BOSON prep VS real CCNA 1

[jins315]

Hi. I recently purchased BOSON 640-801 prep test and wondering how is the difficulty of real CCNA test compare to BOSON prep test.

Real CCNA test is considerbly harder than BOSON prep test?
or same level of difficulty?

If you have taken CCNA test recently, and people who took BOSON test,.. help me out please...

jin

 

[dogbert2]

I've used BOSON exams for working on getting my CCNA/DA/NP/DP/SP, etc for a few years now. I find they are quite challenging, and if you are doing the reading along with taking the practice tests, and are scoring better than 90% on the BOSON exam, you should have no problems passing the real thing.

1. If you don't know how to subnet w/pencil and paper, don't bother to register for the 642-801, you won't pass.

2. The new exam tests content in EIGRP, OSPF (single area), VLSM/CIDR, ISDN (dialer strings), and Frame Relay. I believe that IPX and Appletalk are out (don't qoute me on this, however).

3. There will be upwards of 3 simulations on the 801 (and all future CCNP exams), so make sure you know how to configure a router, or have worked with good simulation software (the days of just book-studying the CCNA or CCNP are GONE, IMO).

4. Make sure you read the question carefully, and read it again afterwards (also remember, that some questions have multiple answers - i.e. - choose 3 out of 5, etc), make sure you have the exact # of choices selected when this happens (too few or too many and you'll miss it).

5. You only get ONE chance to answer any given question, so make sure of your response.

6. You'll get a printout at the end, you'll want to hold on to this, even if you don't pass (as it will define what your weak areas are, and where your strong ones are).

Good Luck!

 

[jins315]

Thank you for your comments, dogbert2 .

 

[Drummah]

Here's another tip for the sims on the test...make sure you 'copy running-config startup-config' when you finish making or correcting your configs. I had SIX sims on my test.

Know the difference between 'router RIP' and 'router OSPF' that one is classful and the other is classless.

Study all the common displays and their contents for troublshooting, i.e., show run, show ver, sh ip route, etc.

Definitely use the survey time at the beginning of the test to make all your quick reference notes and tables which you may need for the test. This time is not taken away from your test time but I think it has about a fifteen minute limit...not sure. I built a very small table for Class B's, and listed my 16 and 32 tables, you know like 16+16=32, 32+16=48, etc., up to 256. 32+32=64, 64+32=96, etc., up to 256

For class B subnetting questions, focus mainly on the subnets between /22 and /27.

For Class C subnetting know how to do them inside-out, forward and backward (like figuring them on your fingers)...they are actually amazingly easier than you'd think they'd be. The test will have troublshooting questions which may ask why the network doesn't work and it could be that a router will have a broadcast address.

Know how to calculate 'ip address ranges' such as 256-192=64, 256-224=32, 256-240=16, 256-248=8.

Know decimal, binary, and hex conversions...it's so simple when you see it done, have no fear.

Know the steps for configuring ISDN.

Know the steps for creating an access-list and applying it.

Gosh, I could on and on I think...oh and this one is good...know about collision domains and broadcast domains and learn what hubs, briges, switches, and routers do with them. That pops up a few times.

 

[kosie79]

Hi,

i sat for my Cisco 604-801 CCNA paper today...i also did the boson software thing. It could be useful..but i believe the CCNA is more tricky and difficult. There are 4 simulation questions & ip access-list is a hit!

 

[jins315]

Hi.. to Drummah, can i ask u few questions more?

1)in the exam, for simulations, you mentioned to "type copy run star" at the end. Am i right? (cuz in boson simulation, i dont have to type that. Correct me if i am wrong)

2) Did you get the question for NAT? (like how to set up?)

3) did you get the Named access list?

4) Did you get question related password recovery?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Drummah]

Helo jins315...I typed in copy run start and then exited all configs to be safe on the test but I'm not sure if it's actually required. Perhaps you could try it on the Boson test and see what happens. A friend told me that there was a definitive question on NAT but I didn't get one. I didn't see any questioins on named access-lists. I had one question on password recovery.

Good Luck

 

[ecafracs]

Much of your Questions should be answered by this page.

http://ciscocert.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/ciscocert.cfg/php/enduser/std_alp.php

 

[qz01gs]

Are there any simulations on frame-relay