I just passed the Essentials exam a week ago. For a blue collar worker tying to make a change from the physical to the mental and has major test anxiety, 810 ain't bad.

I don't want to under play the importance of studying the material, but one could pass just by reading the dumps. However, the real reason we are banging our heads against the wall to pass these exams is to get into a career where we will actually have to perform. So, use this a tool.

The week before the test, I ran through every dump over and over and over. When going through the dumps, look for questions that have answers (I guess you shouldn't read mine then). At this point you are looking for insight as to what will be on the exam. All the studying should be done. There is a guy on here who only missed two. I can't think of his name but look at his closely.

I used the Microsoft Press self study and the 400 test question you can get for around $80. Well worth the money. I also took the class - also well worth the money if you need a push. For me it was a matter of being prepared for class twice a week that made me move through the material in a timely fashion to gain greater retention. There are also several other things to help you like the cram session and Trancenders.

I got to the test after a 2 hour ride to Indy from the North, sat down, and essentially dumped my brain of all the info I had studied on the way down onto the paper provided. Then if I needed to recall something, I just read it off the paper. (My brothers technique).

1) I studied my ass off on routable and non protocols as well as the protocol stack - not one question. Imagine that.

2) There were no wireless questions.

3) The name should u avoid when choosing a NetBEUI name is All but Domain - I think. I got this one right on a practice test.

4) I saw several on the t1 versus 28.8 modem / RAS server.

5) There is a building w/ a one meter attic space above a drop ceiling. You need 100Mbps signal. Cost is a factor. (Use UTP) The one meter drop ceiling is a "Red H" because plenum grade wouldn't give you one 100Mbps. That wasn't even a choice.

6) Several questions where Brouter would be the answer but wasn't there so I picked Gateway Because it could handle the routable non-routable issue where the other choices couldn't.

9) Connection less is fast and unreliable. Connection- oriented is reliable and slow.

I purposely didn't give very many questions here because I didn't feel I did well enough to say I could help anyone, but I did pass. I just wanted to acknowledge the usefulness of the Dumps and what books I used. I hope whatever I did say will help you.