CompTIA Network+

Vanbis

Hi,

I'm looking for any advice on the N+ course from boardies who are maybe currently sitting the course or done so in the pass. I have looked at ITB and it starts in January 2009 - May 2009 for a total of €2,000 exams included. The course itself is only 1 day a week from 5:00pm - 10:00pm.

I basically wondering how hard the course and exams are etc. i dont expect it to breeze the course and i am willing to put the hard work in that will be needed, long hours and studying.

All constructive comments welcome

accensi0n

Vanbis wrote: »

Hi,

I'm looking for any advice on the N+ course from boardies who are maybe currently sitting the course or done so in the pass. I have looked at ITB and it starts in January 2009 - May 2009 for a total of €2,000 exams included. The course itself is only 1 day a week from 5:00pm - 10:00pm.

I basically wondering how hard the course and exams are etc. i dont expect it to breeze the course and i am willing to put the hard work in that will be needed, long hours and studying.

All constructive comments welcome

Why do you want to get this cert?
Have any networking knowledge already?
Working in the IT industry already?

The network+ doesn't carry much weight on a CV and won't give you too much practical knowledge. I definately think it is a big waste of money paying that much to prepare for the exam. (It's quite easy tbh).

Although it's alright as a means to gain some basic networking knowledge to provide a step onto a more specific networking cert. Can be useful for entry level jobs as well.

I advise to buy a book (I used the Exam Cram book) and use free online materials from sites like techexams.net and mcmcse.com.

You could prepare for this exam in a couple of months as well as working full-time.

After going through all the material, do a load of practice questions to gauge where you're at.

PQ's will come on a CD with any book you buy and there a load online for the Network+.

Vanbis

accensi0n wrote: »

Why do you want to get this cert?
Have any networking knowledge already?
Working in the IT industry already?

I feel this cert will be a good steping stone towards MCSA plus the fact i have no knowledge of networking. I know my way around a PC and configuring and fixing some issues. I was planning on sitting this because its 1day a week and the exams are included in the price as well. I was acutally thinking of craming in A+ myself and doing the exams so hopefully come summer 2009 i will have both A+ and N+, can get myself a entry level job to get some experience and work towards MCSA.

The few people in IT have spoken to have suggested that you need certs to get interviews and more so i have a interest in IT and maybe system admin job later which i wont walk into with out any of the above. I need to learn to walk before i can run as they say

If anyone can recommend a course that might be of interest i am all ears. I am interested in system admin and feel this is the right route to take.

derra

Vanbis wrote: »

I feel this cert will be a good steping stone towards MCSA plus the fact i have no knowledge of networking. I know my way around a PC and configuring and fixing some issues. I was planning on sitting this because its 1day a week and the exams are included in the price as well. I was acutally thinking of craming in A+ myself and doing the exams so hopefully come summer 2009 i will have both A+ and N+, can get myself a entry level job to get some experience and work towards MCSA.

The few people in IT have spoken to have suggested that you need certs to get interviews and more so i have a interest in IT and maybe system admin job later which i wont walk into with out any of the above. I need to learn to walk before i can run as they say

I am currently doing a FAS course and passed the net + yesterday. If your in a position that you can do a course i highly recommend it.
Ya do alot more than the net +, loads of practical involved, dos work, ris , unattended install and lots more. Excellent course and very intense for 6 months but as i said ya do alot more.
I was working as a stone mason , and done a pc maintenace course in FAS and now this course and be sitting a server 2003 exam in couple months as well in there to add to the net + and do 3 months work experience as well at end of it.
So from my point of view it was well worthwhile as a complete novice. I have a long way to go but it's a start:)
Reading a book and looking at videos etc will help ya pass it, but doing the practical on a daily basis is pricelesss.
Looked at few programs as well with questions to help me prepare but exam itself was totally different to any of them so don't rely on likes of that to pass.
Think they have an update next year from the 2005 exam so do a bit of googling.
Can help ya out with some videos etc if ya want.

Vanbis

derra wrote: »

I am currently doing a FAS course and passed the net + yesterday.

The N+ is it 1 exam at the end or 2? I'm seriously thinking of signing up, its alot of money but with a classroom you have direction and access to practical as well.

derra

Vanbis wrote: »

The N+ is it 1 exam at the end or 2? I'm seriously thinking of signing up, its alot of money but with a classroom you have direction and access to practical as well.

It is one exam, i got 90 questions and ya have 90 mins to do it.
Are ya in a position to do a full time course ? I would'nt like 5 hrs a week tbh, thats just me. Learn alot more full time.

Vanbis

derra wrote: »

It is one exam, i got 90 questions and ya have 90 mins to do it.
Are ya in a position to do a full time course ? I would'nt like 5 hrs a week tbh, thats just me. Learn alot more full time.

No unfortunately not, but part-time is grand with me but id prob need to study more and harder which i wont mind. I was looking at www.fas.ie and www.dorset-college.ie but ITB looks ok with me.

derra

Vanbis wrote: »

No unfortunately not, but part-time is grand with me but id prob need to study more and harder which i wont mind. I was looking at www.fas.ie and www.dorset-college.ie but ITB looks ok with me.

Best of luck with what you decide anyway Vanbis My advice was based on me being a complete novice and you are probably well ahead from when i started, so wait for few more replies from experienced people in the field to help make your mind up.

Vanbis

derra wrote: »

Best of luck with what you decide anyway Vanbis My advice was based on me being a complete novice and you are probably well ahead from when i started, so wait for few more replies from experienced people in the field to help make your mind up.

I dont want to commit to it without advice first but i definitely need to start sometime soon and appreciate your advice from a novice so thank you Derra

JJJJNR

You can do this course with FAS on the eCollege site for 120 euros.

http://www.ecollege.ie/site/html/courses/courseDetail.php?detailId=171&catId=8

FruitLover

This cert is not worth €2000. Either self-study, or do the FAS course.

Barrypr

Beg to differ,I payed 2k to do this course, also the A+. The N+ gave me great practical and hands on experience with networking, sure you can do the FAS online, but i would find that very boring reading page after page of text, the course allowed me to ask questions and use the different tools and plenty of exam questions, plus with doing it online you may lose interest, with the course I did it ran twice a week and i made sure to attened, I learned a lot more then necessary for the exam and it has helped me greatly with my CCNA.

In the space of 1 year I got my A+ N+ and currently attending CCNA class.

Vanbis

Barrypr wrote: »

, but i would find that very boring reading page after page of text, the course allowed me to ask questions and use the different tools and plenty of exam questions, plus with doing it online you may lose interest, with the course I did it ran twice a week and i made sure to attened, I learned a lot more then necessary for the exam and it has helped me greatly with my CCNA.

In the space of 1 year I got my A+ N+ and currently attending CCNA class.

I agree and dont mind paying the cash. I do plan on doing A+ myself and booking the exams as this should be fairly simple. I just want to get some certs that hopefully help when looking for a job. I'm not sure if i will sit CCNA so soon like you have Barrypr, i was thinking more so of maybe Linux and then MCSA.

How are you finding the CCNA? I know a few people who have tried and failed this exams by a few percent and never went back to repeat.

Barrypr

CCNA is going good so far, its a high percentage to pass the exam, will be feb before I attempt the exam, but even if I do fail I will keep at it until I pass, I was also lucky enough to get a 25% discount from the college I'm doing it in.

I enjoy the Network+ anyway gave me a good foundation, don't under estimate the A+ there is alot of material that can come up, we had two huge books for each exam, but I'm sure with a bit of work you will get through it fine.

CompTIA also have some very tricky questions, well its not even the question itself but how they phrase the question, trying to trick you so to speak and I also had some questions were they was 2 possible answers in the multiply choice answers.


I used http://techexams.net, testout and cbt nuggets as other resources, stay away from braindumps.

Also depends what you want to do at the end of the day, sys admin, support, engineering.

Linux+ would be a good one to have, I would like to go for security+ after my CCNA.

cance

as an n+ holder, i wouldnt pay 100, never mind 2000 on network +. it will give you fundamental outdated idea's of what is being used in IT infrastructure but its worth shít all in real life.

self study the course, the book shouldnt cost you more than €60. when you are ready the ccna will provide vastly more.

Barrypr

http://certification.comptia.org/news/get_news.aspx?prid=1369&type=Press%20Release

JDLK

derra wrote: »

I am currently doing a FAS course and passed the net + yesterday. If your in a position that you can do a course i highly recommend it.
Ya do alot more than the net +, loads of practical involved, dos work, ris , unattended install and lots more. Excellent course and very intense for 6 months but as i said ya do alot more.
I was working as a stone mason , and done a pc maintenace course in FAS and now this course and be sitting a server 2003 exam in couple months as well in there to add to the net + and do 3 months work experience as well at end of it.
So from my point of view it was well worthwhile as a complete novice. I have a long way to go but it's a start:)
Reading a book and looking at videos etc will help ya pass it, but doing the practical on a daily basis is pricelesss.
Looked at few programs as well with questions to help me prepare but exam itself was totally different to any of them so don't rely on likes of that to pass.
Think they have an update next year from the 2005 exam so do a bit of googling.
Can help ya out with some videos etc if ya want.

I did the A+ and the Net+ 6 years ago with FAS, it was the best move of my life. Im working as a project manager now for a leading multi national and Im doing a masters degree with Smurfit business school. There was alot of hard work and a bit of luck since I left FAS but I still reckon it was that course that changed everything for me (I was unemployed, unskilled and had no prospects before I did it)

matsy1

So its very split to whether this course is beneficial or not? Does anyone know of a CCNA Course that begins in January 09? And is this course beneficial? Basically, on completion of the course, passing the exam is it guaranteed entry level into a good network/it based job? Therefore, is the course worth €4,400 (Blanchardstown), €3,500 (Dorset). I also have never done an online course and am afraid I would lose concentration doing the course from my bedroom.

aidan_walsh

I don't want to see mentions of torrents or anything else illegal. Thanks.

A27Victor

OK, good point, I hadn't thought of that.

eth0_

Waste of money. As someone who works in I.T I can say it really isn't worth a great deal on your CV.

Self-study and do the exams yourself, 2 grand is a rip off and 5 hours in a row once a week? What's that all about? You'll be falling asleep and losing concentration going to classes between 5-10pm!

Barrypr

Self-study and do the exams yourself, 2 grand is a rip off and 5 hours in a row once a week? What's that all about? You'll be falling asleep and losing concentration going to classes between 5-10pm!

Not if your interested enough, and want to get on, if you have no experience, you are reading blocks of text from a book that is not making sense and you have no one to ask.

Yes it is expensive, yes you will be tired, but if you want to move up the ladder or break into IT you got make sacrifices.

As of waste of money and not adding much to CV....How so?

You need to start some place, if an employer looks at your cv and you have the course down it shows that you took the time to get certified and have some key skills, when I did the n+ I had a guy with me that had worked in IT for years and yes he found the course very manageable, but his employer still want him to be quailifed, and he did admit that he learnt one or two new things.

Just my opinion, at the end of the day you need to decide yourself you can go back and forth all day with these kinda replys.