Advice me get started

hi all

i have just joined the network. i am a cmputer graduate.

I want to persue my career in field of networking.Could anyone share his experience and advice me something related.

my basic queries are:

->what certification should i go for initially?
->how long it usually takes to complete the course?
->How should i go about it?
->approximately how much will it costs me?

hey men, if you really want to take the road into the networking field, choose the best >> cisco certification paths, as the leader in the networking world cisco offers you lots of certifications, try starting with ccna, and dont believe some comments who said "with cisco you learn only cisco" no way if you understand cisco standard concepts as well as propietary concepts, it applies for all, I mean for every equipment wharever product pr fabricant it is.
So luck and success.

thanx havohej. I thought no body will answer. Its realy kind of u.
Ya i was also thinking the same ..but feel that one should take gud amount of advice b4 starting.

Can u help me with more info. on CCNA

I need advice on how to start it.

what books should i go for. i have seen some names of the books on the site but if someone can provide details...like author and publications and edition.

How should i go about the lab??????

Many centres committ of CCNA completion in daz.......is it reliable.

I currentli need a job urgently and that too in my desired field of networking........So plz advise soon.

Try looking in the Certifications/books forum.

Occasional posts in there concering standard books used and software you can use to practice on virtual networking equipment.

This site is in the beta phase of their own virtual lab equipment also.

Dont know if you have money fro a certification centre?? if you have try it, one advantage instead of self study is that they have self lab equipment for parcticing, and you also share knowledge and networkign experience with instructors, as well as classmates.

Practically for start in ccna you dont need to have advanced experience, only the will to learn.