This is a list of resources I can recommend to you to build the skills and knowledge necessary to get your CCNA.
Some of the product links here are affiliate links, I will receive a small commission from each sale made via these links (no additional cost to you). I want to emphasize that I will ONLY recommend products that I have used myself, and I regularly refuse to partner with companies if I don’t feel confident recommending their products to you.
My course on YouTube provides more income to me via advertisements and the generous support of my viewers than any of these affiliate links, so I have no intention to ‘sell out’ my reputation for the sake of a little more money.
Recommended CCNA Resources
CCNA Courses
Jeremy’s IT Lab
Of course, I recommend my free CCNA course on YouTube.
The course has already helped thousands of people study for and pass the CCNA exam, and I’m sure it will be helpful for you too.
You can watch the course ad-free and help support me by watching the course on JITL Academy.
You can compare the different versions of my CCNA course here.
Cisco CCNA Gold Bootcamp
This is the course I used to get my CCNA in 2018 (with less than two months of study!), fully updated for the new CCNA 200-301.
If you like my videos on YouTube, I’m sure you’ll love Neil’s course. It’s the highest-rated CCNA course on the Internet.
Sections follow the lecture → lab demonstration → lab exercise format similar to what I use, and Neil is great at explaining things in a straightforward and easy-to-understand manner.
You may be familiar with Neil’s course on Udemy, but his Gold Bootcamp includes an extra 150 pages of troubleshooting labs, in addition to quizzes at the end of each section.
I’ve partnered with Neil to offer you this course at a special discount for a limited time (really, the price will go up!). Especially at this discounted price, this course is a must-have.
CCNA Books
Acing the CCNA Exam
Acing the CCNA Exam is my book for the CCNA exam. It is structured to synergize well with my video course and help you (as the title says) ace the CCNA exam.
The book is currently released as part of my publisher’s program called MEAP (Manning Early Access Program). You can get all of the available chapters as an eBook, and get new chapters as soon as they are ready.
Once the book is done, Manning will send you a physical copy (if you buy the print + eBook option).
CCNA Labs
Cisco Packet Tracer
Cisco Packet Tracer is an amazing free network simulator; every CCNA student should have Packet Tracer installed on their computer!
Packet Tracer is quite limited compared to real Cisco hardware or an emulator such as Cisco Modeling Labs that runs real Cisco IOS software; simulated devices in Packet Tracer only support the commands that its developers have programmed into it. However, for the purposes of the CCNA, it is an easy-to-use and lightweight tool that allows you to practice CCNA-level configurations for free without requiring a powerful computer.
You can download Packet Tracer for free here; all you have to do is make a Cisco account. Whether you’re following my video course, my book, or someone else’s materials, you definitely should use Packet Tracer to practice the various configurations you are learning.
Boson NetSim for CCNA
Not just a complete set of guided labs for the CCNA, but a powerful network simulator.
Boson NetSim provides a complete solution for hands-on configuration and troubleshooting practice for the CCNA.
Boson’s set of over 100 guided labs is really all of the hands-on practice you need to prepare for the CCNA. Simply memorizing commands isn’t enough to complete these labs, they really test and develop your overall understanding of the exam topics.
In addition, you can use their network simulator to create your own labs, as NetSim is a complete network simulator which is even more powerful than Cisco’s Packet Tracer. Even if you’re studying for the CCNP, you can use NetSim for your lab practice (can’t say the same about Packet Tracer).
If you want to see what NetSim is like, I have been featuring NetSim at the end of many of the lab videos of my CCNA course on YouTube. Check it out!
Neil Anderson’s CCNA Lab Guide
A complete and FREE set of Packet Tracer labs for the CCNA by Neil Anderson.
Pre-made lab files to load up, with over 300 pages of lab tasks and walkthroughs.
CCNA Practice Exams
Boson ExSim for CCNA
Without a doubt, the most in-depth and accurate practice exams for the CCNA.
Nothing simulates the difficulty and style of the real CCNA exam as well as Boson ExSim.
Boson’s ExSim is almost universally recognized as the best set of practice exams for the CCNA, and with good reason. Not only do the questions simulate the difficulty and style of the real exam, but each question includes in-depth explanations of why each correct answer is correct, and why each incorrect answer is incorrect, including references to Cisco’s official cert guide and Cisco documentation online for additional reading.
If you’ve finished a CCNA course and are ready for your final preparations before the exam, Boson ExSim is the best tool you can use to get ready.
Jeremy’s IT Lab
I have released two CCNA practice exams of my own, each with 100 realistic exam questions and explanations for each.
I’m confident that these practice exams will challenge you, and help you identify and improve your weak points. Check them out on JITL Academy.
Other CCNA Resources
PracticalNetworking.net is a fantastic networking blog that breaks down complex networking topics in a manner that is easy to understand, but without sacrificing depth.
When I prepare my videos I do lots of research to make sure my information is correct, and that involves checking multiple sources to get a complete picture of the topic. Ed’s articles have come up multiple times in my Google searches, and have proven to be a valuable resource as I build out my CCNA course.
Ed currently has no plans to make a full CCNA course of his own, but the topics he does cover are covered in great depth and are an invaluable resource for anyone studying for the CCNA. As a bonus, it’s all free!
As a sample of his amazing work, here are some articles on NAT:
Learn everything you need to know about NAT
Learn to configure NAT on Cisco IOS Routers
