Is The CompTIA Network+ Worth Doing?

[Jay]

I have been working on networks for a long time now but I have no formal qualifications in IT at all (what a waste my degree was!)

I am wondering, just to get me started, is Network+ worth doing? I plan on getting my MCSE but I can't justify the cost at the moment.

[threepe]

I'm thinking about doing that at the moment. I've heard its quite a reasonable qualification, but not having doing it I cannot say for sure.

[Jay]

Yes that and the Security + are suposed to be very good and when you think its only £995 + VAT, its not that bad at all. It will only take about 3 months to do as well.

[dozer]

where is a good place to do it?

[threepe]

£995+VAT

I bought a book and intend to just book an exam at a training college. £250 all in.

[Jay]

I am going to do the full course.

[funkymunky]

To be honest, as someone that is involved in hiring technical staff I've lost interest in qualifications. I've had that many people that have relevant qualifications and degrees that turn out to know sod all when quizzed that it's hard to take them serious anymore. Obviously some people will look on them favourably so it's up to you.......

[burtie]

where is a good place to do it?

Home Study IT Course UK – Home Study IT Career Starter Course – IT Distance Learning Course

Pay a deposit and the rest in 9 small monthly payments,but if you do that you don`t get the online price.

[Edit] No i`ve not done it as yet but i keep looking. MCSE is far to expensive for me at the mo.I might just get around to it before i`m 40

[Andaho]

If you do the full course you will regret it... I have... All they do is send you out the books and then when you feel ready they put on a 2 day workshop to get everything fresh in your mind, then take the exam.

After seeing how they did it all, I wish I looked into it deeper before paying up.... It would have been just as easy to have bought the book myself and then booked the exam myself, and I would have saved a few hundred quid.

[Jay]

where is the best place to get the book?

[Andaho]

This is the one that was supplied with my MCSE course: Amazon.co.uk: Network+ Study Guide: Exam N10-003: David Groth,Toby Skandier,Todd Lammle,William Tedder: Books

After first doing the A+ and spending a year reading all 1100 pages of this book ( Amazon.co.uk: A+ Certification All-in-One Exam Guide, Sixth Edition (All-In-One): Mike Meyers: Books ), and then acing the exam by a mile, I only read about 10% of the N+ book over about 2 weeks before taking the exam and still passed it by a good margin

I was gutted I wasted so much time on the A+ book because I probably could have passed the exams (2 exams with the A+; hardware and software) without ever picking up the book!

I paid £3850 for my MCSE course about 4 years ago with National IT Learning Centre - IT Training Courses (paid up front borrowing money from my mum - dunno when I'll get round to paying it back lol). I have only done the A+, Network+ and first MCP (70-720: Installing configuring and administering Windows XP). The next step would be 2 more MCPs on windows server then I'd be MCSA, then I think after that another 3-4 MCPs to become MCSE.

I stopped after getting my first MCP because I'm setting up self-employed doing home computer repairs - I don't want or need to learn about windows server - would be nice one day to be an MCSE, and luckily the NITLC who I did the course with will keep the rest of the course on hold for me for 10 years - but after 4 years have passed already, I'm doubting if I ever will.

I actually looked into selling my A+ and N+ books on ebay, but they go really cheap on there. You could probably get one for under a tenner, so I decided to keep them as reference books when I need to brush up on the theory.