Thanks for admitting the CCNA is hard. Most people are too proud/conscious of their rep to call an "associate" exam hard. I'm a network engineer with 7yrs of MSP experience in millions of dollars of deployment projects and I'm finding it quite "hard" in the sense that you have to have all these obscure things memorized. Things that in the real world I may need once a year, and will simply look it up IF I do
Exactly, I just passed it. I did Cbt nuggets videos, Read official cert guide books, boson practice exams an, d udemy practice exams. I was new to it all and got a great base from cbt and the books, but the test requires A LOT of memorization of things I know I will never need and if I do, I look it up , like you said.
@@JB-iq2pi hiI. First of all congratulations on pass your CCNA, It a big accomplishment!!. I am planning on giving CCNA exam this year, maybe by the end of January or mid feb. I have been studying non-stop from books to online materials such as cbt nuggets and much more. A friend of mine told me that most of the exam comes from CCNA Dumps. Is it true?? I went thru few dumps I found on the internet, most of the commenters said that the questions on dumps usually repeats. was it true in your case?
@@beatslegendsworldwide5180 I'm planning on taking my exam in a few weeks. In my opinion, question dump is not only cheating, it can bite you in the butt. The vendors are very aware of the question dumps out there; they could easily tweak a few words here and there to give the cheaters an illusion of they're doing great on the exam, only to find out that not only they failed, also now Cisco (or any other exam vendor) knows they're a cheater. Just get on your grind, read the books cover to cover, watch CBT Nuggets (or other websites you're using) to fill in the gaps in knowledge that you might've forgot or not paid attention to, do lots labs to cement your knowledge, and remember that it's better to fail than to cheat.
The CCNA is NOT an entry level exam, don’t let anyone tell you that. I’m a 20 year network Engineer/Consultant and work with Cisco, HP, Brocade/Ruckus, Extreme, Fortinet, Palo Alto, etc. I work with different companies every day, design networks, manage networks.... You get the picture, I have a pretty good idea what I’m doing. The CCNA is a horrible exam for practical daily network engineers. No one uses IPv6 but ISPs, no one designs networks using Spanning Tree (if they do they should be shot), on one uses RIP or IS-IS. I’ve never seen either in any company in 20 years. BGP, OSPF, and EIGRP are used sparingly in businesses. Static routing is 99% of what I see. No one uses pure routers to NAT or VPNs. Never seen it. People use firewalls for both. I rarely see VRRP, never seen HSRP or GLBP. I’ve not seen a single company use automation and programmability. Not one. Maybe REALLY large enterprises use some of these things, but if you work for one, they’re not going to let a CCNA touch any of that stuff. They’re gonna have CCNPs or CCIEs that do that level of work. They’re also probably not going to be a pure Cisco network. Only 50% of my customers use Cisco, the rest use one of the above switch and firewall vendors. So you need to know a lot more than Cisco in the real world. Luckily the network fundamentals are the same, but your CLI is going to be slightly different between all vendors. I see a lot of “network engineers” that only know Cisco, and when confronted with another switch or router vendor they’re a deer in the headlights. That’s not a real network engineer to me. So just keep that in mind when you’re going down the Cisco rabbit hole.
Network + is a decent cert. I’m also not saying to NOT get your CCNA, it’s also a good cert. I’m just saying be aware the market is only 50% Cisco. To be a good engineer you need to understand network fundamentals, and not just how Cisco does things. You’re just as likely to get a job managing a non-Cisco network as you are a Cisco network. And even in a Cisco network, not every piece of network equipment will be Cisco. For example, Cisco ASA’/Firepower do not lead market share in firewalls, Fortinet and Palo Alto lead market share. Ruckus Networks leads wireless share in multiple verticals like schools, hospitality, and government. Ruckus also has a large market share in switching for those verticals, along with Aruba. That’s all I’m saying. So fully understand Layer 2 and Layer 3 fundamentals and protocols - switching, routing, VLANs, ARP & MAC tables, subnetting, wireless, etc. Then no matter what gear you’re dealing with, you can handle it.
Niraj Chauhan Understand switching (Layer 2) and routing (Layer 3) concepts and protocols forwards and backwards. Understand VLANs, ARP & MAC tables and how those processes work - they are fundamental to how switches work. Understand subnetting forwards and backwards. Understand discovery protocols - CDP, FDP, LLDP, etc. and the benefits in regards to troubleshooting. Understand wireless protocols. Firewall concepts - access lists/rules, port numbers, TCP, UDP, ICMP protocols,network address translation, and IPSec VPNs. Understand routing - static routing primarily, then dynamic routing will come fairly easily. Focus on BPG and OSPF when you get to dynamic routing. Understand Layer 3 switches - these are what’s typically the primary internal routers on networks - you’ll hear them referred to as “core” switches. Hardly anyone uses an actually router to route internal networks. A Layer 3 switch is exponentially faster, more scalable and more flexible in network design. Learn LACP and the benefits in redundancy and throughout. I’m also a huge proponent of using stacking technology. The CCNA books are actually pretty good on understanding these concepts. If you understand them, you can configure any switch, router, firewall, and wireless from any vendor. Once you have these down, then you can continue down the Cisco route if you choose, but don’t JUST learn how Cisco does things. For example Cisco uses “access port” and “trunk port” terminology for VLANs, whereas literally every other switch vendor uses “untagged port” and “tagged port” to refer to the same concept. People that just learn Cisco are totally lost when they see this terminology on other switches. Hope that helps.
Paul - I wanted to express my appreciation for the thorough and very useful video posting. I had the nagging suspicion that this would have been the case with the new Cisco exam... BTW, thank you for the wonderful book on subnetting - Zero-2-Guru - it was an important part of my study regimen for the Network+ certification which I obtained late last year.
Thanks for the video Paul. I have been a student of yours for many years and only sat for one exam. I do have a Juniper cert and I am blessed to be working in a Cisco shop. First, thanks for putting the effort in to take the test, see what it's like and then better prep us to take the exam. Where I work at, there is not a lot of explaining, they expect me to get it on my own with little to no documentation. So I am grateful for the labs you put together as well as the effort it takes to make the training practical and relevant to networking as we know it can be. In this, I don't feel so isolated.
@@howtonetworkcom It's a learning process. Being female in IT can be rough. Being an older female, even rougher. But I'm making it by doing your studies and labs, reading and speaking my mind. Thanks again, Paul.
I have taken the MCSA/MCSE (Microsoft Certified Solitaire Expert). Certified for Windows Server2003 in 2009 when Windows Server 2008 had just been released, but certs expired in 2015. I got my CompTIA A+ 901-902 in 2018 to soon need to be renewed. So far I have taken 9 exams (7 for MCSE, 2 for A+) and passed each one on the first try. But CCNA is the prize so I am in envy. Good job. You know your shit. I just got your Network+ lab book on Kindle yesterday, I didn't know your stuff, and found this vblog today........something is happening. I may be up and getting ready for number 10 exam!
Hope you can make a complete video again for 200-301, I just fail my 200-125 last Feb 21. With tips on how to manage the review specially for me with regular job and family.
Hey Micheal, your wasting your time getting a CCNA certification. If your using Cisco on the job they you are learning more that would be in a book. You lost money by failing the test, it won't look good on the resume. Don't waste your time with certifications learn all you can on the job. Your experience with Cisco will be more valuable than with someone with a certification. The reason why I say this is, because the one who has the CCNA is the one your boss is going to when the network goes down. And it he who has a certification and if he can't get the network up and running he's the one who's going to get fired not you but the guy who has the certification. I've seen it happen over and over.
I made on my CCNA after months of studying, then went on my CCNP route/switching, both made, however didn't make it on my t-shoot one, simply because I just couldn't find devices just questions and topology and page of answers and it was like multiple questions with same kind of wording. Cisco really need to do good job on T-shoot one it was really pain for me finding devices on the laps.
Well i´m member now to Howtonetwork, i really hope i can make with the little time available being a family guy type of person i do not have much time.Thanks for the video Mr Browning.
CISCO are now a Foundational/secondary skills. What you need to be called "NETWORK Engineers" are Firewalls like Fortigate, Palo Alto, Checkpoint, Proxy Servers, UNIX/LINUX Skills and scripting skills.
Bullcrap... Scripting not so, server disciplines not so. I worked in top 50 US Dow Jones corp and a major UK bank in networking, neither had multi-discipline techs - the network guys looked after the Cisco boxes and Checkpoint stuff, the server guys the same with their boxes.
@@legionnairegonk4425 ever heard of Cisco Nexus devices? juniper SRX ? Fujitsu flashwaves? ACI? APIs? TCL?Phyton? your company run like a lumber mill? Even as early as 2002 We're using automation already
I find it problematic that this exam is harder than the previous version when looking at the differences in the test objectives. There are far fewer objectives on this new exam and more of them that use verbage such as describe instead of configure. Everything in these objectives would lead me to believe that this exam should be substantially easier but evidently that is not the case at all.
at 7:35, you said the questions are from a bank. where are these banks available? does anybody know where it available. Help would really be appreciated. Thanks
And the funny thing is, you’ll still get paid the same amount as someone that passed the 200-125! CCNA will still be seen as a CCNA regardless of how difficult it gets to pass and the addition of content! Also, I’m fed up of hearing people say that the reason Cisco have done this is to create value in the cert because too many people had it. That’s the whole idea of an associate certificate, it gives the required essentials to build a network, then they build upon that with the CCNP/CCIE if they’re good enough.
You're misinterpreting what they actually said. They said it was being redone because the other one was incredibly easy to brain dump. This one is almost impossible.
@@Frissdas1207 I’m not misinterpreting anything, because I wasn’t trying to interpret it in the first place, I was sharing my opinion on the whole certification track in general, but primarily the CCNA.
Great video, if not a bit scary. When will version 6 of the CCNA Simplified be available on Amazon to order and is this enough to pass without ordering the 60 day book ?
It's early April and still, the books are not available on your website or Amazon.co.uk ????? Any idea of a date when they will be available to buy ???
Hey Paul, are you going to update the CCNP 101 labs book for the new exams? also, if I were buying a physical lab, how many routers, layer 2 and layer 3 switches will I need for the new CCNP?
Does Cisco their exams also give you some points for questions where you have to answer two or more. Lets say you need to give 2 answers, or the drag and drops where you got 3 right but 2 wrong, but you still get points for the 3 correct ones? do they do that? I know that Microsoft does that with their exams.
i really need to write the new ccna because i couldnt write the old one in time because of lack of finances. thank you for recommending your books i will surely buy them because i dont know where to start with new syllabus.
Hello Paul, Quick a question (with my experience history) if I may. I have a rack with 3 routers and 3 switches. I setup a laptop with expanded USB and LAN ports to support the rack and two VM running Linux mint. I took ccna r/s classes for the old exams but never bothered to take the exam. I just wanted to know r/s to supplement my job with DWDM equipment. I have your old 60days book and all of the older cisco lab books. Which book(s) of yours do you recommend if I want to pass the new exam? Kind Regards, Charlie D
well it's a 2 page bullet points. they can't really mention everything. consider the OFFICIAL cert guides as part of the specification of the exam. all the topics are there for good. anyway the cert is only a cert. in real life you should know all those extra points not mention on the syllabus. also in real life you are CONSTNATLY learning more new techs and knowledge, soo...
@@rohanofelvenpower5566 I think the purpose of the video was to provide help from the perspective of someone that has gone through the test. We are talking about an exam here, not "real life" as you say. In real life if you encounter a situation where you don't have a definite answer, it's not that big a deal, you can probably find the answer in a couple minutes. But during a test you're not afforded that luxury, so he's trying to advise extra caution especially for people that may not be experienced Cisco exam test takers.
It is yes as they kept much of it in even after taking it off the syllabus. either way, I'll be making a new version with wireless labs but I have to finish the other two first.
I know that most of the grading stuff is confidential, but Do you (anyone) think you get partial credit when answering questions with multiple answers? EX. you get 3 out of 4 answers correct.
@@howtonetworkcom Thanks Paul!!! Also, thanks for the great video. I have been working towards CCNA for about a year now and i always found the exam objectives very vague. They tell you that you need to know wireless, but they dont tell you how deep the water is. this helps alot.
Hello Paul, having some issues signing up on your site. Gives me "undefined nl2p" and some errors. when i tried to re-sign up told me my email address was already in use and then when i try to sign in, gives me the same error.
helpdesk is best place to get help a we don't check youtube comments daily. If your email is in use you will have joined before or tried to so log in first.
Do you get access to a IOS client through the entire test (including nonlab questions)? im wondering if i can use it as a sudo cheatsheet to remember things around.
Hi Paul, what package would you recommend I start with for entry level into the IT industry. I don't have any previous experience or training in IT. I will appreciate your response, thanks.
is it normal that i didn't get a printout after my exam? the lady at the test center told me not everyone gets a printout. i have to call cisco/pearson to figure it out. i said everyone was writing cisco. she said not everyone writing the same exam. i ask the other guys they said they were also writing the same exam. then she said they're just a testing center and i have to call cisco/pearson to figure it out.
Based on the difficulty after the A+ 1001/1002 would this be worth the study ? I know the newest A+ is more in-depth with Networking, hence the question?
I heard the new CCNA exam has no labs, no sims, just pure 102 multiple choice questions. No more scenario based or situational, its like flash cards type questions. Not that fun or satisfying anymore
I know you'er trying to sell your book here but are you saying Official Cert Guide by Wendell Odom is not good enough to prepare for new CCNA 200-301??? because i already bought the book .. please don't ignore this question
I said that if you rely on the syllabus alone you will probably fail. I've read the Odom books but never liked them. Also, as I say in the video, there is a fair bit in the exam not covered in the book.
Out of those 100 questions, how many questions are multiple choice, how many are drug and drop and how many are something else? Please can someone breakdown the structure of that exam(200-301) if you don't mind.
more than 100 questions, vague (hard) questions, less than two hour and half and you can't go back for re-checking answers. I was planning to attempt the new CCNA in this year, I have started to study very hard, getting official resources and using both PT and GNS3, but this video discouraged me... and I'm an IT PhD and a Network Telecommunications enginner.... I do not understand the reason for making this exam harder then previosly; this fact will certainly result in a drammatic decrease of attemtping candidates per year. Less canditates means less revenue per year for Cisco... I do not understand.
They have to keep it hard or it loses value. It isn't harder as such but the volume of questions makes it tiring to take. No hands-on labs at the moment so it's easier in that respect.
@@howtonetworkcom hi Paul, doesn't the CCNA lose a tremendous value by not having hands-on labs? Seems like it's just memory but what about practice itself? Is it more self learning outside the exam? Thanks for the great content
@@howtonetworkcom The book is a certified Cisco guide come on now...Thats a failure on cisco and odoms part. I dont see spine-leaf anywhere in 2 volumes of odoms guides.
Why does Cisco insist on manual sub-netting instead of just using a calculator - very stupid. Yes, I agree with the comment below - if their was quality control and oversight, Cisco would have their asses in court many times over these exams.
@@howtonetworkcom I would actually - would look more professional than writing out tables on a laminated sheet with a magic marker - www.solarwinds.com/free-tools/advanced-subnet-calculator
I am a level three network engineering but don’t hold a ccna certificate. My BS however was focus on network engineering so I got through my job interview 4 years ago and have been working in that same job since. However I plan to move to a diff job which requires the CCNA. I have already pretti much fine through volume 1 of the 200-301 book along with labs while applying my job knowledge. I am thinking about taking a class since even my colleagues who are senior network engineers say the exam is tuff. Do you recommend taking a class (two days a weeks/12 hours per week for 8 weeks) or should I self study? The more expensive class offered and community colleges are too expensive so I was considering going with a learning institution that has good reviews and In-depth hands in labs.
I've done a couple of those expensive classes, its really not worth your time. Self study is best. Only good thing about those classes is sometimes they include taking the test for free. However its way over priced
machi23 that’s what’s have been hearing, a friend suggest taking a accelerated 8 day boot camp class.--still cost $1000 but from what I heard those other classes can run $3500 easily
After multiple years as network Engineer, prepared myself for 2 months preparing for exam theorie, new stuff, etc.. took the exam and failed 802/825. All I can say it its very hard and dubiose exam. Questions about routing tables, while reading them took me 5 minutes to underestand what are they asking me. This was unbelievable exam, very hard, very frustrating at one moment in the middle of the exam I just wanted to end the exam. Now even after two days I'm thinking to take another exam or not.
Everybody is just about passing, even CCIEs. I just passed and I wrote the books. Just study super hard and learn every command, protocol, service and all routing basics.
Guess I'm the only one in this comment thread who regularly watches Paul's videos, including the one last year where he said the new CCNA looked a little easier. But please continue. ☺
@@loc4725 Thanks for your opinion, that is the first video of him i watched, and for the comparisons he brought it seemed to say the exam was more challenging. I guess because of the 60days guides he is selling then? I studied R&S, didn't make it on time, i'll do this one, i'll tell you how i found it
@@garysquarepants898 Cisco has been making the CCNA harder in terms of both size and underhandedness for many years, so I don't doubt what Paul says. For example the last iteration added BGP, a protocol usually used by ISP's & network-level Internet peers and yet the CCNA is still allegedly aimed at people working with small networks of up to 100 clients! I was hoping that this had been broken with this iteration but obviously not. So now my concern is that this sort of creep will continue until there is effectively no CCNA, only an even harder CCNP (there's loads and loads of highly specialist study they can add) and that to keep your job you will eventually need to learn all of that + all the irrelevant trivia they like to throw in.
@@howtonetworkcom Cisco says 120 minutes - learningnetwork.cisco.com/s/ccna-exam-topics But when booking the exam through Pearson Vue it comes in at 140. Maybe that just includes the time for extra non-graded questions or initial reading. Thank you for the insightful video, I knew I needed to lab more and this pretty much confirms it ha.
Hey Paul, how much of your CCNA certification do you use on the job. What did you learn from your CCNA certification that your using in the real world?. I would believe that you are only using less than 5% of what you learn from a book. How valuable are you to your company now that you are certified. I have always thought that certifications were a waste of time and money. What you learn on the job is more valuable than what you will learn in a book. With your CCNA certification have you gotten a boost in salary? I just want to know. If your going to be using 90% of your certification on the job then it was worth it but if not you just wasted your time and money. A CCNA looks good on the resume.
CCNA got me a job with Cisco and a big pay rise. Also, many other benefits. I used a fair bit but if you are working on a large network you might only look after WAN side, firewalls or installs so it all depends. You can't get on without being certified IMHO.
I had only two hours, at first I thought it was enough time till I had 30 minutes left and was on question 45 and just had to start rushing things eventually ran out of time and failed
I know you need to make a buck on these videos but you have WAY WAY WAY too many commercials during your video. I stopped about half way through and went to another vendor.
My CCNA cert fate is a bit brighter thanks to you.... March exam here I come
Thanks for admitting the CCNA is hard. Most people are too proud/conscious of their rep to call an "associate" exam hard. I'm a network engineer with 7yrs of MSP experience in millions of dollars of deployment projects and I'm finding it quite "hard" in the sense that you have to have all these obscure things memorized. Things that in the real world I may need once a year, and will simply look it up IF I do
Exactly, I just passed it. I did Cbt nuggets videos, Read official cert guide books, boson practice exams an, d udemy practice exams. I was new to it all and got a great base from cbt and the books, but the test requires A LOT of memorization of things I know I will never need and if I do, I look it up , like you said.
@@JB-iq2pi hiI. First of all congratulations on pass your CCNA, It a big accomplishment!!.
I am planning on giving CCNA exam this year, maybe by the end of January or mid feb. I have been studying non-stop from books to online materials such as cbt nuggets and much more. A friend of mine told me that most of the exam comes from CCNA Dumps. Is it true?? I went thru few dumps I found on the internet, most of the commenters said that the questions on dumps usually repeats.
was it true in your case?
@@beatslegendsworldwide5180 I'm planning on taking my exam in a few weeks. In my opinion, question dump is not only cheating, it can bite you in the butt. The vendors are very aware of the question dumps out there; they could easily tweak a few words here and there to give the cheaters an illusion of they're doing great on the exam, only to find out that not only they failed, also now Cisco (or any other exam vendor) knows they're a cheater. Just get on your grind, read the books cover to cover, watch CBT Nuggets (or other websites you're using) to fill in the gaps in knowledge that you might've forgot or not paid attention to, do lots labs to cement your knowledge, and remember that it's better to fail than to cheat.
The CCNA is NOT an entry level exam, don’t let anyone tell you that. I’m a 20 year network Engineer/Consultant and work with Cisco, HP, Brocade/Ruckus, Extreme, Fortinet, Palo Alto, etc. I work with different companies every day, design networks, manage networks.... You get the picture, I have a pretty good idea what I’m doing.
The CCNA is a horrible exam for practical daily network engineers. No one uses IPv6 but ISPs, no one designs networks using Spanning Tree (if they do they should be shot), on one uses RIP or IS-IS. I’ve never seen either in any company in 20 years. BGP, OSPF, and EIGRP are used sparingly in businesses. Static routing is 99% of what I see. No one uses pure routers to NAT or VPNs. Never seen it. People use firewalls for both. I rarely see VRRP, never seen HSRP or GLBP. I’ve not seen a single company use automation and programmability. Not one.
Maybe REALLY large enterprises use some of these things, but if you work for one, they’re not going to let a CCNA touch any of that stuff. They’re gonna have CCNPs or CCIEs that do that level of work. They’re also probably not going to be a pure Cisco network. Only 50% of my customers use Cisco, the rest use one of the above switch and firewall vendors. So you need to know a lot more than Cisco in the real world. Luckily the network fundamentals are the same, but your CLI is going to be slightly different between all vendors.
I see a lot of “network engineers” that only know Cisco, and when confronted with another switch or router vendor they’re a deer in the headlights. That’s not a real network engineer to me. So just keep that in mind when you’re going down the Cisco rabbit hole.
After reading your comment, I guess the Network + is the best option for people with zero network knowledge to take?
Network + is a decent cert. I’m also not saying to NOT get your CCNA, it’s also a good cert. I’m just saying be aware the market is only 50% Cisco. To be a good engineer you need to understand network fundamentals, and not just how Cisco does things. You’re just as likely to get a job managing a non-Cisco network as you are a Cisco network. And even in a Cisco network, not every piece of network equipment will be Cisco. For example, Cisco ASA’/Firepower do not lead market share in firewalls, Fortinet and Palo Alto lead market share. Ruckus Networks leads wireless share in multiple verticals like schools, hospitality, and government. Ruckus also has a large market share in switching for those verticals, along with Aruba. That’s all I’m saying.
So fully understand Layer 2 and Layer 3 fundamentals and protocols - switching, routing, VLANs, ARP & MAC tables, subnetting, wireless, etc. Then no matter what gear you’re dealing with, you can handle it.
Not a beginners exam. Used to be but now you need to at least read the Network+ book many times over.
Paul Browning definitely going for the network + and if a job I want requires CCNA, then I attempt to study and pass the ccna exam.
Niraj Chauhan Understand switching (Layer 2) and routing (Layer 3) concepts and protocols forwards and backwards. Understand VLANs, ARP & MAC tables and how those processes work - they are fundamental to how switches work. Understand subnetting forwards and backwards. Understand discovery protocols - CDP, FDP, LLDP, etc. and the benefits in regards to troubleshooting. Understand wireless protocols.
Firewall concepts - access lists/rules, port numbers, TCP, UDP, ICMP protocols,network address translation, and IPSec VPNs. Understand routing - static routing primarily, then dynamic routing will come fairly easily. Focus on BPG and OSPF when you get to dynamic routing.
Understand Layer 3 switches - these are what’s typically the primary internal routers on networks - you’ll hear them referred to as “core” switches. Hardly anyone uses an actually router to route internal networks. A Layer 3 switch is exponentially faster, more scalable and more flexible in network design. Learn LACP and the benefits in redundancy and throughout. I’m also a huge proponent of using stacking technology.
The CCNA books are actually pretty good on understanding these concepts. If you understand them, you can configure any switch, router, firewall, and wireless from any vendor. Once you have these down, then you can continue down the Cisco route if you choose, but don’t JUST learn how Cisco does things. For example Cisco uses “access port” and “trunk port” terminology for VLANs, whereas literally every other switch vendor uses “untagged port” and “tagged port” to refer to the same concept. People that just learn Cisco are totally lost when they see this terminology on other switches.
Hope that helps.
Paul - I wanted to express my appreciation for the thorough and very useful video posting. I had the nagging suspicion that this would have been the case with the new Cisco exam... BTW, thank you for the wonderful book on subnetting - Zero-2-Guru - it was an important part of my study regimen for the Network+ certification which I obtained late last year.
Thanks for the video Paul. I have been a student of yours for many years and only sat for one exam. I do have a Juniper cert and I am blessed to be working in a Cisco shop. First, thanks for putting the effort in to take the test, see what it's like and then better prep us to take the exam. Where I work at, there is not a lot of explaining, they expect me to get it on my own with little to no documentation. So I am grateful for the labs you put together as well as the effort it takes to make the training practical and relevant to networking as we know it can be. In this, I don't feel so isolated.
Thanks Georgia. Hope all is well.
@@howtonetworkcom It's a learning process. Being female in IT can be rough. Being an older female, even rougher. But I'm making it by doing your studies and labs, reading and speaking my mind. Thanks again, Paul.
I have taken the MCSA/MCSE (Microsoft Certified Solitaire Expert). Certified for Windows Server2003 in 2009 when Windows Server 2008 had just been released, but certs expired in 2015. I got my CompTIA A+ 901-902 in 2018 to soon need to be renewed. So far I have taken 9 exams (7 for MCSE, 2 for A+) and passed each one on the first try. But CCNA is the prize so I am in envy. Good job. You know your shit.
I just got your Network+ lab book on Kindle yesterday, I didn't know your stuff, and found this vblog today........something is happening. I may be up and getting ready for number 10 exam!
Congrats Paul!! Thanks for the update on preparing for the new CCNA!! You make great content!
Hope you can make a complete video again for 200-301, I just fail my 200-125 last Feb 21. With tips on how to manage the review specially for me with regular job and family.
My website is up-to-date.
Hey Micheal, your wasting your time getting a CCNA certification. If your using Cisco on the job they you are learning more that would be in a book. You lost money by failing the test, it won't look good on the resume. Don't waste your time with certifications learn all you can on the job. Your experience with Cisco will be more valuable than with someone with a certification. The reason why I say this is, because the one who has the CCNA is the one your boss is going to when the network goes down. And it he who has a certification and if he can't get the network up and running he's the one who's going to get fired not you but the guy who has the certification. I've seen it happen over and over.
@@erniemurdock8658 Lost money by failing the test? Who puts failed tests on their resume? That's ridiculous!
Passed my ccna today, more of a worry is just how expensive the exam is.... Ouch.... When I last did my cisco certs they were about £100.....
It's pricy for sure but it should pay well.
The 200-301 exam itself is timed at 120 minutes. It is 140 minutes in total including the preamble, and post exam survey.
Thank you for the video. I have my ccent, but it seems like there is loads more to learn.
I made on my CCNA after months of studying, then went on my CCNP route/switching, both made, however didn't make it on my t-shoot one, simply because I just couldn't find devices just questions and topology and page of answers and it was like multiple questions with same kind of wording. Cisco really need to do good job on T-shoot one it was really pain for me finding devices on the laps.
Smc hambalyo. Sxb maxaad isticmaaahay ee kaaxaawiyay inaad baasto, maxaadse talo isiinlahayd Mahadsanid.
Well i´m member now to Howtonetwork, i really hope i can make with the little time available being a family guy type of person i do not have much time.Thanks for the video Mr Browning.
I hope so too!
In regards to cybersecurity what does cybersecurity and ccna require you to do?
I have 3 months to get ready for this test and I have no idea how to get to the level described here.
so, too many were passing the first time and cisco wasn't making enough on cert exams. comptia does the same thing
I just took my comptia network+ 2 days ago. Way tougher than I expected
@@benthomas6828 i am taking mine in s couple of months. Any suggestions on what to focus
The testing company isn't paying much to the testing center its like only rm$20 per pax.
CISCO are now a Foundational/secondary skills. What you need to be called "NETWORK Engineers" are Firewalls like Fortigate, Palo Alto, Checkpoint, Proxy Servers, UNIX/LINUX Skills and scripting skills.
Bullcrap... Scripting not so, server disciplines not so. I worked in top 50 US Dow Jones corp and a major UK bank in networking, neither had multi-discipline techs - the network guys looked after the Cisco boxes and Checkpoint stuff, the server guys the same with their boxes.
@@legionnairegonk4425 ever heard of Cisco Nexus devices? juniper SRX ? Fujitsu flashwaves? ACI? APIs? TCL?Phyton? your company run like a lumber mill? Even as early as 2002 We're using automation already
Many thanks Paul this is a great steer in the right direction.
Congratulations way to go!
I find it problematic that this exam is harder than the previous version when looking at the differences in the test objectives. There are far fewer objectives on this new exam and more of them that use verbage such as describe instead of configure. Everything in these objectives would lead me to believe that this exam should be substantially easier but evidently that is not the case at all.
It's a deeper dive so even though the topic are similar you need to know more. e.g. OSPF for CCNA and OSPF for CCNP. Same topic but much harder.
@@howtonetworkcom Thanks for the advice. When will your updated materials be ready?
Any material. My course starts in 3 months Im a beginner and want to prepare before the course starts so I am not clueless when goin in for the course
Congratulations sir 🎉🎉🎉
I am from India
thanks a lot...... best review of the exam!
Congratulations
at 7:35, you said the questions are from a bank. where are these banks available? does anybody know where it available. Help would really be appreciated.
Thanks
? It's a bank of questions held by Cisco. Each exam downloads a random sample.
Paul Browning Ah!
Thanks for the reply! Helpful video.
Do I need to write books like you did to pass the exam?
LMAO Good one.
And the funny thing is, you’ll still get paid the same amount as someone that passed the 200-125! CCNA will still be seen as a CCNA regardless of how difficult it gets to pass and the addition of content!
Also, I’m fed up of hearing people say that the reason Cisco have done this is to create value in the cert because too many people had it. That’s the whole idea of an associate certificate, it gives the required essentials to build a network, then they build upon that with the CCNP/CCIE if they’re good enough.
You're misinterpreting what they actually said. They said it was being redone because the other one was incredibly easy to brain dump. This one is almost impossible.
@@Frissdas1207 I’m not misinterpreting anything, because I wasn’t trying to interpret it in the first place, I was sharing my opinion on the whole certification track in general, but primarily the CCNA.
Great video, if not a bit scary. When will version 6 of the CCNA Simplified be available on Amazon to order and is this enough to pass without ordering the 60 day book ?
The books are mutually exclusive. Should be out early April.
@@howtonetworkcom Sorry what do you mean by "mutually exclusive" ???
It's early April and still, the books are not available on your website or Amazon.co.uk ????? Any idea of a date when they will be available to buy ???
Wow, thanks for the insight Paul.
Do I need to know the configuration commands for ipsec vpn? GRE tunnel?
Hey Paul, are you going to update the CCNP 101 labs book for the new exams? also, if I were buying a physical lab, how many routers, layer 2 and layer 3 switches will I need for the new CCNP?
I will but it will be a few months. It's still good for all the CCNP routing elements though.
Does Cisco their exams also give you some points for questions where you have to answer two or more. Lets say you need to give 2 answers, or the drag and drops where you got 3 right but 2 wrong, but you still get points for the 3 correct ones? do they do that? I know that Microsoft does that with their exams.
They don't disclose that information.
@@howtonetworkcom Okay thank you
COngrats :) did you get easily with CCNA certification a job ? thanks
Paul do you offer 1on1 coaching???
Every few months I do but not at the moment. I send out emails if you are on my list.
you running windows 7??
i really need to write the new ccna because i couldnt write the old one in time because of lack of finances.
thank you for recommending your books i will surely buy them because i dont know where to start with new syllabus.
Awesome breakdown, thanks!
Shalom! Got a new sub here, thanking you for such great info!
MARANATHA 👍
Hello Paul, Quick a question (with my experience history) if I may. I have a rack with 3 routers and 3 switches. I setup a laptop with expanded USB and LAN ports to support the rack and two VM running Linux mint. I took ccna r/s classes for the old exams but never bothered to take the exam. I just wanted to know r/s to supplement my job with DWDM equipment. I have your old 60days book and all of the older cisco lab books. Which book(s) of yours do you recommend if I want to pass the new exam? Kind Regards, Charlie D
You need a new book for all the new topics I'm afraid.
Does the new test go off the old curriculum
So are you saying the cisco syllabus isn't reliable at all
I didn't say that. Everything on there can be tested but stuff NOT on there can also be tested, in some detail.
well it's a 2 page bullet points. they can't really mention everything. consider the OFFICIAL cert guides as part of the specification of the exam. all the topics are there for good. anyway the cert is only a cert. in real life you should know all those extra points not mention on the syllabus. also in real life you are CONSTNATLY learning more new techs and knowledge, soo...
@@rohanofelvenpower5566 I think the purpose of the video was to provide help from the perspective of someone that has gone through the test. We are talking about an exam here, not "real life" as you say. In real life if you encounter a situation where you don't have a definite answer, it's not that big a deal, you can probably find the answer in a couple minutes. But during a test you're not afforded that luxury, so he's trying to advise extra caution especially for people that may not be experienced Cisco exam test takers.
yes they will test you on things not in the syllabus super shady
Is your 101 labs book adequate enough training for this current CCNA exam? Or do you have an updated version on the way that I should wait for?
It is yes as they kept much of it in even after taking it off the syllabus. either way, I'll be making a new version with wireless labs but I have to finish the other two first.
Paul, for your "in 60 Days book/course, will you be updating your audio book?
Yeah. It's on the list.
@@howtonetworkcom is this book still valid for the new test?
100+ = 100-199. That’s a pretty wide range. Which is it closer to?
102
But with this virus... is it the exam on-line from home of mine?
What’s is the answer of
what software defined architecture plane assist network devices with making packet forwarding decisions by providing layer 2?
Good Job Paul, thanks for sharing.
I know that most of the grading stuff is confidential, but Do you (anyone) think you get partial credit when answering questions with multiple answers? EX. you get 3 out of 4 answers correct.
I think so but they won't confirm as much.
@@howtonetworkcom Thanks Paul!!! Also, thanks for the great video. I have been working towards CCNA for about a year now and i always found the exam objectives very vague. They tell you that you need to know wireless, but they dont tell you how deep the water is. this helps alot.
What's the cost
Hello Paul, having some issues signing up on your site. Gives me "undefined nl2p" and some errors. when i tried to re-sign up told me my email address was already in use and then when i try to sign in, gives me the same error.
helpdesk is best place to get help a we don't check youtube comments daily. If your email is in use you will have joined before or tried to so log in first.
Do you get access to a IOS client through the entire test (including nonlab questions)? im wondering if i can use it as a sudo cheatsheet to remember things around.
No. Sims only available for a specific questions. Latest exam has no sims at the moment though.
@@howtonetworkcom What do you mean by Sims please ? a noob here
Hi Paul, what package would you recommend I start with for entry level into the IT industry. I don't have any previous experience or training in IT. I will appreciate your response, thanks.
Network+ always.
@@howtonetworkcom Thank you for your prompt response.
What cert in UK Market is good for entry job? 👍😁
Hi Paul, I have one question... are your CCNA in 60 days book done? If not.. are another of your books where I can study meanwhile?
I'm still writing them.
Thankyou. Where I can practice in free before giving a real exam. If you know any good website in your mind help me with that. I am in r&s.
Boson ExSim is a great source for practice tests.
is it normal that i didn't get a printout after my exam? the lady at the test center told me not everyone gets a printout. i have to call cisco/pearson to figure it out. i said everyone was writing cisco. she said not everyone writing the same exam. i ask the other guys they said they were also writing the same exam. then she said they're just a testing center and i have to call cisco/pearson to figure it out.
you should of got a print out call multiple test centers to confirm
Is there a place to download that break down doc you had on display ?
It's the CCNA exam syllabus so you can google that. I can't recall the link.
Conga Instructor Paul Browing and am expecting available resources to take .
paul regarding your book Cisco CCNA in 60 days is it updated for the new CCNA yet?
I'm aiming for April.
Based on the difficulty after the A+ 1001/1002 would this be worth the study ? I know the newest A+ is more in-depth with Networking, hence the question?
CCNA is the way to go.
If you want to make 10-15 dollars an hour go for the a+ if you want future career opportunities and a decent salary go for the ccna
I heard the new CCNA exam has no labs, no sims, just pure 102 multiple choice questions. No more scenario based or situational, its like flash cards type questions. Not that fun or satisfying anymore
No but they are trying to beat the braindump sites.
Hi when is the updated ccna simplified being released? Thanks
March I hope.
@@howtonetworkcom Hi I'm holding on for the 6th Edition of the book, do you know when it will be available to purchase on Amazon in the UK?
NO CALCULATORS!!!? they allow calculators when taking exams in pure math, what the hell??
Congrats Paul
Old ccna pass degree is 810/1000
Can make videos courses ccna200-301 on YOUTube for benefiting.
Thx..
which book will be the first best to for me to me to use on the new ccna syllabus
CCNA Simplified out in March.
Thank u sir for your help
I know you'er trying to sell your book here but are you saying Official Cert Guide by Wendell Odom is not good enough to prepare for new CCNA 200-301??? because i already bought the book .. please don't ignore this question
I said that if you rely on the syllabus alone you will probably fail. I've read the Odom books but never liked them. Also, as I say in the video, there is a fair bit in the exam not covered in the book.
@@howtonetworkcom OK thanks .. but what book did you recommend ? may be Lammle, Todd. books when its out?
You never explained, Why you thought the exam is unfair?
I said they removed stuff from the syllabus but kept it in the exam. At a deep level.
@@howtonetworkcom Got it.
Out of those 100 questions, how many questions are multiple choice, how many are drug and drop and how many are something else?
Please can someone breakdown the structure of that exam(200-301) if you don't mind.
That is a breach of the NDA sorry.
more than 100 questions, vague (hard) questions, less than two hour and half and you can't go back for re-checking answers. I was planning to attempt the new CCNA in this year, I have started to study very hard, getting official resources and using both PT and GNS3, but this video discouraged me... and I'm an IT PhD and a Network Telecommunications enginner.... I do not understand the reason for making this exam harder then previosly; this fact will certainly result in a drammatic decrease of attemtping candidates per year. Less canditates means less revenue per year for Cisco... I do not understand.
They have to keep it hard or it loses value. It isn't harder as such but the volume of questions makes it tiring to take. No hands-on labs at the moment so it's easier in that respect.
@@howtonetworkcom hi Paul, doesn't the CCNA lose a tremendous value by not having hands-on labs? Seems like it's just memory but what about practice itself? Is it more self learning outside the exam? Thanks for the great content
i only had 90 minutes for the old CCNA both times i wrote it.
That was 55 questions. Now it's 102.
Wendells book does not cover a whole lot of these topics wtf i was relying on Odom.
I don't think he took the exam before writing the book.
@@howtonetworkcom The book is a certified Cisco guide come on now...Thats a failure on cisco and odoms part. I dont see spine-leaf anywhere in 2 volumes of odoms guides.
Thanks sir. its are informative for us.
hey can anybody help me out , do i need to study different wifi standards like 802.1 b , a , g , n ,ac etc for 200-301
It's in the syllabus so yes.
@@howtonetworkcom thanks Paul for such a fast reply , i really appreciate it
Is there a phone number one call ? Your website does not have any contact phone number.
We don't take calls. There is a contact page and helpdesk.
Thank you very much sir
But This syllabus that you explained is general guideline
So where can we get the actual syllabus?
Why does Cisco insist on manual sub-netting instead of just using a calculator - very stupid. Yes, I agree with the comment below - if their was quality control and oversight, Cisco would have their asses in court many times over these exams.
You probably won't be carrying one with you everywhere. Who would trust a network engineer who needed a calculator to work out subnetting?
@@howtonetworkcom I would actually - would look more professional than writing out tables on a laminated sheet with a magic marker -
www.solarwinds.com/free-tools/advanced-subnet-calculator
Can you use a pen and paper for subnetting when taking online exam? If not how would you go about it?
Online I don't know. I think you would.
I am a level three network engineering but don’t hold a ccna certificate. My BS however was focus on network engineering so I got through my job interview 4 years ago and have been working in that same job since. However I plan to move to a diff job which requires the CCNA. I have already pretti much fine through volume 1 of the 200-301 book along with labs while applying my job knowledge. I am thinking about taking a class since even my colleagues who are senior network engineers say the exam is tuff. Do you recommend taking a class (two days a weeks/12 hours per week for 8 weeks) or should I self study? The more expensive class offered and community colleges are too expensive so I was considering going with a learning institution that has good reviews and In-depth hands in labs.
The college classes have a really bad reputation I'm afraid. Self study is fast and convenient and cheap.
I've done a couple of those expensive classes, its really not worth your time. Self study is best. Only good thing about those classes is sometimes they include taking the test for free. However its way over priced
machi23 that’s what’s have been hearing, a friend suggest taking a accelerated 8 day boot camp class.--still cost $1000 but from what I heard those other classes can run $3500 easily
My question is will you be covering all that material in your updated book?
Yes, that was the point of me sitting the exam. there will be a free support/resources page also.
After multiple years as network Engineer, prepared myself for 2 months preparing for exam theorie, new stuff, etc.. took the exam and failed 802/825. All I can say it its very hard and dubiose exam. Questions about routing tables, while reading them took me 5 minutes to underestand what are they asking me. This was unbelievable exam, very hard, very frustrating at one moment in the middle of the exam I just wanted to end the exam. Now even after two days I'm thinking to take another exam or not.
Everybody is just about passing, even CCIEs. I just passed and I wrote the books. Just study super hard and learn every command, protocol, service and all routing basics.
I failed the 200-125 :(
YOu have an extra 20% of stuff to learn, mostly wireless and DevOps.
I did, too. I missed it by one f'n question.
hi...i passed 200-125 on 25 jan....which certification will i get...plz reply
CCNA
ccna like the first one on cisco website under associate
Looks harder than the just retired exam.
exactly, everybody was concerned that was going to be easier :W
@@garysquarepants898 since when Cisco giving easier certs haha
Guess I'm the only one in this comment thread who regularly watches Paul's videos, including the one last year where he said the new CCNA looked a little easier.
But please continue. ☺
@@loc4725 Thanks for your opinion, that is the first video of him i watched, and for the comparisons he brought it seemed to say the exam was more challenging.
I guess because of the 60days guides he is selling then?
I studied R&S, didn't make it on time, i'll do this one, i'll tell you how i found it
@@garysquarepants898
Cisco has been making the CCNA harder in terms of both size and underhandedness for many years, so I don't doubt what Paul says. For example the last iteration added BGP, a protocol usually used by ISP's & network-level Internet peers and yet the CCNA is still allegedly aimed at people working with small networks of up to 100 clients!
I was hoping that this had been broken with this iteration but obviously not. So now my concern is that this sort of creep will continue until there is effectively no CCNA, only an even harder CCNP (there's loads and loads of highly specialist study they can add) and that to keep your job you will eventually need to learn all of that + all the irrelevant trivia they like to throw in.
hello, in new CCNA time is 120 min. and minimum score is 849/1000
No, that is the old one.
@@howtonetworkcom Cisco says 120 minutes - learningnetwork.cisco.com/s/ccna-exam-topics
But when booking the exam through Pearson Vue it comes in at 140. Maybe that just includes the time for extra non-graded questions or initial reading.
Thank you for the insightful video, I knew I needed to lab more and this pretty much confirms it ha.
Thanks
Im scared 😱
Yeah man I'm doing mine too..
Hope you can ace it and do let me know when are you going to take it?
Great video. How can i get your book?
CCNA Simplified v6 will be out in March.
Everyone else says packet tracer is enough to pass the exam
Mostly but it's missing quite a bit of technology and commands you need to know such as PoE commands and advanced LLDP to name two.
@@howtonetworkcom so if your self studying it's a dead end or what?
@@howtonetworkcom so what do you recommend for some one who is self studying ??
Can you share the question paper with us
Nope.
Hey Paul, how much of your CCNA certification do you use on the job. What did you learn from your CCNA certification that your using in the real world?. I would believe that you are only using less than 5% of what you learn from a book. How valuable are you to your company now that you are certified. I have always thought that certifications were a waste of time and money. What you learn on the job is more valuable than what you will learn in a book. With your CCNA certification have you gotten a boost in salary? I just want to know. If your going to be using 90% of your certification on the job then it was worth it but if not you just wasted your time and money. A CCNA looks good on the resume.
CCNA got me a job with Cisco and a big pay rise. Also, many other benefits. I used a fair bit but if you are working on a large network you might only look after WAN side, firewalls or installs so it all depends. You can't get on without being certified IMHO.
I had only two hours, at first I thought it was enough time till I had 30 minutes left and was on question 45 and just had to start rushing things eventually ran out of time and failed
Okay, well you need more prep of labs, theory and exams. You need to be over prepared.
So its 100 questions?
Good job, but currently Linux is more important.
I know you need to make a buck on these videos but you have WAY WAY WAY too many commercials during your video. I stopped about half way through and went to another vendor.
Give examples. Talking is vague.
Congrats! Sh!tty monitors. Lol. Thanks for the breakdown.