I was going to write this blog post a lot sooner but I have been so busy studying for the exam that I haven't had time. ðĪŠ Well without further ado, here is my CCNA Study Guide for 2022.
This way of studying has worked well for me. I have to admit, if I study something for too long using the same method, e.g., watching videos or reading, I get bored easily and lose concentration so I like to mix it up. It needs to be a healthy balance of theory and practical for me.
No place is a one-stop shop solution for your CCNA needs. Let's say I watch the CBT Nuggets course for the CCNA exam and then I watch another video course covering the same material and I still learn something new because the teacher approaches the topic differently. That's why I recommend different sources, they all serve their purpose.
How is my CCNA Study going?
On a personal note. During my time of study, I have been frustrated with myself. Either not learning it quickly enough or making the same mistakes more than once. Of course, that's a part of learning but I have also been dealing with "I should know this" since I was in IT for 17 years but I was never the network administrator so why should I? I shouldn't think this way but it does happen. I must admit that I have learned a lot in the last month and a half since I started studying for the exam. Some days I feel like I can pass the exam, then I take a test exam or do a lab and my confidence isn't as great, haha. ð
With that being said. I love learning and I love solving problems in labs and getting things to work. My understanding and knowledge is growing each day and that's great. I hope my links help you out and if you need any motivation from a fellow student reach out and connect with me on LinkedIn.
CCNA Study Guide Materials
Books
The plural form for books in the heading is a bit misleading. I bought the official Cisco Cert Guide. Technically it's two books so I'm not lying. ð Some have complained it's dry but it's a theory book and I don't think it's dry or boring. What it is - is detailed, and that's what we need to fill in the small theory cracks we develop if we watch videos. Here is a link to it on Amazon.
Videos
Paid
- If you can pay for video tutorials my first pick would be CBT Nuggets and the Cisco 200-301 CCNA course. Both Jeremy Cioara and Keith Barker are great teachers and entertaining. They keep it light and fun. It's almost 60 hours long so be prepared to hunker down for a bit.
- Neil Anderson's course on Udemy is also good. It's almost 30 hours long and it's a bit more detailed on certain topics. He reads a lot from PowerPoint slides which are fine by me since it helps with my note-taking. Would I buy it again? Yes, I would. Mainly because his way of teaching is different and how he presented certain topics was different and it filled up some of my theory holes.
- Honorable mentions, Kevin Wallace and David Bombal's courses on Udemy. I haven't tried them out myself but I believe it's good stuff.
Free
- Keith Barker and his CCNA playlist is awesome! If you have questions or need a study community I also highly recommend his Discord channel. ð
- The Cisco Learning Network. This place has a lot of good stuff that will help in your preparation to pass the exam.
- Jeremy's IT lab and his YouTube playlist. Full disclosure I haven't watched all of his videos but the ones I have seen I liked.
Exams
- I bought the Practice Exam from Boson. It's under Practice Exams and when I bought it, it was $99.
- Two practice exams come with the Cisco Cert Guide book I mentioned earlier. That book also comes with Flashcards and videos so it's worth the money.
Miscellaneous Links
- Wendell Odom's blog is a treasure trove of information. Check out CertSkills.com as well.
- Labs labs labs! Mix the theory with the practical. I haven't used many different labs but what I'm currently using is David Bombal's labs on Udemy.
- Cisco Skills For All. This is a great place to start with a lot of free content. For example, where you can get Packet Tracer and how to use it. One of the places I would probably check out first if I was starting out.
- Got questions? That's what the Cisco Community is for.
- Booking your exam? Yeahhh...! Do it here.
- IP Subnet Calculator, no it's not cheating when you are learning the subject. ð
That's my CCNA Study Guide 2022 for now. I will most likely add to it as I get closer to my exam date. Good luck and I hope you ace the exam! ðŠðž