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Cisco Wireless Certifications Get a Refresh

Tue, 2012-01-31 07:00

Cisco recently updated their wireless exams to version 2.0 for both CCNA Wireless and CCNP Wireless.The new version brings a much needed update that is more in line with current Cisco wireless technologies.

Some of the updated content includes more recent versions of WLC and client software. They've also expanded 802.11n support and added more information about Video over wireless and Voice over wireless. Check Cisco's website for more details.

Netgear N750 Wireless Dual Band Gigabit Router (WNDR4000)

Mon, 2011-11-14 19:34


Netgear_n750Five months ago my old wireless AP was on its last legs and needed to be replaced. Nearly every day, wireless access in my house simply wouldn't work and after unplugging the power and plugging it back in, wireless would work for a few short hours. That got tiresome, so I started searching for a new wireless solution.

I knew I wanted something that supported 802.11N, had Gigabit Ethernet ports, and could either be used as just a wireless AP or a router if necessary. I searched for hours, read reviews, and ultimately settled on the Netgear N750 450 Mbps Wireless Dual Band Gigabit Router
.

Verizon Wireless 4G LTE Mobile Hotspot MiFi 4510L

Thu, 2011-11-10 19:27


I recently had the opportunity to test a Verizon Wireless MiFi Hotspot. The model number is Novatel Wireless MiFi4510L and is branded with the Verizon Wireless logo.

Once configured, it shows up like a normal wireless SSID and supports security settings including WPA2 Personal/PSK (AES). Out of the box, the setup takes all of about 5 minutes to customize the SSID, configure an admin password, and setup a few other options.

CCIE Wireless Update Scheduled

Thu, 2011-05-19 22:50

Cisco's CCIE Wireless exam is scheduled for a refresh later this year. Beginning November 18, 2011, the Version 2.0 blueprint will go into effect ushering in a new era of wireless exam topics. 

The new written exam topics are much more in depth and spelled out than they used to be. The old exam outlines seemed to be high level bullets, whereas the new exam topics are very detailed and specific. The most notable update can be summarized in one word: Troubleshooting.  The word troubleshoot shows up over 40 times in the new Lab objectives whereas there are only 5 occurrences of the word in the old objectives. Not exactly subtle...

Cisco Wireless LAN Controller DoS Vulnerability

Mon, 2011-05-02 21:40

Cisco has released a security advisory for a vulnerability in some of their Wireless LAN Controllers (WLCs) which if exploited can cause the device to reload. This doesn't affect very many of their wireless controllers, but this is a serious enough vulnerability to warrant a code upgrade if you are running an affected code version on an impacted platform. 

What Platforms Are Affected?

This vulnerability affects Cisco WLC software versions 6.0 and later. The following products are affected by the vulnerability described in this Security Advisory:

Gigabit Wireless

Wed, 2011-02-16 08:25

Since the release of the 802.11 spec in the 90’s, wireless networks have been spreading like wildfire. They have gone from single access point test deployments to an entire stratum of networking equipment integrated into networks all around the world. In many situations, wireless networking has enabled people to do things that they weren’t capable of doing before. In some cases wireless has completely replaced wired network solutions. Most people would agree wireless is nearly everywhere and it is here to stay.

The current flavors of wireless on the market available to consumers today are capable of speeds over 100mbps thanks to current implementations of 802.11n. In the coming years, speeds are surely going to increase. That is where the Wireless Gigabit Alliance comes in.

Cisco Introduces Dual Band Wireless Home Router

Thu, 2011-01-20 21:57
Cisco has released their latest home router with built in dual band wifi, so you can run both G and N wireless at the same time, from one device. Pretty sweet! Also comes with 4 Gig-E interfaces, a USB port for attaching storage, and UPnP support for streaming music and videos!

Juniper is Jumping in to the mix

Wed, 2010-11-17 07:55

Juniper announced yesterday that they will be closing the deal with Belden to acquire Trapeze Networks, a Belden brand of wireless products. This fills a gaping hole in Juniper's product offering since they have just about everything else to offer in the enterprise space. With the acquisition Juniper will have a ton of patents on wireless technologies and a decent offering of WLAN controllers, Access Points, and Wireless management systems. 

Say Goodbye to CCVP and CCSP

Mon, 2010-10-25 06:52

Kiss the CCSP and CCVP titles goodbye. Cisco recently announced that the track specific professional certification exams are going to be changing their names. No more CCSP, it is now the CCNP Security. Same with the CCVP, it's now the CCNP Voice. Throw in the CCNP Service Provider Operations and CCNP Wireless, and you have yourself a plethora of professional tracks. 

The previous exam versions are still available for those of you out there who are halfway through completing the current Security and Voice tracks. Beginning next year, you'll start to see the current voice and security exams be replaced by updated versions. 

Linksys Goes Simple

Mon, 2010-04-19 17:33
The In-N-Out Burger sign at Fisherman's Wharf ...

Image via Wikipedia

I was recently asked by a friend what type of router he should by for his house. Naturally, I recommend Linksys (solely because it has a Cisco logo). So, I went to their website to give some recommendation, and much to my surprise...nothing is there! Well, nothing except two product lines:

CCDA

Fri, 2010-03-05 10:28

Cisco has an entry level design certification called the Cisco Certified Design Associate, or CCDA. This is similar to the CCNA in that it is a foundational certification that goes a mile wide and an inch or two deep. If you have passed your CCNA and you are looking for the next challenge, take some time to consider the available options...

  1. Specialize in an area of networking with Cisco's Voice, Security, or Wireless CCNA Certifications.
  2. Take your CCNA level knowledge to the next level and focus on the CCNP
  3. Focus on the design track, starting with the CCDA.

If you are interested in persuing the CCDA, there are some great resources to get started. First, check out the Tekcert articles section for writeups on the CCDA or on specific topics that align with exam topics. Also, check out the Exam Topics, CCO login required.

Cisco Revises CCNP Certification Track

Fri, 2010-02-12 18:54

Cisco recently revised their CCNP track to make it align with actual job requirements (such as troubleshooting problems on networks full of Cisco equipment).What do these changes mean for current Cisco Certified Network Professionals? Well, not much other than  you still get to take a 642 level exam to renew it. However, for all you non-CCNPers out there, tighten your belts and sharpen your pencils because you are in for a bit of a change.

Bulk April Update

Wed, 2009-04-22 05:22

You may have noticed that my posting has dropped off lately...things have gotten really busy of late, so - rather than individual postings, here's my "Bulk April Update" of the miscellaneous cool items I've found:

CCIE Wireless?

Wed, 2008-08-20 13:23

I just received a "general announcement" in my email about registering for the BETA CCIE Wireless written exam. Wow - yet another CCIE specialty arrives.

If you'd like to see the CCIE Wireless Written Exam blueprint, click here.

Dynamic Failover with IP SLA

Mon, 2008-08-04 10:36

I just stumbled across this killer post on Shawn's Blog that describes how to set up IP SLA to allow a static route to failover if pings to a specified internet host should fail. This is really useful if you have two ISPs (and thus, two default routes) where the router cannot detect a link failure. This is really common if you have a cable/DSL modem or some type of wireless connectivity. Here's the basic config, taken directly from Shawn's Blog:
ip sla 1 < The number 1 here is arbitrary, used only to identify this sla.

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