CCNA 5 DAY BOOTCAMP -- $1945 -- PASS OR ITS FREE!

[err]

IMO, I would rather spend the $2000 to get my own Cisco 2600 series router.

I can play with it till my heart content and spend another $50 for Todd Lamle's CCNA book.

And the best thing is I can sell the router after I pass my CCNA, or keep it to learn the next cisco exam.

eRr

 

[yodayoda]

if you are looking to waste $2000 on a course, at least make it one worth your while, like the California Superbike School:

http://www.superbikeschool.com/

that kicks some serious ass.

 

[Bozo Galora]

The Cisco course is set up with the 2501, 2503 and 2514 routers. The hardest thing to get at a school is distraction free lab time. A smart move would be to buy a refurbished guaranteed router for about $800, make a console cable and start programming at home at your liesure.

cheap
more


Since the dotcom fallout theres also tons of stuff going for giveaway prices at auctions.

 

[RaoulDuke]

Also, if you don't have the cash to buy a new router or even refurbished, i would look into getting some rack space from some place on the net. Basically they let you have access to nice routers and what not, and you get to play with them all you want. I did a quick search on the web, rack space for rent and this place has 200hours for 1000, this is geared for CCIE mostly and this is also a place you have to physically goto. Another place on the net had 4hours for $25 and you could telnet in and what not.. Just a thought.

 

[zoiks]

I do have a degree in computer engineering and ive completed the 640-407 course. The only thing is that when i finished it they upgraded to 507 and now im taking the updated course. Not from this place though.
For books check that thread in here which was more like a book club but as i remember, you could get 3 books for 18 dollars or so. Mine were all ccna.

 

[Bozo Galora]

R. Duke:

Hey, thats clever. Never thot of that.

 

[mateasmom]

So how much do the nonrefundable books cost?? Like $1900? Hee Hee. Does anyone know how much the test itself would cost? Thanks

 

[Robbed]

so nobody really answered my main question. what would be a typical starting salary for a CCNA certified network engineer?

Also, what sort of percentage do you need on the test to pass A+. I've never studied anything for it and i took some online practice tests that i found and scored a fairly consistent 85%.

Anyone wanna give me a job? <grin>

 

[macssuck]

Robbed: The teacher for my CCNA class said most people make 30-45K and the company that did our last cableing job offered me $60hr. if i had CCNA and the guy that installed our switches and router and dial-up makes 80K but he has CCNP.

 

[Pin2]

I heard if you failed the first time, the next time you tae the exam you have to get 5% higher then the default passing grade. Is this true?

Pin2

 

[amdskip]

zoiks, what would a typical day for a computer engineer be like.

 

[Bozo Galora]

Just go to www.Dice.com and type in CCNA or CCNP

(or monster.com)

 

[mateasmom]

So is anyone thinking about doing this?? My husband is really intrested. Right now he installs Cable Modems, and is really getting into computers. He is thinking of going to Long Beach for the class next month. Does anyone know what the refund amount is if you don't pass the test?

 

[RonDoing]

Robbed,

I am currently completing my Cisco Academy Course (official Cisco online training) through a local community college in Virginia. I do not have real-world experience in routing, so this was a good way for me to learn. I am also completing an MCSE class (free from my workplace and I must tell you the MCSE and CCNA focus on different things.

While both require conceptual knowledge of networking, Cisco training focuses more on your ability to configure a Cisco Router/Switch. Microsoft training is mainly about setting up Domains and corresponding security/software policies, etc., etc. etc. Both classes teach you the conceptual knowledge of networking: it's the ground you stand on. So, it is more or less the same between the two classes (well, Cisco's is more involved).

My .02 is that one should go for these 5 day courses only:

1) Either because they've been in the field for a while and just need
a refresher before the exam.

2) Just to pass the exam.

Let me explain 2) in more detail. I have NOT taken the CCNA exam and from what I hear, it's not hard (and costs just ~$100?). So, if your point is just to pass the exam and get a piece of paper - go for the 5-day thingie!) If you want to learn - then take a longer (&amp; cheaper?) class or work in the field (or both .

As for what books are good - read as much as you can and never stop!)

Last thing to emphasize - there ain't nothing like the real thing, so get together with someone, buy a few routers/switches and PLAY!

 

[cavemanmoron]

hmm sounds interesting..

 

[Robbed]

well, i know must of the things that im thinking will be on both MCSE, a+, and (possibly) CCNA tests. I've been building, and maintaining the network at my parents business for 3 years now, but its hard to convince a perspective employer that you really know most of these things without the certifications. I guess the CISCO would be my weakest area, so im pretty interested in this class.

I think im going to sign up today.

Thanks!

rob

 

[telstar1]

Sounds kinda like lose / lose to me...

 

[Bozo Galora]

RonDoing is right on the money. If you do pass the course, you still will have no real life insight. Basically, the course will be a memory marathon. You couldn't BEGIN to understand Cisco system in 5 days. And these diploma mills are like junkyards - once they have your money, its mighty hard to pry it loose again.
Community College for (like) ~$80/semester, plus about $100 for CISCO books is the only way to fly. Great way to recover some of that tax money you gave to the state/feds.
My CC had an enterprising CCNP student who set up a non-profit, then utilized ongoing students during summer to network/update other schools/companies, and used fees collected to purchase another complete lab. Great experience for (nonpaid) students, new equip for school - a real win/win.

 

[TheRouterNinja]

yeah, its a good deal, reading books is working for me, i also have a nice 2501 router sitting on my computer right now =P w/ cables, but their in the mail...cant blame u ppl who take course/bootcamp route tho, ive been tempted on many ocassions =)

 

[Chaotix]

I'm also going through the 2 year classes with my local HS. Get HS and college credit. The class is a big time slack class. We used to just surf the net all day, 'til they turned on IE content advisor. Then I almost got kicked out for installing Opera and a registry hack to take off the content advisor. The net admin got all paranoid and was trying all these shareware security programs and even keylogger programs he got from places like hackers.com. One kid was able to use the keylogger against them though and just went through the logs, found the teachers Cisco password so now he can print up copies of the test before we take the test in class. Now it's just memorizing the answers, or printing up a cheat sheet on the schools laser printers at point size 3. :Q

 

[DocBurner]

Why do people with degrees in computer engineering want to do this?
I've seen it in many other threads that someone is going to do this and then get a degree in computer engineering or already has a degree and is doing this or something.
Computer Engineering=hardware design, layout of circuits, possibly DSP, verilog/vhdl, writing drivers/OSes.

This stuff just seems way way different.
Are colleges really giving out degrees in Computer Engineering for this kind of stuff? Not to bash other colleges but this is like giving out a degree in Computer Science to someone that just learns how to make websites.

Are that many people generally interested to actually make the Cisco hardware and then learn to install it?

 

[aceshigh73]

Well.. since I just passed my CCNA exam Monday I can contribute to this thread...
Passing is 849. There are 65 Questions and you have 75 Minutes to take the exam (I had a half hour left). Once you go past a question you CANNOT go back (No &quot;marking&quot; a question and going back like Microsoft's).
I took a 5 day training class in NYC about 2 weeks ago. Although I had some experience with configuring a 2621 Router and some different switches, i was in no way ready to take an exam without the class... FUTHERMORE, there was no way i was leaving the 5 day class and passing the exam with just what I absorbed from it. It takes lots of studying and hands on to pass.. (Unless you are a book worm and can memorize everything like a few of the posts indicate above).
There are some questions on the exam about Frame Relay, creating Access-Lists, Routing Protocols, OSI Layers and their functions, SUBNETTING, etc. Some of this stuff, if you havent worked with it.. you will just not know enough to get correct.
So.. the class is good for those with no routers/experience... If you are in the field or have access to routers/switches then you can probably get by with the books... Todd Lammle's CCNA Guide (Sybex) would be the Bible!

 

[Bozo Galora]

Just found a great proggie for practicing router programming at home: RouterSim V2.0

 

[mateasmom]

I signed my hubby up yesterday. He is set to take the class in Long Beach in August. That was the closest class with an opening. Too sad I guess they are sending him some study material, and he'll have plenty of time to study between now and then.

 

[perfectlysane]

Chaotix: I hear ya, the HS version is quite boring, cant wait just one more month and im done with it.