Customer Reviews

Network+ Study Guide & Practice Exams: Exam N10-003

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Among so many books on the same topic, this one stands out for the quality of the information and expertise of the authors. The three Contributing Authors, the Lead Author (who helps develop CompTIA exams), and the Technical Editor each have the ***real-world experience*** to back their alphabet soup list of certifications.

Their explanations are fluid and well connected to the Exam Objective at hand. The 'just because I say so' explanations one finds in some of the other exam prep guides are missing from this one. The 'Exam Warnings' sprinkled throughout are particularly helpful at pointing out tricky bits of information you will be tested on.

Study well, complete the self-tests at the end of each chapter, and you're bound to succeed.

If you want to take the Network+ exam, and don't want to trough through 1400+ page books when the exam is so simple anyway, this is THE book for you.

Firstly, don't let its size intimidate you. It does a great job of going in depth in topics without losing track of the Network+ objectives. Every single objective is covered, and I did not see a single thing that was foreign to me on the exam.

The exam tips throughout the book are great, telling you key areas to focus on, and believe me, they really help to tell you what to remember most and what to simply glance over and make a note or two on.

Why 4 stars? Well, while I did pass the exam first try with this as my main book, I must say that the included practice test is rather poor, and so you should consider buying a decent practice test simulation in addition to this book to be comfortable with the questions on the exam, especially if this is your first CompTIA exam. People who have taken CompTIA exams before (like myself) shouldn't have too much of a problem, but practice exams nevertheless will drill the knowledge inside you.

Another glitch is currently at time of writing, this book STILL does not have its errata page up (rsanetworks.net/networkplus), so hence 4 stars.

Overall, this book WILL make you pass first time if you read it start to end and take notes of key areas of the exam (I passed with much room for error), but a decent practice test should be accompanied in your studies too.

While I agree with the previous reviewer that said there is more information than is needed to pass the exam, I don't see that as a bad thing. The author's stated intention, which he points out serveral times throughout the book, is to help the reader become a proficient network technician, not just pass the exam with the bare minimum understanding of the topics. That is why I gave this book a 5 star review. In addition to that, the writing style is clear and to the point. The explanations are very easy to understand, especially the chapter on IP subnetting. I used to bang my head against the wall trying to figure out the complexities of subnetting, but, in a few short pages in this book, Shimonski has cleared up all of my frustrations with this particular subject. I also very much liked the chapter on wireless technologies and the security issuses surrounding wireless access, after reading it, I had the confidence I needed to set up a secure wireless network, with a firewall, for my home based PC repair business.

I plan on taking my Network+ Cert exam by the end of December, which will give me enough time to re-read this excellent book again from cover to cover. That coupled with my previous A+ certification, should allow me to pass my exam with flying colors.

Thank you to Robert Shimonski for writing this excellent certification guide.


****** EDIT ******

I took my exam and passed it on the first try. This was the only study guide I used. The information provided in this book plus my experience in the field allowed me to ace the exam. I am quite happy with the results I received from this book.

The Authors are clearly experts. They are clearly enthusiastic about their topic. I have little doubt that mastering the material in this book would lead to a passing grade on your test. Just know that you are taking the long way around the mountain.

My goal was to PASS THE TEST in a reasonable amount of time, with actual comprehension of the material. I was not looking to know everything there is to know on the topic. I didn't care to wade through minutiae and exhaustive background info on every topic. The exam covers a great deal of information & I didn't want to add to it unnecessarily. So, eventually, I gave up on this book and read Network+ Certification All-in-One Exam Guide, Third Edition (All-in-One) by Michael Meyers and Exam cram. I passed with a 750 out of 900. I will keep this book for reference and further research. But, I can't recommend it as a Network plus study guide as there are much more efficient ways to pass that test.

I am about half way through this book, and it is really easy to read and learn the material you need to pass the exam.

This is a great book. I passed my Network+ today on the 1st try. The in depth coverage and overall organization of the book is great. I would also recommend the Preplogic study guides to be used with this book. It makes for a good combo learning tool.

Robert Shimonski hits all the objectives on the test. I liked it because it went in depth on alot of the subjects so you were not just getting a book that just taught the test. You were also learning what could come in handy later. Great Book A++

I am almost halfway through this and am quite impressed as this blows other exam books I have read out of the water. Not only because the author will stop and say "pay attention to these next few chapters-you will need this information for the exam" but because he goes beyond the cold, hard facts you will need for the exam and expands on topics (take wireless security for example)that won't necessarily help you on the exam, but will make you a more knowledgeable person overall.
Up until now, when I dived into a networking book I often thought 'I should be reading this in bed' as they often encouraged a nice nap, but I am actually excited about reading this book.
I highly recommend this one!

I have this book and I really enjoy it. It is really easy to read and it helped me pass with ease. I got really close to a perfect score on the test by reading this book. I suggest anyone that wants to pass the test to buy this book so that they too can be Network+ 2009 certified like me.

I'll keep this short and simple: this book has more than enough information to pass the Network+ exam. I agree with a prior reviewer that it was designed for mid-level IT people, but if you're already consider Network+ as a stepping stone to other network certifications, you should be comfortable with the terminology and setup of this book.

I used this as my main resource in 2006 and passed it with ease, and I expect the same for others. The practice tests were enough to test your knowledge as well.