Anyone know Cisco?

[carlwill]

I have just purchased a Cisco 2500 series router (with 2 ethernet ports) for my home use. I understand that this is very odd & overkill for home but I am getting serious for my CCNA and feel that this will only help me by setting up a router at home for my LAN. Can someone tell me if I will have any problems with this behind a cable modem? Also wanting to know if this Cisco router can perform the tasks of my old router (Linksys WRT54G)

- Remote Access & Administration
- Port Fowarding

Thanks for any info on helping me get started.

[taylor65]

A 2500 can do most functions the IOS supports, as long as you have the memory and flash space to install the newer versions of IOS. I got my CCNA and CCNP last year and I remember that the tests covered basic routing, switching, isdn, nas, nat, and PC troubleshooting. I would recommend Ciscopress books - they're good and they come with boson simulator software. There's one set specifically for the ccna. If you've never worked on cisco stuff, you'll need a lot more than a single 2500 to pass the tests - 2 switches (3550s are recommended) for vtp, 2 routers (2600s recommended) for rip, ospf, eigrp, bgp, and 1 dial device (3700 recommended) for isdn will be needed.

Good luck.

[carlwill]

I want my CCNA cert. but forgot about everything - have to re-read my notes and the book from class I passed a year ago.

How hard is the test with moderate studying?

I only have my A+, Net+, & MCP cert. right now ;)

[badfinger]

Well I made the CCNA (version 3.0) in July. You have to pass with 849 points of 1000. You can say, that's naerly 85%. I was attending a Network Academy, and we had a reallly good teacher. But you have to work with the book. It was somehow hard work, because when you got out of school you had to read new chapters and so on. At first try I didn'T make it, had 81,9%. But a week later I made it with 95%. Praxis is needed, because you will have some littel labs in the test. One was on access lists and one was on RIP. Not that hard, but you have to know howto, to get it done fast. I also used Testking for preperation for the test, but it's an addition, not the way to get it.

Anyway I wish you luck, fun and maybe you could drop a message, how you were doing. If you don't make it at the first, the second is eaiser and than you will make it really nice. Don't worry too much, but learn hard.

Best wishes,
Badfinger

[taylor65]

I've been building networks for 15 years, so when I finally decided to get some certifications, I just bought the books, read them, and took the 5 tests (1 for CCNA, 4 for CCNP). So, if you've got cisco experience, I would say the CCNA is easy. But I know some people with very little cisco experience that said the test is hard without real-world experience.

[carlwill]

yes - anyone with little cisco experience would find the ccna test hard - I wish I could find a internship or something that will just allow me to work with someone and see how cisco networks work. I don't even care if I get paid - I just want to learn and get the experience. :(

[Vinny]

hi, i have passed ccna and as before you need experience and interest. if you are interested you will find it easy. as you will want to learn. theres loads of sites also. one i remember is www.cramsession.com sybex books which i found best of all. down to you which one you prefer. see if you can get any volunteer work. maybe a school lan etc for experience.
regards Viinny