Free CCNA Resources 2.0

Do you want to become a CCNA with little or no cost out of pocket beyond taking the exam(s)? Between my own attempt at the CCNA and my association with forums and blogs where we eat, sleep and breathe Cisco networking, I have collected a number of free resources that I have collected together here in once place in hopes that it will be of help. I'll try to keep this list up to date as I find new material. Feel free to add a link in the comments or let me know if a link no longer works. Most importantly, PLEASE let me know if I was fooled and listed something here that is less than reputable. Happy Studying!

The exam hasn't changed real drastically from the 640-802 version, some tweaks but nothing drastic. So don't be scared away from anything written specifically to that exam.

Exam Topics For Every Cisco Cert:

Here's where it should all begin for you. Everything that you need to know about the exams themselves can be found at this link.

Cisco Training & Certifications

CCNA Textbooks:

If you don't want to buy the CCNA Routing and Switching 200-120 Official Cert Guide Library from Cisco Press, here's some alternatives.  I highly recommend you buy the Cert Guide though.

https://www.jafarli.net/books/ccent_handbook.pdf
http://www.itcertguides.com/
http://www.routeralley.com/ra/guides.html
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/internetworking/technology/handbook/ito_doc.html
http://docwiki.cisco.com/wiki/Internetworking_Technology_Handbook
http://packetlife.net/library/cheat-sheets/
http://www.routeralley.com/completed/ccna_studyguide.pdf

And while not CCNA specific, the IBM Redbooks are a great source of information, and best of all, free!  Here's the Redbook on TCP/IP.

CCNA Lab Manuals:

Free CCNA Workbook. The gold standard in free online CCNA hands on training.
http://www.freeccnaworkbook.com/

This next lab manual is a .pdf download. While it's a bit dated and some of the topics included are not relevant to the current CCNA exams, there's still a lot of good material in this book.
http://www.lulu.com/product/ebook/ccna-version-5-draft/930539

Some great labs for CCNA topics and more:
http://www.routeralley.com/labs.html

Here's a few Packet Tracer activity files:
https://learningnetwork.cisco.com/thread/4933

Probably a bit beyond the CCNA topics. But it's labeled as CCNA Lab Projects, so why not step outside your comfort zone and learn a little:
http://jjrinehart.wordpress.com/2011/06/02/ccna-lab-projects/

Flackbox is new to me, but they have a lab manual that should be of use:
http://www.flackbox.com/free-cisco-ccna-lab-guide/

Comprehensive courses:

Cybrary: https://www.cybrary.it/course/cisco-ccna/


GNS3 Info and Labs:

http://www.gns3-labs.com/
http://gns3vault.com/
http://www.blindhog.net/category/dynamips/

Subnetting:

http://www.subnetting.org/
http://www.subnetting.net/
http://www.subnettingquestions.com/
http://www.techexams.net/technotesnew/158-ipv4-subnetting-guide.html

Misc Collections:

Semsim resources: http://www.semsim.com/ccna/learn.html


Youtube resources:

81 Part Series - http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEDA4CC4D696B957D
Bowler CBT Labs - http://www.youtube.com/bowlersp
CBT Nuggets - http://www.youtube.com/user/cbtnuggets
Cisco - http://www.youtube.com/user/Cisco
CiscoPress - http://www.youtube.com/user/CiscoPress
Free CCNA Workbook - Subscribe to this one!
GNS3 Vault - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvqVGFOcBO31RDj8K8yKxcg
INETraining - https://www.youtube.com/user/INEtraining
Keith Barker - http://www.youtube.com/user/Keith6783
Kevin Wallace - http://www.youtube.com/user/kwallaceccie
Learning at Cisco - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBUx42hKJjl5wPt7Cv7uMHQ
Palaestra Training - http://www.youtube.com/user/palaestratraining
Pancho Training - http://www.youtube.com/user/panchotraining
The Bryant Advantage - http://www.youtube.com/user/ccie12933
Todd Lammle - http://www.youtube.com/user/lammledotcom
Tom's Cisco Lab - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyD10pjQAY8_2cnTtmCMGpg
TrainSignal is now Pluralsight - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzaEoVB4VIEecw9y5bpiDIQ

Blogs:

Wendell Odom - http://www.networkworld.com/community/odom
Wendell Odom (New) - http://www.certskills.com/About/WendellOdom.aspx
Todd Lammle - http://www.lammle.com/blog
PacketLife - http://packetlife.net/
INE - http://blog.internetworkexpert.com/
IPExpert - http://blog.ipexpert.com/
Firewall.CX - http://www.firewall.cx/  This omission was brought to my attention by Pawan Suresh Ingale on Facebook.

Forums:

http://www.techexams.net/forums/
http://www.networking-forum.com/
http://www.lammle.com/discussion/

Free Practice Exams:

http://www.knowledgebuster.com/
http://www.techexams.net/ciexams.shtml
http://www.techexams.net/practice-exams/take/cisco-subnetting
http://www.internetworktraining.com/quiz.aspx

A couple fun or otherwise interesting Links:

http://valerieaurora.org/tcpip.html - A TCP/IP drinking game
http://sock-raw.org/netsec/tcpipdrink.html - Another TCP/IP drinking game
http://www.routergod.com/ - I.T. related satire
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2gs_wK9EKY&feature=youtu.be - what's in your toolbox?

How do I know if a web resource is legit?

The certguard website is considered to be the authority on the matter. If certguard says it's a braindump, then it's a braindump.
http://www.certguard.com/

A shameless plug for my Facebook CCNA Group:

http://www.facebook.com/groups/2210858047/

Another Big Link Collection:

https://learningnetwork.cisco.com/thread/15662

And don't forget the two best free online resources for technical documentation, the Cisco website, and Google.