http://itknowledgeexchange.techtarget.com/itanswers/with-classes-but-no-hands-on-experience-should-i-try-for-ccent-or-n-plus/ Tue, 21 May 2013 20:11:10 +0000 hourly 1 http://itknowledgeexchange.techtarget.com/itanswers/with-classes-but-no-hands-on-experience-should-i-try-for-ccent-or-n-plus/#comment-70620 joebrochin Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:57:41 +0000 #comment-70620 Agreed, CCENT. Here is an article about buying second hand Cisco equipment to get your lab setup. http://computertrainingknowhow.com/cisco-training/buy-second-hand-cisco-equipments-to-prepare-for-ccna-exam/

]]> http://itknowledgeexchange.techtarget.com/itanswers/with-classes-but-no-hands-on-experience-should-i-try-for-ccent-or-n-plus/#comment-64181 kevinbeaver Wed, 03 Jun 2009 16:23:52 +0000 #comment-64181 The home-based lab setup is one of the most overlooked/underrated tools for getting hands-on experience with networks & computers. Check out VirtualBox for open source virtual machine software so you can install various OSs and network them together.

]]> http://itknowledgeexchange.techtarget.com/itanswers/with-classes-but-no-hands-on-experience-should-i-try-for-ccent-or-n-plus/#comment-64139 blankreg Mon, 01 Jun 2009 16:26:31 +0000 #comment-64139 I agree with Ed, go for the CCENT, and then the CCNA. These seem to be well recognised, and accepted, even if you end up somewhere with other vendor’s equipment, this still gives a good grounding in the basics of networks. For practice there are several software alternatives, that allow you to build quite complicated networks with virtual Cisco switches and routers. You can also buy some time on NetLab, which is real equipment, remotely accessed, and may work out cheaper than buying on EBay if you only want it for a short time.

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