Top 10 Tips for Successful CCNA Exam Prep

Table of Contents

1. Become familiar with the CCNA certification exam.

If you don’t know the exact requirements, you won’t be able to pass the exam. The Cisco CCNA, fortunately, is documented.
First and foremost, this page provides basic information as well as a helpful summary of ideas. It includes connections to official training providers, exam topics, practice tests, study materials, exam topics, practice tests, and study material. Read here for more: What is Cisco CCNA certification?

You won’t know what to study if you don’t do this, and it will be challenging to create a study plan without it. Or you can read more our cisco exam blog to get more information.

Categories	Exam Code	100% Pass Dumps
CCNA	200-301
	200-901 DevNet
	200-201 Cyber Ops

2. Create a CCNA certification study plan that is unique to you.

How to start CCNA self study? if we plan, we’ll do better, and the same is valid for tests. It is critical to developing a study plan tailored to your specific needs; even a simple to-do list can be highly beneficial.
Consider the following factors while creating your personalized study plan:

When do you expect to take the exam? To discover a time and location that works for you, create an account on the Pearson VUE website. You may also find information about the exam here.
How much time do you have to spend on your studies? If you’re already working or have other obligations, make sure you have enough time to cover all exam topics, practice tests, and study exam simulations. It’s better to set up some time every day (15-20 minutes for some practice or lab) than to devote only one day per week to studying.
How much money do you have to spend on study materials and training courses? To ensure that you have a complete comprehension of each topic included in the exam, look for authentic, authorized study resources and instruction. Getting the official Cisco books and reading them early on is a wonderful option; this will provide a solid foundation for furthering your skills/knowledge using whichever training style you choose.
What type of training works best for you? Some people prefer self-study, while others prefer to study with a teacher in a classroom setting. Others find that online training allows them to learn on the road and at any time. Use your previous learning experiences to help you choose the best strategy for you to prepare.
Do you have any prior knowledge of the exam topics? Even the most experienced experts with a broad knowledge base may struggle throughout the exam. Personal experience can help you save time in the classroom, but you must consider elements such as the duration of the exam and the logic of the questions. Relying solely on experience is a terrible strategy that will almost always result in failure. You must learn to recognize different types of exam questions and how to manage your time.

3. Take a CCNA certification exam preparation course.

As previously stated, there are numerous study strategies, and one may believe that self-studying is sufficient or the best way to pass an exam. On the other side, some specialists may believe that they already know everything there is to know about the exam topics and that they have sufficient expertise in all fields without further study.

The majority of the time, these comments are untrue. The definitions of some of these topics, as well as your comprehension of them, may differ based on the certification body that developed the exam. In fact, this means that even if you have firsthand experience, part of it may be irrelevant because the certifying body’s perspective differs significantly from the duties that experts are accustomed to performing in the field.

As a result, it is advised that you enroll in a certification preparation course. Candidates spend time with an experienced instructor who has firsthand knowledge of how to pass the exam. If it is in-person training, it is a wonderful opportunity to get all of your questions addressed, share experiences and methods, and even network. This facilitates and accelerates learning, resulting in improved exam performance.

*Up to $100 discounts for your dream IT product!* Contact us for a special offer.

4. Be familiar with the TCP/IP stack’s addressing and data flow.

The layered models (OSI and TCP/IP) are one of the most basic subjects to learn about when it comes to networking. It’s critical to understand them, as well as the accompanying TCP/IP protocol stack, in order to pass the exam. Some layers are more crucial than others. Let’s have a look at them:

The layer of Network Access: At this layer, Ethernet addressing will be the primary focus. The following are some key points to remember about media access control (MAC) addresses:

The structure and representation of MAC addresses: 12 hexadecimal digits represent 48 bits.
On the local network, MAC addressing: MAC addresses are used to communicate between any two hosts/nodes on an Ethernet network. Learn how ARP works and how a host maintains an ARP cache or table.
MAC addresses and switches: A fundamental overview of the MAC address table, also known as the Content Addressable Memory (CAM) table, and how it is built and used by switches to forward and filter traffic.

Internet Layer: Questions about Internet Protocol (IP) addressing will appear on all of the examinations. These are some of them:

IPv4 (Internet Protocol Version 4) addressing: Know the reserved addresses and what the subnet mask performs
IPv6 addressing: Understand the various address types and addressing modes (global, link-local, unique local, and so on) (unicast, multicast, anycast)

Spend some time learning about subnetting concepts because you’re probably certain to have at least one, if not more, the question about it. Routing is another duty at this layer: be familiar with static and dynamic routing concepts, as well as the routing table’s structure.

The layer of Transport: Understand the differences between TCP and UDP. Understand common port numbers for well-known services such as Telnet (23), HTTP (80), HTTPS (443), and others.

5. Have a working knowledge of the Cisco Command Line Interface (CLI)

Although there are other ways to set up network devices, the CLI is still quite useful. Cisco examinations include lab work in so-called Simlets, and a Cisco technician should be well-versed in basic setup and investigation commands. You should know how to utilize the display commands to perform the following tasks:

Check routing protocols and the routing table
View mac address tables
Examine interface settings
Double-check configuration details

It’s also crucial to learn the output of common display commands so that you can quickly identify relevant information.

6. Take Practice CCNA certification exam

It’s a good idea to take practice exams before the real exam if you want to get a feel for the environment. This also aids in familiarizing yourself with the format of questions. While it may seem convenient to take a batch of 10-15 questions whenever you have free time, every applicant should take a full mock exam at least twice. Completing a full practice exam will not only test your abilities but will also help you develop your resilience, attention, and concentration.

There are also question databases available on the internet. An excellent question database will not only show you the correct answer but will also explain why it is correct and why the other options are erroneous; this is ideal for supplementing whatever prep course you have chosen. Try to use practice exams to find out what your strengths and limitations are. If you routinely get high grades on a topic, you may want to use your study time to focus on areas where you struggled.

It’s vital not to get disheartened if you don’t get a perfect score on a practice exam. It’s simply an indication that you need more time to study and practice certain skills. SPOTO 100% real CCNA practice tests can help you test your prep status!

7. Participate in the online community

Even if you prefer self-study to other methods, there will be moments when you don’t comprehend something or get stuck on a subject. In these cases, joining an online community could be a fantastic option. You’ll be able to network with other candidates and professionals, share knowledge and exam methods, and get answers to your queries. You can also talk to them about making new friends or looking for new opportunities.

8. Have an exam-day preparation plan.

It’s natural to be nervous before and on the day of the exam, but don’t worry: if you prepare well and make some arrangements, you’ll be OK.

• Prepare your exam kit: The Pearson VUE website contains information about the items you’ll need for the exam. Take great note of your identity documents: you will not be able to begin the exam unless you have them. If you’re unsure, call the exam center for more information.

• Stay calm and well-rested: If you’ve ever taken an exam, you know how vital this is. It may appear that studying till the last minute is a good idea, but it is not. If your mind isn’t fatigued, you’ll get better results. A nutritious meal and enough sleep may go a long way. Eat a small lunch if your exam is in the afternoon. Don’t forget to drink (but not alcoholic beverages!) and indulge in some chocolate.

• If you think a final review is necessary, conduct a selective reading instead. Summaries or glossaries, which contain a lot of relevant information, are an excellent tool for selective reading. Also, don’t concentrate entirely on your flaws. If you haven’t mastered a subject yet, you might choose to concentrate on honing your skills in the areas where you already excel.

• Make the required preparations to get to the testing place on time: Many certifications have a fixed deadline. If candidates do not arrive on time, they may be denied admission to the location. If you’re taking public transportation, double-check the most direct routes; if you’re driving, be sure you know where to park ahead of time. Remember to be at the testing center about 15 minutes before the exam begins. You can also choose to take the CCNA exam online. Check How to Take CCNA Exam Online?

9. Clear your mind.

You’ve arrived at the testing center, and the exam is about to begin. You’ve been waiting for this moment and have gone through the entire studying process. We may offer some last-minute advice:

• Keep track of time: You may achieve a high level of concentration during the exam. This means you’ll be more focused, which is fantastic for answering questions, but you won’t be able to keep track of time. What may appear to be seconds can turn into valuable minutes; hours fly by, so make sure you have enough time to go through every question on the exam and fill out answer key sheets if necessary. So, every now and again, have a glance at your wristwatch. Also, don’t press the Next button on a question twice because it may skip a question, and you won’t be able to go backward!

• Read the questions slowly: Despite the fact that the exam time is restricted, try not to rush and miss some of the correct answers. Pay close attention to each question and option, and double-check that you understand what’s being asked. In multiple-choice questions, look for distractors (options that are plainly false) that can be swiftly removed. It’s also crucial to pay attention to phrases like MOST, LEAST, NOT, ALL, NEVER, and ALWAYS, as they can completely shift the meaning of a sentence. Remember that questions that require you to choose the “best answer” may have multiple right answers. You must be able to comprehend the issue and select the most appropriate response. This is just another reason to use the official practice exam question database whenever possible.

• Try to relax: During the assessment, remember to stretch and relax your muscles. A calm mind can assist you in answering that difficult question you’ve been pondering for several minutes and have yet to solve.

• Remind yourself that there’s no need to panic: this exam is an important part of your life and career, but it’s not the only one. Maintain your composure and trust in yourself. You prepared and researched, and your information is useful. Even if one exam fails, the next one will undoubtedly succeed!

With SPOTO CCNA dumps, you can pass CCNA in 2 weeks, so you don’t have to be too nervous during the exam.

10. Continue studying.

You’ve reached the end of the exam page and pressed the last button: it’s finished! If you pass, it’s a huge relief, and you’ll feel like you can accomplish anything. However, even if it fails, you may learn a lot from it and use it to make the next one a success.

This would also be an excellent moment, if you’re willing, sharing your story with your peers in order to give back to the community. In many fields nowadays, particularly in the IT field, “lifelong learning” is no longer a magic phrase but rather a way of life. So, take everything you’ve learned so far and apply it to additional certifications, such as CCNP or CCIE certifications!

Download Free Cisco CCNA practice tests