s 1,600 pages! XD
  • Once you read a chapter, use what you learned and make it work in Packet Tracer or on real equipment. See what happens. Ask yourself why doesn’t this work? If you’re anything like me, you will make many configuration mistakes. This is actually a good thing! You’ll start to see what happens when you miss key commands!
    1. This is key for troubleshooting and really understanding what goes on under the hood! Make sure you do a ton of labs!
  • You should always ask for help if you don’t get a concept or can’t get your lab to work. Remember the more questions you ask the better off you’ll be.