CompTIA Network+ Study Guide: Exam N10-004
Posted: January 30, 2010 at 8:24 pm | Tags: comptia, exam, guide, N10004, Network, study
Product Description
Bestselling author Todd Lammle thoroughly covers this first revision of the CompTIA Network+ exam since 2005. Using his one-of-a-kind conversational style, Todd gives you clear and concise information on crucial networking topics through practical examples and insights drawn from his real-world experience. This Study Guide thoroughly covers all exam objectives for the CompTIA Network+ exam (N10-004), including key topics such as network technologies, media and topol… More >>
CompTIA Network+ Study Guide: Exam N10-004
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This “study guide” is horribly written as intended. There is a lot a good information in this book, however that is the main problem. There is too much information and tangents which are not related to the exam. If this is supposed to be a study guide, then it should cover those topics that are needed. I feel this book could be nearly half it’s size.
I recommend Exam Cram for Network+. It is much more concise and hits the topics you need.
Rating: 1 / 5
I read the first several chapters, and here is my impression:
The writing style is too chatty. The author asks questions throughout the text; then he says, ‘If you said ____, then you’re right!’ Annoying. Numerous typos–some insignificant, while others affect the overall meaning of the sentence. The author casually mentions details and promises he will go into more detail later–he even includes a friendly note to emphasize the point. Look for a copy at a local library (as I did) before you buy it.
Rating: 3 / 5
As it is, i’m a junior network administrator. I hardly know everything, but I know enough to know misinformation, and typos, and contradictions. I first read Mike Meyers’ Net+ book and it was very well done, very informative with a very small amount of typo’s, and what typo’s there, didn’t cause any confusion(“teh”/”the” instead of “568A”/586A”(note the transposed “6″). It isn’t just once though, typo’s like that happen often enough to make you question which one is actually correct. If that weren’t bad enough, so much of content is just wrong. For example at the end of chapter 3, in arguably the most important part of the chapter, that labeled “EXAM ESSENTIALS”, it lists the differences between 568A and 568B as “568A is for a straight through cable and 568B is for a crossover”. A cross over is created when you terminate a cable using both standards. That’s just one example of flat out wrong information.
A second beef with this book is the practice test. As I mentioned above, I read Meyers’ book first, and then went looking for another book to get another perspective on topics I didn’t fully understand(without resorting to RFC’s and the like). I also wanted something with a good practice test engine. I can’t even begin to describe how awful the “test” is. First, it’s just each multiple choice question ripped from the end of every chapter so you’ll have answered everything already(most likely incorrect). They didn’t even bother to put some randomization in there, ever question is in the same wording, the same order. A good number of the questions don’t even make any damned sense and you’re left to guess. “How many wires are used in UTP during transmission?” I don’t know, are we talking 10/100baseT or 1000baseT. Protip: If you go with this guide, assume the highest/largest of something when they don’t specify, typically that’s the answer. In that case it’s 8 wires, which is correct if you’re running a gigabit lan, but if you’re on a 100baseT lan, you’re using 2 pairs(4 wires), 2tx and 2rx. This is only the first 2 chapters i’m talking about here. I can’t even imagine the awful information when they start talking about routing protocols or, god forbid, fiber modes, distances and speeds. *shudder*
Don’t buy this “guide”.
Rating: 1 / 5
Bestselling author Todd Lammle thoroughly covers this first revision of the CompTIA Network+ exam since 2005. Using his one-of-a-kind conversational style, Todd gives you clear and concise information on crucial networking topics through practical examples and insights drawn from his real-world experience. This Study Guide thoroughly covers all exam objectives for the CompTIA Network+ exam (N10-004), including key topics such as network technologies, media and topologies, devices, management, tools, and security. Along with the book you get a CD-ROM featuring a custom test engine with chapter review questions, two practice exams, flashcards, and the book as a searchable PDF.
Rating: 4 / 5
I’m only through the first 3 chapters and I had to put the book down and write this review.
The book is extremely dry (even for a Networking textbook!). The author throws out networking terms, without even explaining them, assuming that you already know what they mean, and how to apply them to the concept he’s explaining. The examples are lousy and leave you with more questions than answers, and he doesn’t properly explain the diagrams he is presenting.
The deciding factor for me though, in giving this book only 2 stars is the fact that there are SO MANY typos that give incorrect information. Didn’t anyone edit this book?! He will give you a critical piece of information, such as the wiring standard 568A and 568B, and then two pages later he starts referring to them incorrectly as 586A and 586B, multiple times! Or he says that the max cable length for UTP cable is 228 feet, then claims its 328 feet! If that weren’t enough, the answers to some of his own practice test questions are wrong! Keep in mind that this is only in the first 3 chapters! Imagine how many more there probably are!
If you want a good Network+ book, with reliable information, and excellent, easy to understand examples, go with Mike Meyers’ All-in-One Network+ book. I read his book for the A+ exam and aced it!
Rating: 2 / 5