Todd Lammle
1 Not a bad primer, but....
Lammle does an excellent job of explaining complex networking concepts (particularly subnetting) in terms simple enough for someone with no previous exposure to networking to understand.
Unfortunately, some subjects were oversimplified, to the point that I felt underprepared for the CCNA test. If you are an excellent student, or you retain 100% of what you read, this book will get you a passing score on the exam. For the rest of us, I recommend Wendell Odom's CCNA Self Study Certification Library (Cisco Press - ISBN 1-58720-095-3). There's more to read, but you'll enter the exam more confident and better prepared.
-sean henning
2 Lamle does it right
The most challenging thing a certification test-prep book faces is the way it invariably will be misused. There is an old saw about using the right tool for the job, which in essence tells us to use the correct planning, strategy, and action to get the result we want. The majority of people purchasing a book like this are planning to take the CCNA exam and want some help preparing. This makes sense, and this is why I myself purchased Lamle's book. While it worked, and I passed with a 901, I couldn't help but wonder how much more difficult it would have been without hands-on experience with the devices, protocols and processes themselves at work. I have not yet met anyone who studied for, and passed, the CCNA test without any prior hands-on network experience.
It makes me very nervous to read someone's review suggesting, "This is the only preparation you need". To pass the test, you will likely need some experience as well, and to avoid the Catch-22 of requiring experience to get the job, yet also the job to gain the experience, I would recommend seeking first a junior position in the field, where you can not only get the experience, but also the mentoring of senior networking staff.
However, once you pass the test and have the cert, we face another challenge: "Does the cert verify your ability to apply what you know?" Not really, but that's why you cannot stop learning and developing your skills set there. You will likely need the CCNA to get the interview for the Networking job you seek, but you will need interview skills to get the job, and you will need to be able to APPLY your technical knowledge to keep it. Lamle's book is one of the best prep books out there for the CCNA. But if you plan to have a long-term career in Networking, do not think for a moment that you can stop there. And I'm not just talking about the next level of Cisco Certification.
Buy this book and study it, but make sure you maintain a long-term professional skills development plan, and if you don't already have it, start building your experience in the field. You'll need it.
Good luck!
3 A Must Buy!
This book definitely helped me pass my CCNA. The material in this book will definitely provide you with the tools you need in order to configure Cisco equipment and pass the CCNA the first time.
I passed the exam with a 901 the first try.
4 Lots of info / Lots of errors
The good news: this test won't exist after March 2004. You couldn't register after September 2003.
The bad news: I cannot believe Sybex allowed this to go to print. There were errors in the book that were not mentioned on Sybex's "errata" section of their website.
Example: Page 166, the IP address 10.0.0.0 was subnetted with a subnet mask of 255.255.255.192 (come on grab a pencil, you know you want to). Todd Lammle says the fourth subnet is 10.1.0.0 but I thought it was 10.0.1.0. My IP subnet calculator confirmed what I thought was right.
This may not be all Sybex's fault though since Cisco changed from the -507 exam to the -607 exam and within a year's time we already had the -802 exam coming out. So, I'm guessing they were rushed to get a book out before customers would be looking ahead to the next exam.
Even though he covers everything and there is a lot of good info here, I can't see giving more than 3 stars because I had to double-check everything because of the multitude of errors; and you can't possibly read this with 100% confidence that the material is correct.
5 Great Book for a Start !
I studied and passed my CCNA with this book in first try, it covers thoroughly on all you need to know about the exam. The bonus questions are useful too, few of them are pretty similiar to my exam questions.
6 Absolutely the best Author outside of Cisco for Networking
Wow, what a great author Todd is. His explainations and descriptions make the book well worth the cost. I used it as a text book for 2 classes and the last 3 out of 4 semesters for the Cisco Networking Academy. I also used his study guide (sold seperately but worth the money).
I not only learned what I needed feel confident about taking the CCNA, I feel very confident about my abilities with Cisco Networking Appliances. Todd should write for Cisco in my opinion.
I do feel that there are some easier ways to subnet than in his examples, but I learned it his way and then my instructors way. I chose what worked for me, your experiences will be different. Ultimately I used the Cisco Networking Academy, this book, and the study guide. I really studied hard, taking good notes and I passed the CCNA the first time with flying colors. I think Todd's explainations were key to this. He really makes Frame and ISDN configuation and the technolgies clear, he makes RIP and IGRP understandable even though they were the first IGPs that I was introduced to (they are very obscure IMO and I have never seen them used in the real world). I will look forward to his next version for the upgraded CCNA exams, I am sure they will be great.
7 WARNING -- Out of date
This is a good study guide. However, Cisco has retired the 607 exam, so it is completely obsolete. The author has a new revision (ISBN 0782143113) that covers the new 801 CCNA exam.
8 All you need
This was the only book I used along with some very superficial experience. I passed with 898 on my first try. Better coverage than most study guides and not nearly as impentrably dry as the cisco press books. Using the virtual lab helps a bit too although I only had 2 simulations on my exam. Fantastic job Todd!
9 This book or CCNA by Cisco Press ? This book for the exam.
I passed CCNA exam after taking this book in early August. I'm sure if you want to just pass the exam you don't need any real hands on experience because this book and the attached CD covers almost all the requirement to pass the exam. ( I took a certificate courses for hands-on because I wanted something more than passing the exam, though. ) I read all of chapters and the Appendix B thoroughly. This book is easy to read and covers most of knowledge you required for the exam. Though this book still has several typo, or wrong answers/questions, this book is still a lot easier to read than the CCNA by Cisco Press. The CCNA by Cisco Press explains very detail concepts, which is beyond what you need for the exam. But it's good to have it as a bible... The attached CD of the Sybex is good to practice simulation and quizzes. You should go through all of the content of the CD. One thing, though. The simulation software of the CD is good but a little different from the real simulation in the exam. To get used to the real simulation style, you should try the CD from Cisco Press. And also, you should be able to calculate IP subnetting/addressing quickly because of the time limit of the CCNA exam. Well, unfortunately you can take CCNA 640-607 until the end of September '03. If you're just starting the study for CCNA, you want to check what the new exam is like...
10 This book or CCNA by Cisco Press ? This book for the exam.
I passed CCNA exam after taking this book in early August. I'm sure if you want to just pass the exam you don't need any real hands on experience because this book and the attached CD covers almost all the requirement to pass the exam. ( I took a certificate courses for hands-on because I wanted something more than passing the exam, though. ) I read all of chapters and the Appendix B thoroughly. This book is easy to read and covers most of knowledge you required for the exam. Though this book still has several typo, or wrong answers/questions, this book is still a lot easier to read than the CCNA by Cisco Press. The CCNA by Cisco Press explains very detail concepts, which is beyond what you need for the exam. But it's good to have it as a bible... The attached CD of the Sybex is good to practice simulation and quizzes. You should go through all of the content of the CD. One thing, though. The simulation software of the CD is good but a little different from the real simulation in the exam. To get used to the real simulation style, you should try the CD from Cisco Press. And also, you should be able to calculate IP subnetting/addressing quickly because of the time limit of the CCNA exam. Well, unfortunately you can take CCNA 640-607 until the end of September '03. If you're just starting the study for CCNA, you want to check what the new exam is like...
11 You should be able to pass the exam with this book.
I passed CCNA exam after taking this book in early August. I'm sure if you want to just pass the exam you don't need any real hands on experience because this book and the attached CD covers almost all the requirement to pass the exam. ( I took a certificate courses for hands-on because I wanted something more than passing the exam, though. ) I read all of chapters and the Appendix B thoroughly. This book is easy to read and covers most of knowledge you required for the exam. Though this book still has several typo, or wrong answers/questions, this book is still a lot easier to read than the CCNA by Cisco Press. The CCNA by Cisco Press explains very detail concepts, which is beyond what you need for the exam. But it's good to have it as a bible... The attached CD of the Sybex is good to practice simulation and quizzes. You should go through all of the content of the CD. One thing, though. The simulation software of the CD is good but a little different from the real simulation in the exam. To get used to the real simulation style, you should try the CD from Cisco Press. And also, you should be able to calculate IP subnetting/addressing quickly because of the time limit of the CCNA exam. Well, unfortunately you can take CCNA 640-607 until the end of September '03. If you're just starting the study for CCNA, you want to check what the new exam is like...
12 You should be able to pass the exam with this book.
I passed CCNA exam after taking this book in early August. I'm sure if you want to just pass the exam you don't need any real hands on experience because this book and the attached CD covers almost all the requirement to pass the exam. ( I took a certificate courses for hands-on because I wanted something more than passing the exam, though. ) I read all of chapters and the Appendix B thoroughly. This book is easy to read and covers most of knowledge you required for the exam. Though this book still has several typo, or wrong answers/questions, this book is still a lot easier to read than the CCNA by Cisco Press. The CCNA by Cisco Press explains very detail concepts, which is beyond what you need for the exam. But it's good to have it as a bible... The attached CD of the Sybex is good to practice simulation and quizzes. You should go through all of the content of the CD. One thing, though. The simulation software of the CD is good but a little different from the real simulation in the exam. To get used to the real simulation style, you should try the CD from Cisco Press. And also, you should be able to calculate IP subnetting/addressing quickly because of the time limit of the CCNA exam. Well, unfortunately you can take CCNA 640-607 until the end of September '03. If you're just starting the study for CCNA, you want to check what the new exam is like...
13 Latest in a line of excellent titles.
CCNA is not easy but with this book, Chiarella's self study guide and the Cisco Press CCNAB you'll have it taped, Just ensure that you undersatnd each topic and not just spout the answers. THe newer Cisco Exams ask for knowledge AND reasoning!
14 Good book, needs to be backed up with other sources
This book provides a solid foundation for the CCNA exam. Do not however base only on this book to get you through the exam. I would also recommend going on Cisco's site and browsing through their support documents when studying areas such as WAN networking.
15 CCNA
The book was worth the money. It covers most of the areas you will need to know for the CCNA exam, and is written in a way even a beginner can grasp the concepts. Definetely would recommend this book to others. I passed with 987 first try, with the use of this book.
16 Do not use as your only souce of study
I read the reviews about this book before buying as I always do with technical manuals. Most people seemed to think it was a good book, so I chose this one to help me pass the CCNA exam.
At the last minute, (the day before the test) I took some practice tests from measureup.com. I am so glad I did. The first 10 questions on their CCNA tests were not covered by this book at all. They had about 480 questions total on their site for CCNA. So I went over every question until I knew them all. Quite a few weren't covered by this book, and I spent 6 - 7 hours studying at that site and went in to take the test.
Even with reading this book TWICE, getting all the review questions correct at the end of each chapter, and being able to eventually answer all 480 questions on measureup, that still didn't fully prepare me for the exam. There were probably 5 - 7 questions out of 60 on the CCNA exam that I had to simply guess at because neither this book nor the website covered that material. However, I passed with an 888/1000.
Besides the fact that this book covered maybe 80% of the material, there are more than a few grammatical errors. The ones that I find most unacceptable are that some of the answers to the review questions are incorrect. How are you supposed to study, take the review tests, and then not be able to trust any of the answers? It is ridiculous. And not even all of the errors are listed on the errata section of the website for this book. This book has been out for a long time, and they still haven't fully edited it. For example, page 139, they list the Class A range of IP Addresses as 0 - 127. It should actually say 1 - 126 because 0 and 127 are reserved addresses. On the actual test, if you choose 0 - 127 as the Class A range, it will be wrong. There are many, many mistakes in this book, and the publishers STILL can't be bothered to at least list them on their website.
So, if you still want this book, make sure you get at least 1 other manual, like the Colton book.
17 A Very Good Study Guide
This is a great text for preparing for the CCNA exam. It covers most of the material that you need to know (probably about 90%). It is geared towards the exam only, though, meaning if you want to become very proficient in Cisco configuration, you will want additional material. I used this book in addition to hands-on experience and some other study material and had no problem passing the test. Todd does a great job of explaining his point in a way that is easy to understand, and he covers the basics necessary to pass the test.
18 Amazing
I am graduating from a university with an IS degree in a month, and I've learned more from this book ..., then the $20,000 degree. It is a lot of information to swallow, but well worth it if you are going to be an internetworking professional...plus the Sybex book are THE BEST period when you are studying for a certification exam. You'll love this book, and good luck.
19 Excellent book for both exam prep and job resource
I used this book along with the exam notes and the CBT's from CBT Nuggets. The exam notes are the same exact thing except not nearly as much FYI. If you are new to Cisco and need to become familiar with their technologies first, I would *strongly* recommend the CCNA Certification Series from CBT Nuggets. It consists of 4 cd-roms filled with over 20 hours of videos to prepare you for the CCNA following Cisco's objectives.
Use CCNA exam notes, CBT Nugget's CBT's and self tesfsoftware and you can't loose! I passed today 3/17/03 with a 888/1000
20 It worked for me!
I thought that the book was great. I passed the CCNA exam first try. The simulation questions are a bit weak though. The exam questions were much more difficult. The material is well organized. Todd does a great job explaining IP addressing and subnetting! The practice exams were great as well.
21 Routing Protocols
If you want to learn IP routing, this book will not take you anywhere close. For that you would need "Cisco IOS for IP Routing" by Andrew Colton or Doyle's books. However, Lammle's book would probably be all you need to pass the CCNA test. Unless you're a complete beginner, then you may want to add one or two other fine CCNA books.
22 Excellent book for knowledge and passing the test !
This book does help me pass the test with a good score.I am Senior Programmer Analyst with a basic knowledge of networking.For me this is the best book.For CCNA, 2 months hardcore hardwork and sybex virtual lab is sufficient.You need to understand every word of the book.As usual, take as many tests as possible.There are lots of free tutorials/books on the net.
I passed with 936/1000...but tell you the truth you can easily get closer to 100%.Practice lots of subnetting stuff....
All the best to you guys.
Samir Sardar.
Sun Certified Java Programmer.
Cisco Certified Network Associate.
23 Good enough reference...
This book is almost all you need to pass the CCNA test. Also, it is basically tailored to a complete beginner. You get your basic CCNA stuff here: ISO model, intro to IOS, introduction to LAN/WAN, etc. If you are looking for a deeper coverage of routing protocols however, check out "Cisco IOS for IP Routing" by Andrew Colton (ISBN 0972286209). That book explains the mechanics of modern routing protocols, such as RIP, EIGRP, OSPF, IS-IS, and BGP in great detail.
24 used it to pass today
This is an excelent book for the CCNA exam. It had over 95% of the information that I was tested on to get the CCNA and it was easy to read. I strongly recommend taking free tests online or from another company to make sure that you understand the material.
25 Great book!..
I purchased this book, and my problems were solved exactly. You won't need to go to courses, trainings, etc. Only this book is sufficient for you. I also recommend Test King's questions, the questions are very similar to the real CCNA exam. To be successfull on simulation questions, I recommend you to study with Boson Router Simulator. You can establish your own topology and study whatever you want.
Good luck on CCNA exam...
Burak Sezer
26 Very good beginning
That's a very good start. I think most people that want to become a CCNA would go through this book. Read it from cover to cover and you should be ready to take the test (make sure you take some practice tests to warm up). That's definitely a good choice and in a month or two you should be a CCNA ;)
Good luck!
Daniel Lafraia
CCNP,CCDP
27 The BEST CCNA book......by far....the only one worth buying
I got a 98.7 (987/1000) using only this book. Sybex came through big time on this book. The Cisco Press book is a great reference, but most of it is not needed for the exam. Here is a a hint: search for "640-607" on Kazaa to get more CCNA docs and practice tests !!!
28 Only a Good Start for the CCNA
Let me start with the Pro's:
[1] This is a great book for people who have ZERO knowledge of CISCO like me. Todd does a great job of explaining the things that he writes about in the this book.
[2] This book does a really fantastic job of discussing Sub-Netting.
Con's:
[1] This book falls short when it comes to the material on the Transcender test. This book is missing at least 30% or more of the test. Becuase you will be tested on hardware inside a CISCO 7000 router which is not covered in the book. There are also some commands that are not covered as well.
Also, do your self a favor and do purchase Todd Lammle's CCNA Gold software program that emulates a CISCO router/switch network. Our CISCO engineers at work however, do recommend the CISCO Press books by Wendell Odem. Also, it would be envaluable for you to go to Ebay and purchase a CISCO 2500 or better router to play with.
29 Good info for most beginners.
This book does a good job in explaining the basics of Cisco routing. Just about enough to get you to the CCNA level as far as theory. I would also check out "Cisco IOS for IP Routing" by Andrew Colton for more information on Cisco routing and dynamic routing protocols. Once you digest that, Perlman's and Doyle's books would take you further.
30 By far the best CCNA study guide
I just took my CCNA exam and passed with 911 out of 1000 using this book as my primary source of study. The book itself prepared me for about 90% of the exam questions I had. A few things the book does miss is troubleshooting a network. For example, I was given a question where a network diagram was displayed and I was asked why host B could not reach the Server on router C. Also I did notice a few wrong answers to the review questions and bonus exams on the CD. Over all this book prepared me well for the 640-607 test. I suggest getting Boson testing software to accompany you in pursuing your CCNA. My next quest...MCSA/MCSE track. Let's see if Sybex can help me again.
31 More pictures and simple English
I am a Chinese. I am also a beginner in Cisco products. A lot of friends use this book as the preparation tools in CCNA. However, after reading for several times. I cannot clearly understand ALL the materials in the book. (My English may be poor.)I know that I can give up some difficult topics and memorize the hints from the web sites and then get the certificate. However I want to learn something. I want to say that I am an actual CCNA professional.
If possible, I hope the authors can simplified some of difficult concepts and explain the materials in multimedia format. Also using the MS-Press training kit style to train the readers step by step in exercise.
I do not mind to spend over US50 to buy a text book if it is the best. The training course fee is much higher than that amount.
32 4 stars because I passed the test
First of all, I do have to say that with this book I passed the test two weeks after it arrived in the mail. With that said, I would like to know if anyone actually proofread this book before it went to print. I read most of the 2nd edition about three years ago and I remember the same errors then. Furthermore, the sample tests have many incorrect answers. I'm glad I understood what was going on or I wouldn't have known. I guess I would hope that there would be better quality control by the third edition.
On the better side of things, I was pleased to find out that the practice exams are very true to the actual test. And each chapter has written labs that helped me make sure I knew the material.
33 The best just keeps getting better...
I read the 1st and 2nd editions of this book, but never took the test because I didn't have time.
I did learn a whole heck of a lot about Cisco routers and switches, which help me in my job, but I didn't get a chance to take the exam until last week.
I want to report a 949 on the new 607 exam! This is ALL thanks to Todd Lammle and his book and RouterSim. I couldnt have done it without his book and software. It was right on the money for the new exam.
I am extrememly impressed with the quality of this book.
34 I passed the CCNA Exam thanks to this book!
Out of all the different publishers on the market that make computer certification books I have found Sybex to be the best.
The CCNA Cisco Certified Network Associate Study Guide Second Edition by Todd Lammle stands head and shoulders above the other
books out there on the market today. While there are a few errors in this book, it's positives greatly outweigh it's negatives. It is well written in easy to understand language as it guides you through the world of internetworking and explains all the concepts you need to know to pass the CCNA Exam. The real strength is found in their cd-rom. Lots of goodies found on that disk. Including over 400 sample questions. It does the best job I've seen of simulating what the real exam is like when you go to take it. It's software beats the other software out there by the other major publishers on the CCNA. I strongly recommend this book. It has it all. And I passed the CCNA on my first attempt largely due to studying with this book. It's a great book and a great cd-rom! Sybex is #1 with me.
35 You can pass with this
Well, if it isn't another CCNA Book. Good. This is one of the good ones. This book covers the new 607 test and I must say it does a good job. There are a few things to mention though. If you have no previous experience networking, I suggest you start with the CCNA for dummies and then get this book. Also, After you read this book you may be able to setup a switch or a router, but you may not know why you want to. Though if you're studying for your CCNA, you should know why you want to. The discussion on subnetting in chapter 3 is excellent. (Though for all the pages it takes up, there are few questions on the exam that cover it).
All in all, not bad. I'd get it IF you have some experience with networks already.
36 I'm the new spokesman for Tod Lammle's book
Forget about it! I've heard people write that you shouldn't get
this book, but should get the Cisco Press book. Baloney (or
should it be 'bologna'?)! I read this book before taking the
exam just 24 hours ago. I got a perfect score (1000). The
Prometric lady at the front desk couldn't believe it, as she's
never seen a perfect score on any of the cert exams before. My
boss and coworkers were highly impressed as well.
Only problem I had with the book were little typos in the prep
exams that would confuse a guy who has no networking experience
at all. But they were few and far in between, and guys w/o any
Cisco experience shouldn't be scamming the exam anyway to get a
job for which they truly don't qualify -- thus, the high rating
seen above.
Oh, you'd better believe I ordered Todd's CCNP Study Guide Kit,
too.
37 Pretty Good Book, not the best
I enjoy reading the book so far. A few mistakes and errors on the answers to review questions. The book need more explanation on the last few chapters. I think it would be great to add harder questions on the review.
The review questions, test questions and hands-on lab are easy.
I would recommend to buy also a CCNA Practical Studies and a Transcender AssociateCert 3.0 (about 200 questions).
If you have more on your budget, buy CCNA Preparation Library and CCNA coursewares/notes.
38 Get this Book!
This is a great great book to pass the Cisco CCNA exam. I am in the field and get limited exposure to Cisco equipment and networks, but this book reinforced what I knew and added a lot. Can you pass with this book alone. I think so, but as with anything, experience helps. I recommend getting the virtual lab e-trainer or router-sim to compliment this if you don't have unlimited access to Cisco routers and switches. Then you will definatly pass without fail. Again, great book, and very easy to read.
39 Superior Service
Book arrived on time in perfect condition like promised. I would use this seller again & again & again & again.........
40 Ok, but you won't pass with just this book.
The new CCNA 640-607 test is a joke. It has a virtual simulator where you have to make some configurations and do a little trouble shooting. That was the easy part for me. The hard part is the all the detailed nit picky questions that aren't important to a real world technician. This test is geared towards the upper mid level networkers and people that can remember every little 802.blah and standard out there.
Cisco needs to re-evaluate their tests. This one only tested how much garbage I could retain from their books. Not how well I could configure and troubleshoot a router or a switch.
This book has some good reviews, but you'll fail unless you study other material and own cisco equipment.
41 This is the CCNA book period
Todd Lammle's book is the one to get as a meat and potatoes study guide for the CCNA. Most of the sections are the best written and easy to read that I have seen and there aren't any sections that are weak enough to prevent you from not passing the exam. As you probably see in a lot of other reviews, if you don't have access to actual routers, get a simulator (Lammle has one called RouterSim that works well with this book). I passed the 640-607 exam in April of 2002 with a 961 and you could be on your way to doing it to with this book.
42 It is a good CCNA book
I read cover to cover and pass the 640-607 the NEW sim. cisco test. The CD-ROM is useless. I don't know why the author includes. One other point you need a real router or a router sim. Otherwise, this book is useless.
43 924 out of 1000 CCNA Exam Score!!
I took the Cisco ICND week long training course to prepare me for my CCNA - I was even more lost than when I started. After reading the material in this book, taking the chapter and preparation exams, and studying the accompanied electronic "flash cards" I was able to pass my CCNA, the first time, with a 924 out of 1000 score! A big thanks to Mr. Lammle for his efforts on this book!
44 Perfect book, thanks Todd
It is a pity that we do not have an option for 6 stars here. The book is perfectly and professionally prepared. It covers all of the subjects with sufficient detail.
If you have a 2500 around, read the book cover to cover and you will be ready for the exam. If you are in Cisco word for a few years, I again strongly suggest you to review this book before the exam.
Thanks again.
45 Pass CCNA with this book.
Achieved Passing CCNA score of 913% using this book.
This book is the ONLY book you need in otdrt to pass CCNA.
I also reccomend the Boson tests.
With diligent study & hands-on Switch and Router practice you can do it too!
46 Good source to pass the New Cisco CCNA Exam
I read this book for the New CISCO CCNA Exam twice. I took the
test last January-2002 and I passed with 975 as a first time try.
This is a good source for this exam. Actually the practice test on this book was more difficult than the test I took. DMP
47 Passed CCNA first time with this book
Probably the best technical book I have ever read. I read the whole thing cover-to-cover and took all the practice tests, usually scoring 75-80%. Passed the actual test with a score of 967!
48 Lots of Good Stuff - but more is needed
I recently passed the CCNA exam. I used this book as well as
Wendell Odom's Cisco CCNA Certification Guide. Both books have
lots of useful info and complement each others weaknesses. I found the glossary in this book very helpful. I saw some shots taken at it by other reviewers - but everything I wanted to look up was in there. I also liked the questions at the end of each chapter and at the beginnning and end of the book - very good practice for the exam. I didn't do any of the hands on labs - mostly because they looked pretty basic and I do a lot of this stuff at work. Also, don't get discouraged if you miss a lot of
questions on the practice tests. Yes, Cisco wants you to remember lots of silly details, but I passed the exam pretty handily and I don't think I got much over 70% right on any of the 4 or 5 practice tests I took.
Along with other reviewers, I noticed that many of the questions on the CD are repeats of the ones in the book. Very annoying. The CD from Odom's book was much more useful. This book also lacks many of the charts and command references that were so helpful in Odom's book. And it was dry (not that Odom's wasn't dry too). Keep lots of coffee around if you plan to read for any length of time.
While I got a lot out of this book and would recommend it to prepare for the exam - I would use some other resources as well, particularly if you don't deal with this stuff at work.
49 All you need
This book contains all the information pertaining to the 507 exam with no fluff and nothing left out. It doesn't read like a Stephen King novel, but it doesn't read like a dry technical tome either. I tried using CCNA for dummies but I consistently failed the practice exams I found online, so I purchased this book, and I scored a 924 on the exam. I recommend reading this book once cover to cover, and then rereading the OSI model chapter and other chapters you may have trouble with. I was lost much of my first way through, but everything fell into place the second time around. I'd also recommend doing all of the labs in the book with either a real router or a simulator. It's crucial to understanding the proper syntax of IOS commands. It's not necessary, but pretty helpful anyway. And practice with the CD-ROM test and every practice test you can find online. If you miss a question, it's most important that you know why you missed it. The test really isn't difficult if you know your stuff.
50 Not bad, but use other reference material as well.
I prepared and passed my CCNA with this book (second edition) and the Exam Notes by the same author.
Firstly, the book is pretty well organized, and designed for a newbie to networking. It covers most of the information you need for the exam. The organization is however different from the exam itself (see cisco's web site) or the Exam Notes, so cross-referencing is a little difficult. There are several typos but most of them are indicated on the book's website on Sybex - this however is not well organized: all the corrections for all the editions of the book are on the same page (lots! trust me!) and you go through half of them to realize they have been corrected.
There are topics left out however, and the practice exams on the CD are different from the same ones in the book (not different exams, just a few questions changed here and there??). The practice exams are also too easy compared to the real exam and have a few errors (the errors in the practice exams and the book's electronic version are stated but you cannot download updated software). I recommend browsing the net to find lots of harder practice exams. The Exam Notes book amazingly picks-up the missed out material (Token Ring, FDDI, ATM) and is organized like the exam. There are several other missing items from the online practice tests I used, but since I wasn't tested on them, I cannot say for sure they are required.
All and all not a bad book, but a pretty hard exam anyway. I recommend getting a router simulator if you do not have much hands on, but I found the supported command list on the BOSON Router Simulator fell short several times (updates are frequent though.)
Strengths: several examples, labs, practice questions. Materiel organized to ease learning, not like the exam.
Weaknesses: missing items (picked up for the most part by the Exam Notes), unfriendly errata page, unable to update software or electronic book. The glossary is very sadly incomplete.
51 Great for learning networking and passing the CCNA 2.0.
I purchased this book because I wanted to pass the CCNA 2.0 exam. After studying this volume for about 2 months, I passed 640-507 on the first attempt with a 900. What I did not expect though was to learn so much about networking. Lammle did a great job at reducing complex topics into easy to understand segments. When you finish the book you will be able to pull those segments together and have excellent fundamental networking knowledge.
52 gives the knowledge but does not train for the exam...
I found this book very easy read that also gives very good knowledge on how to configure a Cisco router/switch - you will not be bored!
But ... this book does not train you to pass the exam. I passed my CCNA only with this book from the first time but most of the answers were a good guess based on the knowledge this book gave me. If your goal to obtain Cisco certifications I would recommend to stick with Cisco Press books.
Success!
53 Over 100 DOCUMENTED ERRORS!
This book has over 100 DOCUMENTED ERRORS and some that are NOT!. What's WORSE is that if you buy the DELUXE version for an EXTRA $20 bucks you get almost NO errors (same book, no errors, more $$$!). Unbelievable!
54 a good book but not as good as the cisco press CCNA book
I purchased this book around two months ago. Since then I have read it from front to back and spent many hours studying the concepts taught within.
While it is normal for technical books to contain errata, this book contains a lot. However, Sybex make no secret of this and publish a complete list of errata on there web site (Bravo Sybex!)
The book contains an excellent subnetting chapter. However some chapters are a little weak. One thing that is very noticeable is the lack of structure. For instance Chapter one contains two paragraphs explaining DTE and CPE equipment. This does not need to be described until the wan chapter. The rest of the chapter covers osi. Chapter 2 covers switching technologies which just seems wrong, as the whole concept of switches is covered in three separate chapters. In chapter 2 then nothing more on switches until chapter 7 and then nothing until appendix B!! Surely it would have been better to combine all of this in to one chapter?
Another annoying thing about this book it the advertising of other products. For example, page 256 contains an advertisement of the CCNP routing study guide in the middle of technical text. (This is not the way to accurately describe technical issues) This is a little annoying when trying to concentrate! The introduction also advertises Boson and CCNA virtual lab products. Both of which are excellent I might add.
In summary this book is pretty good. However, it contains a lot of errata and has structural issues as well as many advertisements, which could confuse beginners. Personally I would say the Cisco press book is a better book. But I would recommend buying both.
55 What a Good Source to Pass CCNA,,WhoooooOOOh
I just read this book from cover to cover twice and pass CCNA 860 Score,i just spend 1-1/2 months reading this and practicing the Exam Essential 5.5 version,(practice test, Good One). the practice test are similar to actual one,it was a big help. the EE 5.5 explain much detail why your answer is wrong or right. I would Highly recommend this book and the practice for those aspiring CCNA.
Thank's Todd
Nat
56 Excellent!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I passed with a 978 using this book and the transcender. Word to the wise though some of the answers to the tests and the flash cards on the cd are wrong. I high recommend the virtual lab as well.
57 Excellent book
I read the Todd Lammle book 2 times and solved a couple of online practice exams and cracked the CCNA exam. I got a score of 978. This book basically covers everything you need to know and pass the CCNA and understand the basics. It is a must buy for anyone who wants to pass the CCNA with a great score
58 Excellent.......All you need
This is the only book I used to prepare for the ccna exam. Passed it with a score of 967. I read the book twice, did all the end of chapter lab exercises and review questions.I am not employed in the I.T. industry so if I can do it, anyone can, with this book and the cd that comes with it!
59 Easy, efficient, and it works!
I'm very new to network. But this book helps me tremendously in passing my CCNA with a score of 967. It's very easy to read. It has good material you need for CCNA in OSI model, Routing, Network Management, Cisco Basics. But it misses some pieces in Bridging/Switching, WAN protocols and LAN Design, such as FastEthernet, Full-duplex, half-duplex operations,some information about ATM, ISDN, DDR, etc., You probably should read the CCNA exam notes as well to get these missing pieces. I did. It's useful. You should be very familiar with the commands and the information they provide to be successful in the CCNA test. Good luck.
60 CCNA in plain English
I used this book as a translator while reading the Cisco Press ICND book, every time I didn't understand what they were talking about, I would go to my Sybex press book to translate for me, then when I read the Cisco book again I knew what they where talking about, a must have if your just getting started with Cisco, the Subnet and Ip address part was Incredible, i learn how to subnet in my head in sec's.
however it doesn't go in as detailed as the Cisco press, they both are a powefull combination.
61 A good study guide, but too blabby...
Started with this book on the way to my CCNA and ended up dropping it for the ICND by Cisco Press. ICND is a very concise & to the point textbook. It covered all I needed to pass the test in one shot. Have been a fan of many Sybex books and this one is good, too. Just found it to have a little too much "fluff" for my taste. Especially as diverse & extensive the amount of information you need to have crammed in your head to pass your CCNA. Know the ICND & practice with the Test Out! practice exams and you'll nail your CCNA.
62 Sybex editor should be unemployed...
This is a great study guide for the CCNA exam, reguardless of your skill level. Todd Lammle has a way of putting very difficult concepts into print for all to comprehend. This books biggest flaw is the same flaw you find in most technical books, typos. This book is ridden with typos. You'll know you're ready for the exam when you can find and point them out yourself. Otherwise this book is all anyone would need to pass the exam.
63 excellent for routing basics
This is a great book for those who need the OSI model pounded into their heads. I did. It is wonderfull for mastering the concept of IP subnetting. Has a fairly good CD-rom with pratice questions. I give it 4 stars because of the discrepencies in the practice tests and lack of detail regarding more popular routing protocals like eigrp and ospf. Anyone wanting to get a ccna and has little or no practical router experience, this book is great cause it will help you with the basics!
64 Ciscoized yourself
I know nothing about network before I read this book. I feel that this book is very good for beginners like me. I really feel myself like "FROM ZERO to HERO?". At least when somebody talk about network, I understand them.
65 Passed CCNA with this book
Hi!
I have given my exam on 13 September 01. Passed my Cisco CCNA exam on my first try with a score of 956. Thanks Todd for writing this book and making CCNA possible to me.
I will highly recommend this book. Todd has covered OSI reference model & layered communication, Network protocols, Routing, Network Management, LAN design, Cisco IOS very well.
The only weekness in this book is he has to go in more detail on WAN protocol, Bridging & Switcxhing. Hope this will covered on next edition.
There are good sample questions which are very similar with the real exam. I realy enjoyed the lab session.
Hasan Mahmood MCSE, CCNA
66 All you need to pass!
Great book for getting the details required for passing the CCNA exam. I had to download the errata and keep it with the book to ensure that the information provided was correct. I also purchased the Cisco Press ICND and Cisco Press CCNA Study Guide and found this to be easier to read and understand. Along with the RouterSim version 3.0 software I had no problems passing the exam on the first try.
67 The only book needed!
When I was young, I remember the exact words that came out of my basketball coach, "playing with the big boys makes all the diffrence in the world". Granted that this is "basketball", it sure applies to this book. The book's layout is very effective, it begins with the 7 layer OSI model and ends with WAN networks. Reading the book once will not do!! You must understand every single line of the book, cover to cover to tackle the exam. Some of the book's questions are challenging, especially the electronic flashcards (some are even harder then the actuall exam questions!). This is a method to make sure that you understand the detailed topics that is covered in this book. Remember "playing with the big boys", well consider the assesment , bonus exams, and the flashcards are the big boys. If you can beat them (pass exams, and answer every question in flashcards) then you should not have a problem passing.
68 Good book, but could have been even better
This is a very good book on learning Cisco router commands and commands for Cisco's 1900 switch. As the editorial review states Lammle walks you through entering commands, and that is the strength of this book. However, I feel a weakness, of the CCNA study guide is the explainations that Lammle gives in describing how things work. For example, how Frame Relay, or LMI work.
It's not that the explainations are bad, it's just that I felt the wording could have been better in some areas. Many of the reviews of this book on Amazon lead one to believe that the CCNA Study Guide, by Todd Lammle is the only book you need to pass the CCNA exam. Unless you have a lot of hands on experience, I would caution anybody in thinking that this book alone will help you pass the CCNA exam.
I used the CCNA Exam Notes, by Lammle and Sean Odom, I found the explainations in the "exam notes" book filled in the gaps left by the Study Guide. I also used the CCNA Virtual Lab by Lammle. I used the CCNA Virtual lab to type in commands as I read the book and with the labs at the end of the book. The tests included on the Study Guide CD were good, but I found that Transcenders exams were a more closer representation of my actual exam. All in all the CCNA study Guide by Lammle will help you pass the CCNA, but I don't think it's the only reasource you should use. I passed today with a good score. Hope this helps.
Aslam Mohammed CCNA, MCP, A+, CIW-Associate, i-Net+, Network+
69 Excellent Book
I was pass the CCNA Exam By using Todd Lammle CCNA Book it is so easy to read and a very good questions that prepare me to pass the exam. Also I was read Criolis and Cisco Press Books it is very good books and like sybex but you don't need to read it in CCNA. The exam is so easy to pass with Sybex. Good Luck
70 What you really need to Understand and Pass.
After reading this book, I feel really confident about my Cisco Networking knowledge. Todd Lammle's approach to subnet masking was the work of a genius. He approaches all topics with that human touch that attempts to demystify routers and routing for ordinary souls.
I put aside one hour every morning to read this book from cover to cover twice, went through several practice questions and passed the CCNA with a score of 967 on the first attempt. The CCNA virtual Lab e-trainer was a very usefull companion too.
If you want to understand cisco routers and pass the CCNA exam this is about all you really, really need. Dont forget those practice exams too!!!!
71 Very well written book
I used this book and exam essentials to study for my CCNA.I took the exam on the 31st of July and passed the first try. This was the best combination that can be used in my personal opinion. This book is concise and to the point. The key to passing the test is to understand the material in the book and do all of the review questions @ the end of each chapter to reinforce your knowledge. The end result of this is to study review,review and pass the exam. I did look @ other books they were ok but this one is the best. On to the CCDA.
72 Must Read
It is really worth to prepare CCNA 2.0 with this book. It covers not only the exam topics but also be used as a reference. The practice questions come with this book are almost closed to the real questions. Thank you Todd.
73 Neophyte to CCNA in Three Months
I HIGHLY recommend this book.
I bought it as well as the "CCNA Jumpstart" to begin my certification plans. I had basic computer user experience only. I did not even have access to a router!
In three months I wrote and passed the CCNA exam with a score of 924/1000.
If you are wondering whether this is the book for you, wonder no more.
It is.
74 I like it
I just passed CCNA exam with this book. It was well-organized and easy understanding. If you have access to router or some simulation software to finish all the Hand-on labs in the book, that would make instructions easy to remember.
This 800-page-book seems a lot of reading. But if you want to understand sth not just remember exam stuff, reading the whole book is still worth. I wish this book could dig a little deep in the WAN part.
Besides this book, some practice exams are neccessary for you to pass the exam. I took some free samples online. If you rich enough, you could buy whole sets on some websites.
75 Great overall book...
This is a great book to study for the CCNA exam. However, be open minded when reading the book as there are some errors (very few). With this in mind, I strongly recommend this book. I have experience with Bay Network routers and this book was my only source for the test. Take the practice exams enclosed on the CD-ROM. These enclosed practice exams are actually harder than the real thing. Stick to the basics and know how to subnet. I passed my CCNA test with a 946 score...Good luck...
76 Great Book for Entry Level
I Just passed the CCNA test, mainly by reading this book once and practicing the tests from the CD-ROM. It is a great book for those with no Cisco knowledge. It is easy to understand and doesn't include a lot of garbage that you don't need to pass like other books on the subject. I read two other books, but they were not as good.
77 Good Reference Text
This was used as the text in a course I took and it was an excellent reference. After reviewing all of the examples, I was able to pass the CCNA exam.
78 A good book
...
Starting with the conclusion, this is not a perfect book but, from my knowledge, is the 1st book to buy if you want to prepare for the CCNA. Then, or in the same time, buy Odom's!
From all the books that I know: Todd Lammle's (ISBN 0-7821-2647-2), Odom Wendell (ISBN 0-7357-0971-8), Coriolis's cram books (1-57610-628-4 and 1-57610-440-0) this is the first one that you should buy and read.
This a good book for someone that has some small previous knowledge of networking or has read some other books. It is not perfect but it is written in such a way that you can understand most of the topics. It has some technical mistakes or mismatches and some typing errors (that do not affect the explanations - most of them solved in an errata available on the web) but the total result is very good.
It is not so cold and detailed in his wording as Odom made his book so it helps you mentally to finish it.
It attacks all the fields that you will find on the exam and presents around 70% of the topics in the way that you will find on the exam. Odom's is more technical, better to use it TOGETHER with this one but a little bit to hard to read from the beginning to the end as the first book. If you want a quick fix, this is the book. If want to understand even more, go further with other CISCO certifications, buy also Odom's book (ISBN 0-7357-0971-8).
Yes, some of the explanations are not so detailed, you are presented with the facts, sometimes more like a "cheat sheet" but it is quite acceptable for reading. You can see the end of the book (not like in Odom's that seems endless - but is a very good book).
The book was printed up do date in about nine phases with small errata modifications from one to the other!
The con-s: the book is written on fonts similar to Times New Roman 12, spacey but with the small problem that the margin is quite small for the first 100 pages to be read easy and the paper is not so good (it shrinks if you keep your finger to much on the same place). The CD offers the book on a .pdf format, all the questions and answers in the book, some supplementary questions, some flash cards, another book which is a terms encyclopedia and some useless programs (subnet calculators, etc.,). I HATE that the CD is copy protected, the .pdf is also protected so you are not able to open the .pdf book without the CD inside and the installation of some stupid additional program. You have to have Adobe installed on a certain type of directory (without spaces). Even after installation, you cannot copy or print the book. I somehow understand the reasons, but I still hate all these measures and do not like to install additional programs to see it.
In the conclusion, a 9/ 10 for this book. I think that [the]editorial is quite exact.
Enjoy it!
79 An excellent user friendly guide to all things CCNA
CCNA Study Guide by Tom Lammle is an excellent source for consise information that covers all the bases when it comes to CCNA. What realy impressed me however was how well he put it across to the reader. Rather than being cold and clinical his wording made it much more accessable to me. The numerous router and switch examples helped me a lot! There were a number of typographical errors and multiple choice questions with the same choices (A&B were the same). One can overlook them as they are minor. Kudos to you Todd. I will be doing the CCNP next!
80 Good Test Prep Resource
This book covered all the right subjects for the CCNA exam. The flash card program helped me learn what was important, the test engine that comes on the CD was a realistic simulation of the CCNA exam, and the electronic telecom dictionary was helpful when a term was used I didn't understand.
The book has mistakes and errors but if you can catch these mistakes, it means you are learning what you are supposed to. In defense of this book, I don't know of any publication for CCNA prep that doesn't have mistakes.
Although reading a text book on my laptop took a little getting used to, having the book on CD was an advantage in that I didn't have to drag a large book with me back and forth to work; I just used the CD and brought it up on my laptop whenever I had time to study. With the electronic version of the book you can search for a subject using key words.
81 Recommended
Overall, this is a very good study guide for the CCNA 2.0 exam. Well-written and easy to read, this organized tome mamanges to touch upon nearly all of the important topics covered in the actual test. However, despite it's clear explanations and extensive coverage, a prior understanding of--or experience with--networking and internetworking concepts is required for maximum benefit.
One highlight for me was the sample test CD-ROM which is jam-packed with test questions, flash cards, and even the entire contents of the book in digital format. The test questions themselves follow the gist of the real exam fairly closely and provide some insight into how the questions will appear to potential test-takers. With the Cisco exam format, being familar with how the test questions are presented and understanding what the question is truly asking cannot be understated.
Despite it's many pluses, the book does contain a number of syntax errors and editorial snafus (for example, incorrect answers to review/test questions and typos) which will no doubt confuse/irritate novices. While this seems to be generally accepted with technical books (although I'm not sure why), in the case of a second edition volume such as this, it's particularly hard to fathom.
In all, I found this book very useful, both as a reference and study aid for CCNA 2.0, and can confidently add that it helped me pass the exam. Recommended.
82 Adaquate alone, very effective with help
This book by Todd Lammle is a very effective study tool and introduction to the concepts included in the CCNA exam. I recently passed the exam using just this book and whatever free practice exams I could find online. However, free practice exams are few and far between and none of the ones I took were remotely close to the difficulty level of the CCNA exam. My advice: buy this book by Lammle and read it cover to cover. You will get a very solid foundation for you CCNA studies. But when you are done, you will get a better measure of where you stand if you find practice questions and exams that are more difficult than those provided in Lammle's book.
83 for other language users..
for other language user..
because I am a korean..nation at the far east Asia..and host 2002 Worldcup with japan.
and I am not good at writing in english..If I make a mistake..don't blame it on me..
I read this Book more than five times, and I pass the exam..(903 / 849-passing score)
I can't find dump, so I just read this book..one book, one exam, yahoo!! pass..
but, different description about important keyword, that make me puzzled..
It's not about wrong..about difficulty to understand the question and select the exact answer..
It is a personal problem of my poor vacabulary of English..
but If you understand every questions at the end of the chapter..
don't worry you will be a CCNA..
goodbye.. In korean tounge.."an-nyung-hi gae-se-yoo."
84 for other language users..
for other language user..
Because I am a korean..nation at the far east Asia..and host 2002 Worldcup with japan.
and I am not good at writing in english..If I make a mistake..don't blame it on me..
I read this Book more than five times, and I pass the exam..(903 / 849-passing score)
I can't find dump, so I just read this book..one book, one exam, yahoo!! pass..
but, different description about important keyword, that make me puzzled..between this book and real exam...
It's not about wrong..about difficulty to understand the question and select the exact answer..
It is a personal problem of my poor vacabulary of English..
but If you understand every questions at the end of the chapter..
don't worry you will be a CCNA..
goodbye.. In korean tounge.."an-nyung-hi gae-se-yoo."
85 This is all you need to pass the CCNA
Excellent book. Well written, structured, easy to read and understand. Many of the actual test questions are in the review and sample tests of this book. If you can read through this book and answer all the review questions, you'll ace the exam. Pay particular attention to: CLI, IPX, ISDN, Frame-Relay, OSI model, Switching and Routing and know IP Subnetting. Forget the Exam Cram and all the others. This book makes it easy!
86 $... to pass your CCNA!!!
This book is head and shoulders above the others. With hundreds of practice questions and flash cards available for your pc or palm device, it covers all the information you will need to pass. This book helped me pass the CCNA the first time. This was the only product I bought and used to pass. I strongly recommend this book to anyone interested in passing the CCNA.
87 Great book- Thanks Tod
I passed my CCNA 91%. I read this book form cover to cover then spent the week before my exam running though the tests on the CD. The only thing I would recomend is theat you log on to the sybex web site and check the error. Some of the answer to the questions are incorrect. Yes this book does have a lot of errors, but it the most relevant and to the point of them all. TA!
88 Good for certification purposes only
If you need a kind of recipe to pass the exam and you don?t mind in not knowing how to explain why some things are the way they are, this book is fine; all the necessary information is inside.
However, if you are interested in getting a more conceptual knowledge, forget about it. This book is very very exam oriented.
89 Good for certification purposes only
If you need a kind of recipe to pass the exam, this book is fine; all the necessary information is inside.
However, if you are interested in getting a more conceptual knowledge or learn why some things are the way they are, forget about it. This book is very very exam oriented.
90 Pretty good
I took and passed my exam today with a score of 903/1000 (849 is now needed). My only complaint about this book is that its more in depth than the CCNA exam was! I would recommend anyone looking to get their CCNA exam to not rely solely on this book. For me to get the score I got today I read this book cover to cover, did the projects at the end of each chapter using the virtual e-trainer, then used sybex's EXAM NOTES (read that cover to cover). I then made a cheat sheet that was 4 pages and memorized the stuff on there. It took me only 19 days of preparation, and to tell you the truth, I have never so much as even seen a router, nevermind configured one! If you want to pass, I really recommend you take the route I took. Thanks Todd!
91 Fastest Way to CCNA: self study, review, practice tests,PASS
I am now CCNA thanks to this book. Did it in 3 weeks with no previous Cisco hardware experience. Todd Lammle covers all the exam objectives well. For the test you'll need to understand which commands are used in which modes (Complete all the hands-on-labs) and remember...understanding the concepts is more important than getting the review questions correct. There is no guessing!! The real test might surprise you. Knowing how Cisco writes a subnet mask is also vital to understanding the advance chapters. ie: /24 = 255.255.255.0 Good Luck
92 This Book Needs Serious Re-editing...
First of all I want to iterate that this book is great for getting the info you need to pass the CCNA exam. However, it is a flawed book and neither deep enough, or accurate enough to be you only source of information.
I have gone through this book, and the CD, twice and found many glaring errors. Some of the errors are minor, example: Page 601, Configuring ISL Routing, there are IP address/mask typos (192.168.10.2/24 represented as 192.168.10.2.24). Some errors are major, example: Page 599, Configuring Trunk Ports, "Off The interface is disabled from running trunking and tries to convert any attached device to be on-trunk as well." - that should state off-trunk.
The book is riddled with errors like the above, as well as mistyped commands that would not work on a real IOS. Additionally the CD contains tests that incorrectly mark answers as wrong, example: Practice Test, question 48, "How do you copy a router IOS to a tftp host?" It gives "copy running tftp" as the correct answer and if you answer "copy flash tftp" it marks you as wrong. I don't know if the tests mark answers correct by mistake.
There is enough redundency in the book to get you past these errors, but I think the inexperienced will end up confused, or second guessing themselves.
It's a useful book for passing the exam (though you may get a few questions wrong because of the book). Additionally, it has some details that the Cisco Press books don't have (and vice versa). I think that after passing the exam the the Cisco CCNA book is required reading if you want to actually know this stuff.
Good luck
93 AWSOME BOOK
This book is the best book that I have used, it helped me successfully finish my course with a high A average. I bought the book by Wendell Odom (the one with the green binding.) I would recommend you to NOT buy that book, it has NOT helped me through out the whole course cracked it only once or twice for that reason and is for the same price. Buy your book from AMAZON.COM, because it is the cheapest way not to mention they have customers who resell them after they use them, go the cheapest route...Also the book includes LABS, which is very important in the course to learn, and last time I checked the other book did not have any. BUY TODD LAMMLE's BOOK!
94 Well worth the money
I have never been a fan of Sybex as I had bad experiences in the past with some of their texts. I have read many certification texts over the past couple years, and this one is one of the better ones I've read. It gives you all the theory and all the technical syntax you will need to pass the CCNA exam. I had no significant hands on experience with Cisco routers and used this book and the Virtual lab e-trainer as my only tools to prepare. I passed with a 946/1000. There are a few minor errors, but the Sybex site has caught those already. My only gripe is that the last 2 chapters on Access lists and WAN protocols are a little thin on details/explanations of terms. Probably could have elaborated more and written 3 or 4 chapters out of the 2. In any case, the text more than covered everything the CCNA test threw at me. I would highly recommend this text for anyone pursuing their CCNA. It is definitely well worth the money. If your goal is to pass the CCNA exam, then buy this book.
95 Go with Cisco Press
Although this book had better coverage of subnetting than Odom's Cisco Press book, I found that Odom's book went into better depth on the exam topics. I also found a couple of spots in Lammle's book where I was forced to reread because I simply didn't understand the concepts after reading it the first time, I didn't have this problem with Odom's study guide. The biggest savior of this book are the flash cards on the CD-ROM, which helped me a lot when it came to some quick review. I passed the test on my first try using this book, Odom's, and some hands on experience through a Cisco Networking Academy Program.
96 This is a great book -- also take the boson tests
I read this entire book in a week, took a few practice tests and scored a 935 on the CCNA 2.0 (first shot). I recommend this book as the basis for your studying, in combination with the boson practice tests. www.boson.com. Some of the questions were on the test!
97 Just for really fresh beginners !!
The content are just cover the surface of CCNA not touching the depth, and its have too much error information...definitely for freshman to know what is about CCNA but not for preparing exam..
98 Read,Practice and Pass!
I took the CCNA exam about 5 days ago and passed, barely but I did pass and thats important. The reason for me passing the test barely was that I studied for 4 short days! I used this book and practiced most of the commands on the Sybex Virtual Lab e-trainer. I had scheduled the test so that I could get something like 12 days of study, that time period was cut short due to family commitments and in the end I just had 4 days left. I read the book in a real hurry, skipping some parts that seemed vague. I read and re-read the parts that seemed confusing to me, most notably subnetting and the WAN protocols, did the practice tests and took the real test and to my amazement, I passed! And all credit goes to this book. It has EVERYTHING you need to pass this tough little exam. All the commands you can possibly find on the test are in this great book. All you need in addition to this book is a router simulation program and you are set!
Get this book, Practice and Pass the test!
99 Good luck
If this is the only book or material you are considering before taking the CCNA exam, you will need a lot of luck. Anyone that has taken the MCSE exams in the past can tell you the wide scale range of tests that Microsoft has had. This Cisco CCNA test is no difference. It requires the passing score of 849 and it consisted of 65 questions. I took my time preparing for this test by reading the ( Todd Lammle's ) book very slow and doing all the practice questions and lab, I also used the Virtual lab e-trainer for this exam and also ( CCNA routing and switching ) book. I completed over 1000 practice tests from both books and everything I could get from the net. My score for the book practice tests were 95 ~100% each time after studying and practicing for three months. I am not exaggerating or trying to scare anyone. But when I got the first question and I didn't even recognize and had to guess and then the next and next. Out of 65 questions, I only knew 4 questions for certainty and about 10 or less command related questions that were worded so differently. Not even one question on subneting or broadcast. I had to ask the attendant if they had loaded the right test even though I could read it at the left hand corner. The rest of the questions I had to guess. I even considered ending the test after first 15 questions but decided since I had paid for it I would complete it. I am MCSE so I've taken tests before and know how to eliminate trap questions but this, I was in shock. I would not have passed this reticular test even if I had attended classes and had real router hands on. It was so unrelated to this and other book and the test questions. So, if you're lucky and get a lowball test, then this book is enough after you download all the corrections. If not ,,,,,
100 Good, but definitely not intended for beginners
I have been employed in MIS for nearly 3 years. I thought this book was a great tool for passing the CCNA. However, upon loaning this book to a friend who was newer to the field, I realized that it is not aimed at someone new to internetworking. I recommend reading the Network+ book by Melissa Craft before tackling any of Lammle's study guides. Studying for the A+ test also provides a nice foundation for networking in general. Best of luck.
