simonrex22

Does anyone work in computer networking. Its something ive been thinking about getting into and im looking for more info. First of all, I was thinking of going to Chubb to get a degree. Is this a good idea or would it be better to go to college and get a Computer Science degree.

xepherys

I do... in an indirect way. I used to be a systems administrator (dealing with server and clients) then was a network admin and now am a security admin, but I still do a lot of networking. In all honesty, I don't know what Chubb is. Enlighten me?

As for education, getting a cert is very useful right up front. Network+ is a start, and your CCNA/CCNP is also very, very useful (it's what I look for when hiring people). Also, many companies are slowly getting on the bandwagon, regarding IT, that experience trumps education. It USED to be this way a long, long time ago, then changed, but is changing back. A CS degree won't help much with networking, per se, but a degree is an in at a lot of larger companies still (especially if you don't have 10+ years experience). There are some schools that offer speciailized progams (Chubb may be one?) such as ITT Technical Insititute or, here in Arizona, The University of Advancing Technology (www.uat.edu) which lead to associates or bachelors degrees (UAT even offers post-grad degrees in some fields). However, experience is paramount. Intern hard and intern often or just get a part time job working with computers. It doesn't HAVE to be in networking either. Get a job at Best Buy as a bench tech (that's how I started, though at a small local OEM since Best Buy was no where near me back in 1994). In fact, if I could live on that money, I'd go back to being a bench tech again. There's something wonderful about just tearing things apart, and you ALWAYS get to see the latest and greatest technologies in action.

For network specific experience, try to work as an admin at your school of choice. They'll all have computer networks, and most are at least partly run by students. This is great experience and looks awesome on a resume.

Where are you located? I can answer a bit better knowing that. I hope this has helped...


~X

Dilbert1234567

I’m a pc tech at my college, it’s a wonderful job, the pay is good, not great, how ever, I get tons of private work from professors, and that pay is wonderful. At my college, there are 2 different types of tech, net techs and pc techs. its hard to move directly into net tech with out previous experience, but getting into the pc tech is easy, if you have no previous networking experience, try getting a job as a pc technician on campus, make sure you note your interest in the networking side, and they may pass off some of the easier networking work orders to you.

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simonrex22

Thanks for the replys guys. I think i just have to take all this in and think about it.

Jack1.0

I personally would recommend that you do the time up front and get a degree first. Breaking in to IT/Networking is often painful for a newcomer. Entry level positions have a lot of competition for them, and the pay can often be disappointing. Certifications can help to set you apart for the sea of resumes that flood an employer’s desk. The Cisco Certs, CCNA & CCNP are very important certs that are valued by many employers for network technicians and network engineers. Many employers, especially large companies, place a high value on degrees. When I turned 36 I discovered that any further promotion within my company would be almost impossible without a BS Degree, so I found myself working full time and going to school full time for 2 years to finish my 4 year B.S. Degree. Not so bad when you are 20, but it can take it's toll on you when you are my age. A Computer Science degree is a "Hard Science" degree that will require upper level math classes like Calculus, Differential Equations, Etc. It will tell your potential employer that you have the intelligence, courage and discipline to stick through a very tough program.

Good luck with what ever you decide!

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bendsley

I'm the network director for a small company on the Fortune 200 list. I currently have a BS in Applied Mathematics and a BBA in Operations Management. I'm currently doing my MBA (nice thing is that company pays for it).I sort of just found my love in networking. I was one of three network administrators at my university, and I worked for several internet providers when I was in high school. I'm only 25yrs old and make just below 6 figures a year.

The money is out there, but experience is definately a requirement. Any guys that I hire have to know how to subnet in their heads, have technical knowledge of routing and switching, have knowledge of new technologies like Layer 2 and 3 MPLS, etc. I don't care about certifications unless you have your CCIE, of which none work for me. Certifications mostly prove that you can memorize things in a book only to immediately forget them after you have taken your exam.

On a side note, I have a friend that has a CCNA cert. and asked me the other day how to set trunking mode to a port on a Cisco Catalyst switch. My point being is that he should know that in his sleep.

Anyway, computer backgrounds are good to have for sure, but like the above posts mention, networking is harder to get into than pc tech. stuff......only for the fact that higher end network equipment costs a ton of money. Servers and desktop machines don't vary too much, except in terms of speed, size and disk arrays. But, say you go from a Cisco 2950 switch to a 6505 chassis.....HUGE DIFFERENCE.

Good luck to you.

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Sty

I can't subnet in my head, I have aggis

Although I have worked as a core network engineer for 2 national isps and know ospf/isis/bgp like the back of my hand.

I've also built an ISP from the ground up for a customer. Means getting the equipment, getting the IP from regional authority, getting fibers from local telco and negotiating the necessary last mile deals with the same entity, building the necessary servers, radius, tacacs, www, mail, dns... the works.

THAT was fun

I could also add that certs mean jack shit unless it's the best one from either Juniper or Cisco (I don't have any, my companies kept only the minimum amount of them to get the necessary discounts from cisco/jun).

Get youself some basic knowledge, like try to understand how local area network really works and how that relates to internet for example. Then get youself hired as a Junior Network Technician to a local ISP.

After that, you really start learning

PS. Well, I *could* basically subnet in my head, but it's time-consuming, error-prone and gives you an headache. It's enough that you know CIDR.

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Sty

I route, therefore you exist

Mephisto2

What sty said.

I work for one of the big two. Certs are good, but are not as important as some would have you imagine.

Get your hands dirty mate. Experience is worth more than a piece of paper; especially if that piece of paper was "bought" through an accelerated learning program.

Good luck.


Mr Mephisto