Experiences 1

• These are bigger, longer questions that presents a networking situation with both required/optional results and a solution, asking you if the solution would achieve all or some of the required/optional results. To answer correctly, just read carefully but don't spent too much time on them.
  NE as I know it tests your knowledge on all aspects of both LAN and WAN. Terminology is important. Basic knowledge of all communication devices is a must. And it helps if you have working experience with any special network tools. But no question on wireless technology.
  
• I took the test and they did not ask for that much detail on the 802.x specifications. If you know 802..3 an 802.5 you should be fine. The thing that killed me was the TDR, Osiscolosope, and Protocol Analyzer Questions!
  
• I found that the biggest things are to understand routers, switches, hubs and wiring systems, and to understand what causes network traffic problems and how you can reduce traffic. That means a fairly decent understanding of protocols, Ethernet, a bit of TR and so on.
  Not many questions on the OSI model, but memorizing the ALL PEOPLE SEEM .....was a big help. When you get there, take the practice test. That gives you 15 minutes of time. During this time, don't take the practice test, write down on the scratch paper, all you can remember about the OSI modem, where router, gateways, repeaters all work at in the model. Write down interrup settings that you can recall (com1=4, com2=3,lpt1=7 etc.).
  The were about 5 questions that give you a scenario and an objective and secondary objectives. You have to determine whether the solution accomplished all of, some of or none of the objectives.

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• Learn about readings of these tools and what to do with particular readings of a VoltMeter
  -Cover the planning stuff; there were about 5 Qs with different scenaria, objectives and a suggested solution
  -You really ought to know NT Server well to answer some of the planning questions
  -There were only a couple of questions that required knowing the order of the layers of the OSI model
  
  
• The following is an rough excerpt from a book entitled MCSE: Networking Essentials Study Guide. This will be published by Sybex within the next month or so. I don't guarentee that it will satisfy any exam questions, but it might help. James Chellis
  
  ***Physical Mesh Topology:
  
  The mesh topology is distinguished by having redundant links between devices. A true mesh configuration has a link between each and every device in the network. As you can imagine, this gets ridiculous beyond a very small number of devices. Most mesh topology networks are not true mesh networks. Rather, they are hybrid mesh networks, which contain some redundant links but not all.
  
  Mesh Installation:
  Mesh topology networks become more difficult to install as the number of devices increases because of the sheer amount of connections that must be made. A true mesh of only six devices would require 15 connections (5+4+3+2+1). A true mesh topology of seven devices would require 21 connections (6+5+4+3+2+1), and so on.
  
  Mesh Troubleshooting and Reconfiguration:
  Mesh networks are relatively easy to troubleshoot and are very fault tolerant. Media failure has less impact on a mesh topology than on any other topology. The redundant links enable data to be sent over several different paths.
  Reconfiguration, like installation, gets progressively more difficult as the number of devices increases.
  
  Mesh Advantages and Disadvantages:
  The major advantage of the mesh topology is fault tolerance. Other advantages include guaranteed communication channel capacity and the fact that mesh networks are relatively easy to troubleshoot. Disadvantages include the difficulty of installation and reconfiguration, as well as the cost of maintaining redundant links.***
  
• For those taking the Network Essentials exam, I would really study the glossary section of the self study guide. Terminology is important.
  

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• the Networking Essentials questions were pretty close for both the roadmap and the real exam in structure and difficulty.
• Although it varies depending on the pool of questions you get, I had about 10 such questions where 2 similar questions each time had the same required results but had different or and added proposed solution.
• MCP magazine outlined the key points to study for the exam, this is what I used. I believe it was in last months.
  
• In addition to protocol levels for each device, know what kind of compatible network each can join:
  • repeater: different media, e.g, thicknet & thinnet
  • bridge: same as repeater AND different architecture, e.g., token ring to ethernet
  • router/brouter: same as repeater and bridge
  • gateway: same router AND different PROTOCOLS
• A surprise to me were several questions on Windows NT domain models and WHERE to place backup domain controllers in a Multiple master WAN domain architecture.
• know that RG 58 U cable (solid core conductor) is NOT compatible with for ThinNet and is different that RG 58 A/U which IS used for ThinNet
  
• *Know the different categories of UTP cable and what bandwidth they're capable of.
• *Know the different types of coax and what they're used for (RG-8, RG-11, RG-58, RG-62)
• *Know the difference between a Volt-Ohm Meter, a Protocol Analyzer, and a Time Domain Reflectometer, and what each one is used for.
• *Know the differences between Repeaters, Routers, Bridges, Brouters, Gateways, Hubs, etc, and in which cases you would need one or the other.
• *Know what protocol (RIP) is used to determine # of hops to a desination.
• *Know the different types of network services (ATM, X.25, ISDN, Frame Relay, etc.) and what bandwidth they're capable of.
• *Know that incorrect frame types can really throw off an IPX/SPX network.
• *Know your IRQs! (especially that IRQ 3 is taken by Com2 and IRQ 4 is taken by Com1).
• *Know that PPP supports Dynamic IP addressing and SLIP does not.
• *Know what a Mesh topology looks like (I had one that showed an exhibit of a mesh and asked me what it was).
• *Know that you cannot wire-tap a FDDI network like you can Ethernet.
• *Know that NetBEUI is not a routable protocol.
• *IPX/SPX is great for Peer-to-Peer networking if NetBEUI is not a choice (hint: that's one of the questions on the test).
• As everyone else has said; DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE THIS TEST!
  It's really not that difficult if you study and study *well*, but with a 793 required, you don't have many questions that you can get wrong.
  
• A couple of things I did come across on the test that I hadn't encountered where some troubleshooting areas relating to network adapter cards. They were basically coming down to two possible problems Base I/O Port Settings or Base Memory Address to Packet Sizing. I was fully prepared for mismatched protocols, etc but didn't get any.
  
• 1.Make absolutely sure you know the differences between Routers, Gateways, Bridges and Brouters and know which layers of the OSI model they adhere to.
• 2. Know those cables. Know which UTP category supports 100mbps.
• 3. Know why you would use a Protocol Analyzer and Time-Domain Reflectometer.