Got a 94% on Network Technology TECEP!

[azmusic]

Posting this here because no one else in my life will understand how thrilled how I was to ace this test. Even my wife just shrugged and said cool lol.
To preface, I’m previously Network+ and CCNA certified and use networking frequently in my day job so I do consider networking to be a very strong subject for me. However I would not have done nearly as well, maybe even failed, if I had not read the TESU suggested Networking Basics book. There’s just so many outdated terms in there and specific ways of explaining things that I had not encountered in my previous networking studies. Network+/CCNA will give you a great foundation for OSI, IPv4 addressing and subnetting, common port numbers, basic understanding of TCP/UDP, DNS, DHCP, and similar foundation protocols. They will likely NOT mention Manchester Encoding, Zigbee, distributed queue dual bus, thicknet vs thinnet these and a bunch of other random topics seem to be specific textbook. I suppose they were popular at some point but too out of date to be mentioned in a lot of newer networking materials.

The nerd in me did kind of enjoy reading so much history about how we arrived at our modern standards but practically speaking I think I’m very unlikely to need know many of those terms outside of this TECEP exam.
Still for like $200ish for 3 upper level RA credits it was very worth it for me. If you want to give yourself the best chance of passing definitely go through the recommended book. I felt the test matched to that most closely. I watched all the recommended videos and didn’t find them to be too relevant to the test. Those videos try to dumb down networking too much with analogies to the point where you don’t really get the understanding you need IMO. I did look for some 3G/4G GSM, CDMA, LTE YouTube videos because the recommended video is no longer available. I will say I got a couple questions on this topic so that was worth it. There’s not much on that topic in the book. There’s 3-4 pages in the book describing 802 standards. Definitely take notes on those pages in particular.

Cheers and happy studying

[bjcheung77]

Congrats! Great job, I guess you're going for the TESU BACS and need this as a CS or elective class, along with the RA credits towards the required 30 RA?

[azmusic]

Congrats! Great job, I guess you're going for the TESU BACS and need this as a CS or elective class, along with the RA credits towards the required 30 RA?

Yes going for TESU BACS. I had enough RA already but needed this as UL AOS elective.

Now just 15 credits left. Planning to take the rest at TESU slowly with my employer’s tuition assistance.

Forgot to mention I got the textbook on Amazon marketplace used for $8 ha. Pretty solid

[armstrongsubero]

I guess I should interject here....yes a lot of the terms seem outdated for Network+ and CCNA certs....but remember that networking course is also part of the requirements for the BS in ESET....

In embedded systems and electronics, industrial systems etc a lot of those standards are still in use (esp industrial equipment) and will be for decades to come in all honesty...machester encoding is still used in ISM band communications, and is very useful, same with Zigbee etc lots of systems use it....

Its not obsolete, just legacy and new designs especially embedded systems still use those standards....just adding my $0.02 from an embedded engineers perspective..

[P226mem]

happy dance! Way to go!!!!
and thanks for sharing the tips for others

[azmusic]

I guess I should interject here....yes a lot of the terms seem outdated for Network+ and CCNA certs....but remember that networking course is also part of the requirements for the BS in ESET....

In embedded systems and electronics, industrial systems etc a lot of those standards are still in use (esp industrial equipment) and will be for decades to come in all honesty...machester encoding is still used in ISM band communications, and is very useful, same with Zigbee etc lots of systems use it....

Its not obsolete, just legacy and new designs especially embedded systems still use those standards....just adding my $0.02 from an embedded engineers perspective..

Hey thanks for this perspective! I was unaware

[posabsolute]

Congratulations, I, for one, never considered it because of how hard it was portrayed on this forum!

[azmusic]

Congratulations, I, for one, never considered it because of how hard it was portrayed on this forum!

Definitely hard compared to most Sophia/Study.com but if it’s a subject you have some interest in and you don’t mind the 500 page book, I say go for it. I don’t think it’s harder than most college exams I think people are comparing it to easier alt credit sources.

When I started studying for Network+ I thought it was so hard and vast. Then I passed that and went on to CCNA and realized how surface level Net+ and how much deeper I had to go. So it’s a matter of perspective. For anyone in IT, and some software and embedded engineers, definitely IOT and cloud stuff networking is a truly foundational knowledge set. Definitely if you you’re looking to pursue those kinds of careers don’t shy away from it

[posabsolute]

"if it’s a subject you have some interest in and you don’t mind the 500 page book"

That's a hard sell for most