What helped: Passing CCNA
Certification Milestone
Finally, I have passed my Cisco Certified Network Associate certification. It is my first networking certificate, and to be honest, it was hard to learn everything this exam covers. I can provide reasons why it felt like climbing Mount Everest!
Career-wise, I am working at a large healthcare provider in British Columbia, Canada - a beautiful place to be. I am responsible for troubleshooting wired and wireless network, managing network monitoring system, configurations and sometimes, hardware replacement and wireless survey’s.
What helped to pass CCNA?
What really helped me to pass this exam is following a framework—a framework that defines the following three words: Motivation, Persistence, and Dedication. I did not pass this exam at first try. It took me a couple of tries, but this time I was different. One thing was very clear to me: there are no shortcuts. I will have to understand what Cisco wants me to understand to pass this exam.
I elaborated on the three words, hoping you are okay to read through it. To further break these three words down:
Motivation
Motivation is why we all decides to take on a new challenge. A “spark in the mind” is all it takes to climb the biggest mountain on the earth, innovate something that is ground breaking or win a Marathon. Imagine a athlete without motivation like: playing a piano with no keys. So knowing, “why do you needs to earn this certification?” is the first thing you needs to write down. Your why needs to be strong and related to motivation so you can go along with this journey. Welcome to self-taught world my friend, there is no school, professor or a deadline waiting for you. You’re the master of your fate. if the Why is not clear something else will take priority.
My biggest motivation is how far I have come being a self-taught IT professional, at the starting of my career in IT, imposter syndrome hit me very hard - as time passed I kept learning and growing my skill knowing I will not give up and kept putting the effort.
There might be times when you have started this journey and something unexpected happened, I lost my father in 2022 and things were not the same for me. My why was shifted for some times, then again my mother had a heart-attack in 2024, it was hard to stay motivated but nothing I could have done to change the past.I helped my mother while needed help, when things were better - I did not forget my why I kept my promise to myself.
Things will come, priorities will change but destiny will not. If you’re feeling the same, just give it some time and look for the light at the end of the tunnel.
Persistence
CCNA covers a lot of topics over 6 different domains - Network Fundamentals, Network Access, IP Connectivity, IP Services, Security Fundamentals, Automation and Programmability. The amount of topics it has and dept of understanding on each topis is what makes it difficult.
Being persistence on your learning journey is what is going to help you, studying for a week then skipping weeks in between does not help with recalling what you learnt few weeks ago.
My recommendation: ask yourself honestly. What is my lifestyle? Can I commit to this now? Do I have responsibilities where I will need to dedicate time? Does my family know that I will need to spend time on studies according to a schedule for at least 6 months?, considering you’re trying to take this exam while have a busy schedule.
Once you know your next 6 months (if your lifestyle is busy like most of has), then you needs to create a framework, a framework that has has structured plan.
Read
I used Cisco Press Official Cert Guide for CCNA written by Wendell Odom. The CCNA Certification guide was my true first source of information. Videos cannot cover the amount of content that both Volume 1 and Volume 2 covers.
If you pay close attention, Wendell talks about how you should read this book, along with his YouTube channel Wendell Odom’s Network Upskill. He has great content on his YouTube channel as supplementary videos.
Additionally, I would like to add Cisco whitepapers (technical documents) and Request for Comments (RFCs) to your reading list. Trust one main resource like the Cert Guide. If a chapter or section does not make sense, then use alternative methods. Always go back to reading the book, which will keep you on track. Don’t be intimated by the two cert guides Volume 1 and 2, read it chapter by chapter, part by part - it will help you complete this Marathon.
Lab
Labs are a must. This exam will test you on network protocols as well as how to implement them on Cisco hardware, so skipping labs means you’re doing yourself a disservice.
You can use Cisco Packet Tracer to practice labs on all the topics that this exam covers. If you have the right hardware and are willing to explore further, I would recommend Cisco Modeling Lab—even the free version is sufficient for this.
You can also use AI tools to help you create labs, but this will take more time, resources, and money to fully set up, and you will quickly run out of tokens. I would not recommend exploring this area until you reach CCNP level—it is not worth the time.
Watch
A lot of people like to learn through videos, but consuming content is a passive way to learn. The retention rate will not be high, so use videos as supplementary material if a topic does not make sense when reading.
I prefer whiteboard-style learning when it comes to watching videos rather than watching slides. Watching someone implement a protocol and function on a device can also be a good way to understand the topic.
Always keep videos as a backup if reading did not make sense.
Spaced Repetition
Remembering a concept is key when learning about CCNA. This includes remembering what a protocol is, how it works, or even how to implement it on a device. Sometimes, remembering certain values ensures you can configure a protocol the way the question asks.
Spaced repetition helps you review topics you have already learned with spacing between reviews. A famous tool I used is Anki, which helps create flashcards that can be reviewed every day. Make sure you set up the number of cards you want to review daily.
Subnetting practice is another key area for this exam. Practicing subnetting questions even 5 a day will keep your memory sharp on this concept. Practical Subnetting is what I used to learn and master this area. Make sure you read the chapters in the book first before using Practical Subnetting. Remember, the book covers much more than anyone can cover in a video. You definitely want to understand how an engine is built if you want to be a mechanic.
Can you explain the topic to someone?
Explain the concept to a friend or family member (if they are willing to learn about networks), or just explain it to yourself in front of a mirror.
Mentor
If you’re lucky, find a mentor. There will be times when nothing else mentioned above will make sense. A mentor who has gone through this journey can help tremendously. A mentor could be a colleague, a member on a social platform like Discord, or someone from your field of work.
Practice Tests
Take practice tests. These tests can be taken before or after reading chapters or completing sections of the book. Once you’ve read the book, completed labs, and feel confident, take a practice test for the CCNA exam. I used Boson Ex-Sim, which is the best. While taking practice tests, make sure to set up the test environment like you would have at the exam site or at home (if taking the remote option).
Schedule Exam
I believe in scheduling the exam once you’re doing well on practice exams. Practice exams are a great way to know how long you will need to fill gaps in your knowledge. You shouldn’t wait another 3 months—it should be no more than 1 month from the time you took your first practice exam to taking the real exam. You’ll feel the pressure of the exam date, but that’s good. It will help ensure you’re on track.
Exam Day
Get a good sleep before the exam day. A good night’s rest will help you stay active during the exam. A light breakfast is also important—you don’t want to feel dizzy while taking the exam. If you’re taking the exam at home, make sure you prepare the room as needed, or plan to arrive at the test site in advance.
Exam time
Read the questions twice. Make sure you understand what the question is asking before answering and moving on.
Dedication
Persistence helps you follow a framework that you build and trust. Dedication helps you maintain that persistence. You’ll have days when you’re not feeling your best, and it will feel like you want to skip studying that day (if it’s a planned study day). That’s where dedication comes in.
Building a tracking system that is visually present—it could be as simple as a calendar where you mark your progress—can help you not break the streak. Even if you spend some time reviewing notes or taking a quick read of the most difficult section of the chapter, it could help with your progress.
The framework you created to plan this journey—make sure it is written on paper or digitally. I like to stick to paper as it gives me a visual effect. It will help you visually see your progress, which helps with staying motivated.
Conclusion
Passing CCNA is not about a single trick or shortcut. For me, it came down to staying motivated, being persistent, and staying dedicated through every chapter, lab, practice test, and life challenge.
If you keep your “why” strong, build a study framework, practice regularly, and stay honest with yourself, you can turn this difficult journey into a milestone you’re proud of. The exam is one achievement, but the real reward is the confidence and learning habit that you carry forward.