network experience

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hi i just wanted to know if theres any way to get network experience. i got my mcdst and im going for my A+ as soon as i can afford it. but i dont have any working experience of doing networking in a working environment as i never had a IT job before.

is there anything i can do to get some confidence in this as i dont want to get a job and then freeze when it comes to networking.

i live in london so does anyone know or can recommend any short courses (2-3 weeks) just to get familiar with basic networking and doing the sort of stuff i would do in a workplace.

or is there any alternatives like books, software, videos even good youtube links that can help me.

 

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The most relevant course, would be network +. Its basic networking, I would say you can self study for it, or go to a local college.

 

I did it gradually... you're employer has to know that you are looking to be a network admin... then prove yourself to the employer. I did the same.. when I had my interview I made it very clear that I want to be a network administrator, I got the experience as a desktop admin and moved on. I started getting little network projects here and there. Then I got a really big project and pulled it off... over time you build experience. Took me 2 years of network projects here and there and also network troubleshooting before I got promoted so don't give up, just work hard and study!

 

Well, see, that's the thing. You can't get network experience until you do it in a real-world environment. You can learn and learn and learn the theories about networking until your eyes fall out, and you can even set up a training lab where you network some computers together. But NOTHING can fully prepare you for the real-world troubleshooting you will encounter in a real-world IT job.

All that said, you won't likely be asked to do intense network troubleshooting in your first IT job. That stuff is left to people who DO have experience. As Alicat stated, the Network+ will teach you the fundamentals of everything you'll need to know at this stage of your career about networking.

 

cool, cus i thought when i was doing the mcdst that the network stuff wasn't sinking in. and honestly the only thing i know how to do is troubleshoot tcp/ip stuff but even knowing when to use stuff like ping, tracert and loopbacks i get confused about.

i'll do the n+ after i finish the a+ but im just hoping jobs recognise the fact that people can only have networking confidence if they got years of working experience, cus most of the 1st line jobs i have seen being advertised have been asking for a ridiculous amount of skills that only a msca or msce would have.

hopefully i can get some work experience or a grad scheme this month cus this networking stuff is my achilles heel