Which, for me, it was. I used this book as a text in a routing class, and wanting to get certified later, I decided to buy it. Highly recommended.

Great for anyone looking to become CCNA certified. Todd is a proven author in the IT field.

My book was sent in excellent condition. Good book for help with getting certified in CCNA. Could be more descriptive though. The test asks questions that this doesn't cover.

This book has consistently been one of the most accessible overviews of the CCNA material. I have been using these books since the 3rd edition and I have yet to be disappointed. Although the book may not go into as much depth as some of the other books on the market, it presents the ideas in a very clear language. If you are looking to get a good idea of how IP networks are put together and a basic introduciton to configuring cisco routers, this book will be a huge help.

I am preparing for my CCNA and I am so happy to have this book to prep me for my Exams.
Todd knows exactly how to dissect the difficult topics. I've been putting off taking the exam for 4 years now. With this book I've got the confidence and knowledge I need to ace it!

Thank you Todd

M. Charles

My advice would be to start with this book first, then move onto CCNA Cisco press. Todd Lammle wrote this book as if you where setting in a class and learning from an instructor, some of the basic information that you need to know for exam will be covered in his text that can be easily be pick up by using his book. The only problem with this book is that he doesn't cover everything on the exam; as stated by the other reviewer. Cisco press is going to give you everything you need; but with dry content. The Cisco press content is not that bad if you start off with Sybex.

There isn't much more I can say about this book than has already been said. I used Todd's guide to help me pass the CCNA in 2000 and am using him again to recertify. Just an excellent book. Period.

Five years ago, I took a course on the CCNA exam, and the Sybex book was the standard course material. The Cisco books at that time were overly wordy, dry, and difficult to learn from. This seems to be the major reason Sybex became the textbook of choice for Cisco material. I had good success with that book and passed the test on the first try with little complications.

Then, a few months ago, I decided to go back and tackle the new CCNA exam and get certified again. Naturally, I went back to Sybex and bought this book. After a month of study, I felt I had fully grasped all the concepts in the book and began taking practice tests in preparation for the 640-801 exam. I was disappointed to find that I was repeatedly failing the practice tests. I spent some time reviewing and slowly came to realize that there are a variety of topics you will face on the new CCNA exams that aren't favored enough in the Sybex book. Frustrated, I went and picked up the Cisco Press: Official Exam Certification Library, which consists of the "CCNA Intro" and "CCNA ICND" books. I thought at first that having two books for this material was overkill. After several weeks of reading through these books, I am startled at how much raw content is in these two books that is directly relevant to the test. Even more obvious is how basic the Sybex course material is in comparison.

My personal experience is this: Cisco seems to have toughened up their exams quite a bit since they switched to the new CCNA exam, and Sybex doesn't seem to have kept up with this. Considering Sybex has also tried to squeeze the entire CCNP course material into a single book, when Cisco has four separate books for the same material, I'm not surprised that the CCNA book feels compressed. In particular, the areas I'm finding the biggest gaps between the two are as follows:

Cat 2950 Switch configuration - This is kept to a minimum in the Sybex book and only the most basic commands are offered.

General Routing Troubleshooting - A big theme in the practice tests I have taken thus far is the ability to properly troubleshoot various router setups. While the Sybex book gives you all the basic show commands and gives a very straightforward configuration for each topic, it simply isn't enough. There should have been several chapters dedicated purely to troubleshooting. The Cisco material did not provide dedicated chapters to troubleshooting either, but they take much longer to explain the topics than Sybex did.

Various Miscellaneous Topics - There are a variety of commands, terms, and concepts that I never saw until I started taking practice tests and picked up the Cisco Press CCNA Flash Cards book.

In closing, I will say that I like the way Todd Lammle writes. He is very easy to understand and Chapter 3 of this book (which covers IP subnetting) is a very well written chapter. This book is by no means "bad". It just isn't enough to pass the exam on it's own. If you have yet to purchase any material for the CCNA, I strongly recommend you spend the extra ten dollars and pick up the Official Exam Certification Library from Cisco Press. While it may be a little more difficult to read, it will be worth it when you go to take your test.

This is a well written book about the Cisco standards for the CCNA exam. It even mentions some things that are good to know but would not be on the exam so the author outlines only what you need to know for the exam but also covers "good standards" that you can search for on your own. I particularly am glad of the routing protocols covered in this book, as my professor at college didn't cover them in as much detail as they have in this book. I have yet to take the exam but feel that after reading this a few times I am more comfortable to take the exam than I would have without it!

Amazon.com also shipped this out to me and had it at my door 2 days earlier than expected. Great service, great product!

This book is now (2007) hopelessly outdated as regards the CCNA exam. It is ok for learning about the basics of Cisco routing and switching, but several of the the things the author insists you don't need to know for the exam (especially subnet-zero) you need to know very thoroughly. The short shrift given to EIGRP and complete lack of info about NAT will serve you very ill on the exam. Check this book out of the library, don't spend money on it.

This book is now (2007) hopelessly outdated as regards the CCNA exam. It is ok for learning about the basics of Cisco routing and switching, but several of the the things the author insists you don't need to know for the exam (especially subnet-zero) you need to know very thoroughly. The short shrift given to EIGRP and complete lack of info about NAT will serve you very ill on the exam. Check this book out of the library, don't spend money on it.

This 5th edition book has WAY too many typographical technical errors to be a reliable, sole study guide. If you are a complete novice, do not even consider this book because you will not have enough background to determine what and where the errors are. I have personally sent in errata updates to Sybex in July & Aug. 2006 and they have yet to update the errata. (It is now Dec. 2006.)

This book is already out-of-date because the CCNA exam was updated (2005 update) AFTER this book was published.

If you can ignore all of the errors (especially those in Chapter 3), there is a lot of good information and shortcuts presented in this book; hence the 3 stars. Mr. Lammle is obviously a VERY knowledgeable professional in regards to Cisco networking. It is unfortunate that Sybex failed to live up to those professional standards in presenting his material.

If you must study for your CCNA exam now, and you need to purchase a study guide, I STRONGLY suggest that you purchase the 2 Cisco CCNA Self-Study Exam Certification Guides. They are up-to-date with the 2005 updates. Otherwise you can wait for the 6th Edition of this book that is due to be published in March 2007. I just hope Mr. Lammle demands the highest standards of proofreading from Sybex BEFORE it is published.

Very Information Study Guide for the CCNA Certification Examination. Alot of new material since I read the 3rd edition of the same Study Guide.

The product is fine, but don use the 1 day shippment option. If you are in a worry, it is faster the 2 days option. I used the 1 day option and wait for 2 weeks before Amazon makes a third attempt to sendme the books. Every time I choose the 1 Day Shippment I wait for 2 or tree weeks for the items.

Although I am a reviewer for Cisco Press, I have found that the Sybex book series is much more understandable for the average person trying to achieve their CCNA certification. I teach the IT Mentor 2 Day CCNA Boot Camp and have used this book for the last 5 years. Over 5,000 of my students have used this book!

The only negative I have is that there are generally more errors in the first few editions of the Sybex books.

I just passed CCNA with 974/1000. I used this book, Cisco Flash Cards and Boson NetSim 6.0. I dont suggest you to use solely this book and expect to pass CCNA. I recommend you to do plenty of hands on labs along with this book. I found that a lot of questions from CCNA exam were from this book, some even word for word (I noticed that from ISDN chapter). Although this book done a great job explaining but I wouldnt have pass the test with this book alone. The there are a lot of drag and drop questions and three heavy weight sims on my test. I hope this help, and remember "Ping" and "show cdp neighbor details" is your best buddy :) Good luck.

If you're searching for a CCNA study guide, I'd advise looking elsewhere. While reading, I've noticed many typographical errors, poor editing, and in one case, an entire paragraph repeated for no apparent reason... and I'm only up to chapter five.

Many of the explanations are difficult to understand at best. I frequently find myself searching other resources while trying to make sense of the incomplete and often confusing material.

If you must get this guide, wait for the sixth edition. Hopefully, it will have gone through a more thorough proofing process.

I used this book solely to study for the CCNA (2nd attempt). By the time I finished this book, I was able to master the practice tests on the enclosed CD. I found the actual CCNA questions to be much harder than the Sybex practice quetions. My coworkers used the Cisco Press books and passed easily. Todd Lammle's book is a great resource for learning subnetting; which is crucial to success on the CCNA. I would recommend the book for CCNA prep, but not as a sole resource.

If you want to quickly understand Cisco networks this is a must read. I read the book twice over in one month and it basically gives you a sound knowlege of Cisco stuff. The labs are execellent. Gives you good CLI knowlege. The book helps demystify subnetting I can do it quickly now..very important in an exam scenario where you dont have time..I also liked the Frame Relay section

I gave up on this book after the 3rd chapter, which fails to explain subnetting. Instead of explaining subnetting step-by-step (starting with counting in binary), the author goes off on a tangent describing a very confusing "short-cut" to subnetting that left me scratching my head and saying "What the?". Then he goes off on another tangent showing you how to subnet in your head. Is he insane?!? No other source I have read even attempts to teach you subnetting in your head.

I am quite happy with the text by Todd Lammle, published by Sybex. He structured it in such a way that it won't scare you off in the first two chapters, but he hits the in-depth areas in a hurry. He saves binary and hex conversion, subnetting, routing and what is considered the difficult items until mid-book, giving your mind a chance to adjust to what amounts to a different way of thinking. I was surprised at how much easier the end-of-chapter tests seemed to be as I neared the end of the text. My way of looking at the information had fundamentally changed, so I absorbed it more quickly and easily. There were a few chapters I needed to read a second time, specifically the subnetting and the Cisco IOS. I think my difficulty with the IOS chapter was a direct result of not being comfortable with subnetting. However, a re-read of chapter 3, subnetting, had me doing it in my head with ease...honestly, it was a surprise to be able to think in binary. Not helpful on an every day level, but for the CCNA, it works out nicely.

I don't recommend starting with this text. It will be just right for some, but I 'warmed up' with, and it's embarassing to admit this, CCNA for Dummies, as I knew I needed something to get my mind on the correct train of thought. While having networking experience helped me, there is an academic process Cisco wants you to apply, and unless you learn it their way, the CCNA will likely be out of reach. Much like the MCSE, there are faster, easier and likely 'better' methods of arriving at a solution or conclusion, but you must get there the way the people testing you want to.

Together, the two books were complimentary, and the Sybex book, Lammle's text, is MUCH more detailed and in-depth than the Dummies text. In taking practice exams, the Dummies book had me with a dumb look on my face as I tried to figure it out. The Sybex book, on the other hand, had me looking for the 'trick' part of the question or availible answers looking for what must be wrong given a question so seemingly easy.

While I have yet to sit for the CCNA, I expect to within two weeks, and I finished reading Lammle's text two days ago.

Don't spent more money. In a World of weak Certifications Books, I finally found one that really shows the method of How Cisco Think for taking your CCNA Exam.

Hi,

the book helped me to get ready for the CCNA exam.
the delivery was after 3 day (to israel...)
the book start from zero and take you threw the network world.
if you are to be a CCNA - get it!!!!

It's a good book, very handy.. it has somo details i didn't like but it's worth it

I had made three previous attempts using Cisco Press but could not get over the hump. Needless to say I was getting pretty discouraged. However, I had heard good things about the Sybex book by Todd Lammle and decided to give it a try. It was the best thing I could have done. The book read great and it explained the required concepts & topics very well. The review questions and Hand-On Labs at the end of each chapter were also very helpful.

I took the test last weekend and passed!!

Thank you!!

This book is great for explaining the practical side of subnetting, and configuring switches and routers.

Read Stevesn and Perlman to learn the theoritical and design concepts, and read this book to learn how to implement networks, switches and routers.

I used only this book for reference and successfully passed the CCNA on first attempt. I only had some previous hands on Cisco experience in a lab environment, so the book helped greatly. Book has just the important information without too much frivilious detours. But, on the -ve side it does not cover NAT and I had atleast 3 or 4 NAT related questions in my exam.

I believe this book **USED TO BE** one of the best CCNA books out there, but CCNA has changed and this book failed to catch up. After reading the 4th ed of the study guide, I started trying some of the test engines. I realized there were many questions that I simply had no clue. I went to a book store to grab the 5th ed, but still couldn't find some crucial information that definitely appeared in the current CCNA. As some reviewers already mentioned, NAT is an absolute joke - the guide only mentions three NAT types but you are actually expected in CCNA to be able to configure NAT. There are many other topics that are not covered by the 5th ed. Also (Again, as other reviewers put it), sections of Catalyst1900 series can be omitted - the possibility you see questions about 1900 in the current CCNA is virtually none.

Although this book has some positive traits, the coverage is simply not enough for the current CCNA. Make sure you buy an extra CCNA (ICND) book from Cisco that includes 2005 update to fill some missing topics in this study guide. I don't say reading this study guide is a waste of time - it is still a good book that is easy to read so people new to Cisco will get benefits out of it. You just need an extra book or two if you want to pass the current CCNA. Did you notice that most of reviews that gave the book 4/5 stars were put in here in 2004 or before?

(...)

This book covered everything I needed to pass the exam, with hands-on experience, and the bonus material. What a great written book this is. The best I have ever read.

Nicely written, easy to understand - (...)

I recommend this book highly!!

I passed my CCNA exam yesterday. I had NO practical experience with Data Networks but some academic background.
Tod Lammle has a very nice writing style which gives the same feeling you get with classroom delivered courses. He maintains a very light, humorous style, and doesn't mind reminding you of the same thing a 100 times if he believes it is important. Something I really appreciated ! A lot of what was mentioned as important subjects came up in the exam .. usually in more than 1 question.
The review questions thoroughly cover everything on the respective chapter.
This Edition clarifies a lot of stuff that didnt make any sense (to me!) in past editions.

But ..

1- I got 2 questions about NAT. One was a configuration question, and the other was troubleshooting. Unfortuntely, Mr. Lammle sufficed with defining the different flavors of NAT. Not a single command on the subject.
2- VLSM and route summarization.. I studied that from Carl Timm's BSCI Study Guide.
3- The typos are frightening !! And not everything covered in the errata.

To conclude : The book is a very interesting resource as a first reading, but certainly not enough on it's own for passing the exam.

The exam I took had a lot a questions about NAT which were not covered with enough detail in the book. This book covers cursory items that, while interesting, are not on the exam. I would recommend it only for light reading. Some of the answers were incorrect, even had typos or references to routers in diagrams that didn't exist.

I should have skipped the book.

If you already do some of this type of work, and can use Cisco's CCNA prep site, and can use a sim (or your own routers), you'll be in better shape for the exam (in my humble opinion.)

This book does a very good job of mapping to the exam pretty closely without going into too much detail on things you don't need to know, or skipping too many things that are vital to pass.

Todd's method of discussing topics are tactfully approached so they are not confusing to the reader, and his explanations are clear and easy to understand.

The book came up a little short on NAT configuration, and you might want to go over some of the switching stuff again before taking the exam.

Overall though, I would say if you already have some experience you could probably just read this book cover to cover and take the exam (640-801).

Clear book, and good exercises too which help better understand the concepts.
In any case to pass the exam you need for some subjects a more detailed guide (such as ICND books), though less well structured.
Good to go but not alone.

This edition is written in Lammle's typical straightforward style; enough detail to elucidate concepts without being self-indulgent. But I have to agree with others about the errors. The book is chock full of them, not major blunders but just niggling errors that force continual backtracking and rechecking. It also contains diagrams which don't match descriptions or review questions. An experienced person studying for CCNA review and recertification will catch most or all of these problems, but the newbie is going to be scratching his/her head often. Even the errata for some questions posted on the website are still wrong. Cisco exams are notoriously detail oriented and the candidate needs accurate information. This is careless editing for what could and should otherwise be a dynamite book. Lastly, the CD test engine is merely a repeat of chapter review questions. Handy for travel to avoid packing the book, but not challenging, especially given that the graphics are sometimes missing from the CD questions! This book should be a 5-star, but I can only give it 3. It does not exhibit the quality of previous editions.

Todd Lammle's book was a huge reason why I passed this test 5 years ago (when it was 640-407), so I have a great deal of respect for his knowledge and ability to present the material.

I'm currently using this book to study for recertification, and I must say I'm a little disappointed. The book seems to have been a little rushed, due to some spotty errors and peculiar grammar (though that didn't bother me so much). Page 152 alone has two review questions (#'s 11 and 13) which are impossible to solve correctly due to oversights on the part of Lammle and his editors. I don't mean to sound nitpicky, but if I were a beginner, I would feel increasingly uneasy with Lammle with every error I encountered.

Having said that, the man knows his stuff, and he has always done a great job of putting himself in the shoes of the reader, and putting extra emphasis on concepts that Cisco wants their CCNA's to know. (...)

Good exam prep. I read this book and with only slight network experience was able to pass the CCNA. The chapter reviews are good , and some of the questions on the test are closely related to the same questions.

I didn't like the CD exam test engine, but the content of the book made up for it.

This book is excellent resource for preparation for CCNA certification. It has needed information regarding the Cisco's objective. Sample test and Bonus Test give extra knowledge for exam's question. User have more knowledge and practice of test exmams. I will recommend this book for any one who does not have any knowledge of CCNA material.

I passed my CCNA on the first try after reading this book thoroughly, and doing computerized practice tests. The book DOES cover ISDN, contrary to what another reviewer wrote. If you read the book and do all the review questions and written labs at the end of each chapter, you will be well prepared for the exam. I recommend doing some computerized practice tests in addition to this book, just to drive home the concepts.

Good study guide...for the old exam. The updated edition for the new 640-801 exam was done poorly. The NAT section is pathetic. The 1900 switch coverage needs to be moved to an appendix--or simply dropped--because this switch is no longer covered in the exam. Dialer interfaces ("interface dialer" config) aren't even mentioned. Wouldn't hurt to add "ip summary-address rip" command, and more on route summarization. I'd recommend Chris Bryant's $19 "The Bryant Advantage" guide instead.

I've recently passed the CCNA exam with 985 out of 1000 points and Todd Lammle's book was my only study material (along with a Cisco 2500 router).

It covers all relevant topics in such an easy-to-understand way and gives you a great networking/Cisco knowledge to build upon. Even now, while I'm pursuing with other certs it serves as an irreplacable reference. Every chapter concludes with review questions, hands-on exercices or Labs to give you the opportunity of applying your new skills in real-world scenarios and the CD provides additional sample tests and flash cards to consolidate your knowledge.

By reading the book twice and doing all the exercices you will be able to answer just about any question you may encounter on the exam. Highly recommended!

Todd has been an authority in this field for as long as I can remember. His style of writing keeps the book from becoming a sleep aid and provides nuts and bolts information that is both excellent real-world reference and directly relevant to exam objectives. If you are considering taking the CCNA exam, you would be ill advised to not give this book a thorough read.

This is a great book! Todd Lammle has the ability to make complex topics simple. Cisco books are essential once you've mastered networking basics, but there is nothing like Sybex for learning the concepts from A to Z.

And don't go for the brain dumps where you just memorize a bunch of answers without understanding the material. Take the time to read Lammle's Study Guide, make notes, and read the book again. It may be difficult, but it will be interesting and you will have acquired skills that you can apply at work.

Kym Blair
CCIE #11115

Well my title says it all. :) thanks

This is the first book review I have ever written on Amazon. I've been in the computer/network support field for many years, but had almost no contact with Cisco equipment. I basically knew the "enable" and "config" Cisco commands. I had originally planned on shelling out the $3000 to take a CCNA bootcamp, but decided that that was way too much money. So I bought this book instead (and the CCNA router simulator by Boson software), took a week off from work (which I would have done anyway for the class), and went at it with these two for nine days straight. My homegrown bootcamp paid off because I passed the exam on the first try, saving almost $2900!

I would not advise trying this without some computer and networking background. If you don't have this background, try the A+ and then Network+ certifications before the CCNA. Good luck!

Contrary to a previous reader's post I am very glad that this 5th ed. is in paperback. Now I can throw away my copy of 3rd ed. Holding and flipping hardcover books is very frustrating. That's why I don't buy books from Cisco press (except First-step series).

Comments and suggestions for next edition: At last there is a section about private IP addresses range. But it is still not revealed that A,B,C classes of IP addresses have been obsolete for 10 years now, because Cisco exams maintain this myth to this day.
Also, the statement in 'Subnet masks' section that class C subnet mask have to start with 255.255.255.0 is NOT true. CIDR, except for routing, could be used for creating subnets with many more hosts than 'officialy' possible: e.g. 192.168.50.0/23 i.e subnet mask 255.255.254.0 means 510 hosts (50.0 and 51.0), but it is not possible to combine 49.0 and 50.0 or non-contiguous subnets...

I have the Cisco Press and I was suggested in my Cisco Academy class to by the Sybex book because the Cisco books are soooo hard to read.

I am NOT disapointed! This is the best technical book I have every read!!

I now understand subnetting and how IP addressing works.

This book is a great addition to the Cisco Academy or any class corriculm. We also use the RouterSim software, which is much easier to use then the Cisco labs we use in class.

a great book for getting your CCNA, I just used as a reference. If you buy, read, retain and pactice with this book you will pass your CCNA

good luck

When Todd tries to explain the Data Link layer of the OSI model it is totally confusing. Up to this point his explanations have been ok. I think he may have left out an important diagram or something because it has totally baffled me! He refers to Figure 1.13 but this figure is back three pages and is totally unrelated.

And the way he explains things makes you think that he was in a rush or that English is his second language.

I'll post another review if I am convinced otherwise.

This book is great and all, but why softcover? When I ordered it I didn't notice it until it was mentioned by a friend. When it was received in the mail I traded it with a friend who had the old 4th edition hardcover. Much better, I'll just get the content from him that I missed.