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Cisco · Networking foundation

Cisco CCNA

Develop practical networking skills in routing, switching, IP connectivity and network services.

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Understand the path a packet takes

Connect addressing, switching and routing concepts to traffic moving through a small network.

Configure a network with purpose

Practise VLANs, interfaces and routes in a simulator or your own isolated lab.

Find the fault and verify the repair

Gather evidence, test a specific hypothesis and confirm connectivity from the endpoint.

What you will learn to do

Understand the path a packet takes

Connect addressing, switching and routing concepts to traffic moving through a small network.

Configure a network with purpose

Practise VLANs, interfaces and routes in a simulator or your own isolated lab.

Find the fault and verify the repair

Gather evidence, test a specific hypothesis and confirm connectivity from the endpoint.

Certification essentials

Requirements, costs and keeping it current.

Check the vendor record and ongoing commitment alongside the career guidance.

Pricing view
Market

Vendor record

Live

One exam, 200-301 Administering Cisco Solutions, with no prerequisites. Cisco states the exam is valid for three years and can be used toward recertification.

Source: Cisco · Read 17 September 2026

Sourced fields only; this does not mean every exam detail has been verified. Pricing and renewal policies have their own sources and check dates. Confirm the currency, tax and final booking total with the vendor.

Role-fit guidance is TechWaymark editorial interpretation. It is separate from the recorded vendor facts and does not measure hiring outcomes.

Costs and renewal

Exam cost
US$300 published exam fee
Exam format
100–120 questions including simulations · TechWaymark-held detail; confirm the exam version with the vendor
Keeping it current

Renew within 3 years through eligible exams or 30 Continuing Education credits. Budget for the selected exams or training; some eligible learning may be free.

Renewal sources & exceptions

Complete the requirements before expiry; an expired credential requires the full certification exam process again.

Renewal policy checked 2026-09-28. Check the linked provider policy for current fees and eligibility.

Cisco’s exam-specific page and certification FAQ list US$300 before tax. A certification landing page also showed US$400; use the exam booking total before purchase. This quote is exam-only, not a training bundle. Vendor price checked 2026-09-24. Check the vendor record before booking.

Current vendor pricing source ↗
Preparation and practical skills

Recommended prior knowledge

  • Network+ or equivalent
  • Comfortable with the OSI model
  • Patience for lab time

Common misconceptions

  • CCNA is only for network engineers, it benefits cloud and security roles too.
  • It's outdated, its fundamentals underpin every cloud network.

What this cert does NOT guarantee

  • Senior network engineer roles
  • Architect positions

Practical skills that matter

  • Subnetting
  • Routing protocols (OSPF, EIGRP)
  • VLANs & trunking
  • Basic firewalling
  • Wireless fundamentals
Alternatives and related certifications

Where this fits

This cert
Cisco CCNA

Alternative routes

No single right path. These adjacent options reach similar roles.

  • JNCIA (Juniper)
    Strong alternative in service provider and large enterprise environments.
  • Cloud networking specialty
    AWS Advanced Networking is increasingly valuable for cloud-first orgs.
  • Home lab + Packet Tracer
    A documented multi-router lab can carry as much weight as the cert.

Adjacent & overlapping

  • CCNP
  • JNCIA
  • AWS Advanced Networking
  • Network+
  • JNCIA
Career outcomes and limitations

Realistic first roles

Network Engineer
Network Operations
Cloud Engineer (networking-strong)
Security Engineer
UK role salary estimate
£32k–£50k
TechWaymark practitioner estimate, not survey data. Varies meaningfully by country and employer tier.

How people actually get here

  • IT support / helpdesk
  • Sysadmin
  • Military signals / comms
  • Self-taught labbers
Market saturation · High

Real-world career variations

Enterprise network engineer
Service provider engineer
Network security engineer
Cloud networking

Timeline expectations

  1. Months 0–2Foundation reading, concepts, vocabulary.
  2. Months 2–4Hands-on labs, documented home projects.
  3. Months 4–6Practice exams, weak-area drills, exam.
  4. Post-examUse target vacancies to guide applications and projects. There is no guaranteed time to a first role.

Study resources

Study options

Choose the right mix for your goals and experience. Links below go to official and third-party resources.

Guided study

Structured resources from established providers can help build knowledge and skills.

Compare study options →

Third-party providers. Commercial terms, pricing and availability apply.

Practice environments

Explore suitable environments for practical work. Check the tools, features and access you need.

Compare practice resources →

External resources. Check current costs and access requirements.

Resources are selected for relevance. Compare access, syllabus coverage and total cost; a listing does not imply a commercial partnership.

Compare the resources for Cisco CCNA
Learning pathProvider source

Cisco U. CCNA (200-301) learning path

Reading + interactive

Free resource; confirm current access terms
View resource
LabsExternal resource

Cisco Packet Tracer

Hands-on

Free resource; confirm current access terms
View resource
YouTubeExternal resource

Jeremy's IT Lab. Free CCNA 200-301 course

Video

Free resource; confirm current access terms
View resource
BookExternal resource

Wendell Odom CCNA OCG (Vols 1 & 2)

Reading

Check the resource provider for current local pricing
View resource
PracticeExternal resource

Boson ExSim-Max for CCNA 200-301

Quiz

Check the resource provider for current local pricing
View resource

Check the current syllabus, access terms and total cost before choosing. Resource inclusion does not guarantee exam success.

Optional home projects

Build something you can explain.

Ideas to explore after choosing a certification, using your own tools and keeping evidence of your work.

Example project evidence
Annotated network diagram (example)
Shared test service
Inter-VLAN routing
VLAN 10First endpoint
VLAN 20Second endpoint
Connectivity check (example)
SourceDestinationExpected resultEvidence
VLAN 10 endpointVLAN 20 test endpointReachable through the intended routed pathRecord the actual connectivity check

Restore connectivity between two VLANs

Two office VLANs should reach a shared service but one cannot. A recent switch change is suspected, and you need a systematic configuration diagnosis.

Local lab Your own tools Evidence guidance
View project guide
Track this certification

Editorial route and career guidance. No separate external evidence review is recorded for this assessment.

Editorial evidence review: pending · UK market. Vendor facts and prices elsewhere on this page have their own sources and check dates.

Before you commit

A practitioner's perspective