Master the core fundamentals and protocols covered in the Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) exam!

Acing the CCNA Exam helps you prepare for the CCNA exam by learning vital skills like:

• How to study for the CCNA


• IP routing, addressing, and subnetting


• VLANs, trunking protocols, and EtherChannel


• Static and dynamic routing protocols (OSPF)

Passing the CCNA is the perfect way to kickstart or advance your career in IT, networking, and systems administration. Inside this accessible guide, you’ll find the secrets to nailing even the most perplexing exam topics. You’ll build your fluency in networking chapter-by-chapter, until you have both the knowledge to take on the CCNA, and the skills to work effectively as an IT professional.

About the technology

The Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) certification is the gold-standard credential for aspiring network administrators working with industry-standard Cisco hardware. There’s a lot to learn, and this book is your expert guide. Acing the CCNA Exam, Volume 1 introduces the foundations of Cisco networking technology, including the core protocols for IP routing, addressing, trunking, and more.

About the book

Acing the CCNA Exam, Volume 1 teaches you the technical skills you need, along with must-know test secrets, to ace the CCNA the very first time. You’ll love networking guru Jeremy McDowell’s down-to-earth writing and handy network diagrams as he leads you through the most challenging parts of the exam. In this first volume, you’ll master ports and routers, IP access control lists, and other core topics you’ll face in the first part of the certification.

What's inside

• How to study for the CCNA


• IP routing, addressing, and subnetting


• VLANs, trunking protocols, and EtherChannel


• Static and dynamic routing protocols (OSPF)

About the reader

No networking skills required!

About the author

Jeremy McDowell is a senior network engineer and an experienced teacher. His YouTube channel, Jeremy’s IT Lab, has helped hundreds of thousands prepare for the CCNA.

The technical editor on this book was Jeremy Cioara.

Table of Contents

1 Introduction to the CCNA

Part 1

2 Network devices

3 Cables, connectors, and ports

4 The TCP/IP networking model

5 The Cisco IOS CLI

6 Ethernet LAN switching

7 IPv4 addressing

8 Router and switch interfaces

Part 2

9 Routing fundamentals

10 The life of a packet 157

11 Subnetting IPv4 networks

Part 3

12 VLANs

13 Dynamic Trunking Protocol and VLAN Trunking Protocol

14 Spanning Tree Protocol

15 Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol

16 EtherChannel

Part 4

17 Dynamic routing

18 Open Shortest Path First

19 First hop redundancy protocols

Part 5

20 IPv6 addressing

21 IPv6 routing

Part 6

22 Transmission Control Protocol and User Datagram Protocol

23 Standard access control lists

24 Extended access control lists

A Exam topics reference table

B CLI command reference table

C Chapter quiz questions

D Chapter quiz answers