Practice the CCNA® hands-on. Free — no sign-up.
Type real Cisco IOS commands, fix broken networks on a live console, sit a timed mock exam, and work through 121 CCNA topics — nothing to install. Ready for a real guide? Go 1:1 with a senior engineer and pay only after your first session — no card on file.
- ○Rename to
R1 - ○IP
10.0.0.1/24on Gi0/0 - ○
no shutdown
Which one sounds like you?
"I want my first networking role."
Help-desk, IT support, recent grad? Start with CCNA® — pass the exam, build 3 portfolio projects, walk into US interviews ready.
"I want senior network engineer roles."
CCNA done, working an entry role, ready to level up? CCNP® Enterprise + senior-track interview coaching.
"My team needs CCNA / CCNP."
IT director, network manager, MSP lead? Custom cohort training for your team — Net-30 invoicing, sample SOW, W-9 on request.
Diagnose. Design. Drill. Deploy.
A four-stage approach that's worked for working professionals studying around full-time jobs.
Diagnose
A 20-minute conversation to understand where you are — current knowledge, hours per week, exam target if you have one — and where the gap is. You leave with a written map you can keep, whether you enroll or not.
Design
A personalized week-by-week study plan — topics in the order they actually build on each other, paced to your real-life hours.
Drill
Weekly 1:1 sessions plus hands-on labs in Packet Tracer or CML. Same-day async support when you hit a wall mid-week.
Deploy
Mock exams in the last weeks confirm you're ready. Then we shift to resume, interview prep, and landing the role.
Don’t just read it — type the commands
Config topics come with a live Cisco-style console built into the page. Configure VLANs, OSPF, ACLs and more on a simulated device — real IOS commands, abbreviations, Tab-completion, and objectives that check off as you go.
- Real IOS — conf t, int g0/1, switchport mode trunk, show vlan brief
- Type abbreviations (sw mo acc), press Tab to complete, ↑ to recall
- Objectives tick off live — instant feedback, nothing to install
- Runs in your browser, even on a phone
Build a network — or fix a broken one — just like the real exam
The CCNA® tests both: configure a working network from scratch, and diagnose one that isn't. These labs cover both. Type real Cisco IOS on a live console — often more than one valid way — and the status flips to green when every objective is met.
Create a VLAN, assign an access port
One switch, VLAN 10 named Engineering, Fa0/1 as access port. Verify with show vlan brief.
Open the lab → Fix IP ServicesThe LAN can’t reach the internet
PAT is configured but inside hosts still can’t reach the internet and nothing is being translated. Investigate the NAT setup, find what’s incomplete, and get translations forming.
Open the lab → Build IP ConnectivityBring up OSPF on a 3-router triangle
3-device. Configure OSPF area 0 on R1/R2/R3, watch neighbors reach Full, ping across via O routes.
Open the lab → Fix Security FundamentalsA blocked host still reaches the server
An ACL is supposed to stop one host from reaching a server, but the host still connects. Find why it isn’t taking effect and make it block the right traffic — two valid fixes exist.
Open the lab →No sign-up, runs in your browser — even on a phone.
Three things US hiring managers actually look for.
Most CCNA courses end at "you passed the exam." We don't. The three things below are what get you the interview, not just the certificate.
3 CV-Grade Projects
Every core program ships three portfolio-ready networking projects — exactly what US hiring managers want on a junior NetEng resume.
Free Certs Roadmap
Before you spend a dollar on the CCNA exam, we walk you through the free Cisco and cloud certificates to earn first — thickening your CV before you go paid.
US Interview Readiness
Resume teardown, LinkedIn rewrite, behavioral prep, and mock technical interviews tuned for the US networking job market.
Students who finished the program.
First name + outcome, used with permission. Surnames and employers withheld for privacy.
"I was a year into help-desk and stuck. PacketMentor gave me three CV-grade projects and US interview prep that actually moved the needle. Two months after I passed CCNA, I had an offer."
"Cleared CCNA on the first try. The week-by-week plan and the timed mock exams were the difference for me. The format works so I came back for CCNP."
"Weekly 1:1 sessions cleared up everything that YouTube playlists left fuzzy. Same-business-day async support meant I never wasted a study night being stuck on something small."
"Honest, structured, and tailored to where I actually was — not where a generic syllabus said I should be. Recommending it to colleagues looking to switch into networking."
Real students, used with permission. Where a student is public about their career, we link to their LinkedIn so you can verify. Others reached us privately (WhatsApp) and remain first-name-only.
More walkthroughs and lab demos on our YouTube channel.
Watch on YouTubeThree more reasons this works.
Beyond the three big wins above, every core program ships with weekly 1:1 mentor time, same-day async support, and our pass-or-keep-going commitment.
Weekly 1:1 Calls
4–6 hours of live 1:1 mentor time every week. Lab reviews, debugging together, and a clear "do this next" by the time we hang up.
Same-Day Async Support
Stuck mid-week on a lab? Send the config or screenshot — you get a clear answer back the same business day.
Pass-or-Keep-Going
If the exam takes longer than the plan, we do not charge extra. The program is built around your outcome, not a fixed duration.
Your first 30 days, in plain English.
No vague "we'll cover networking fundamentals." Here's what week one through four actually look like in the CCNA program.
Foundations + free certs
Subnetting drills, the OSI vs TCP/IP debate (and why it matters less than people think), and the first three free Cisco / cloud certs you should bank before you spend a dollar on CCNA.
Switching that sticks
VLANs, trunks, native VLAN gotchas, and Spanning Tree as a mental model — not a memorized acronym soup. Lab: build a multi-VLAN topology in Packet Tracer.
Routing — static, dynamic, default
When to use what. Configure RIP just to feel why it lost, then move to OSPF single-area and watch neighbor formation in real time.
Security + your first CV project
Standard vs extended ACLs (the "implicit deny" rule). Port-security, DHCP snooping. Capstone: a documented small-enterprise topology with config + write-up — first project on your CV.
Get the Free CCNA 12-Week Roadmap
The exact order I recommend studying CCNA topics in, with what to lab each week — a written personal reply, not an autoresponder. Expect it within one business day.
Personal reply from a senior network engineer. No third-party tracking. Unsubscribe any time.
Free tutorials.
Two free PDFs to start with.
No email gate. Read on the page, save as PDF in one click from your browser, share freely.
CCNA 200-301 Study Plan
12 weeks at ~6 hrs/week. Week-by-week schedule, free certs to stack alongside, lab list, mock-exam strategy. Maps to the official Cisco blueprint.
Open the study plan →CCNP Interview Question Bank
40 senior network engineer interview questions across routing, security, automation, design, troubleshooting, and process — with talking-point answers for each.
Open the question bank →Questions before you book.
If you don't see your question here, just ask — message us through the contact page and we'll reply same business day.
Is the first session really free? +
Yes — and it is the actual first lesson, not a sales call. You meet your mentor, work through real CCNA content, and only decide to continue afterwards. No payment details up front.
How long until I pass the CCNA? +
Most learners finish in 12–16 weeks at ~6 hrs/week. Your timeline depends on your starting point and pace. We build a personalized plan in week one and adjust as you progress.
What if I do not pass the first attempt? +
Pass-or-keep-going commitment. If the exam takes longer than planned, we do not charge extra. We continue the weekly 1:1 sessions until you pass.
How does the schedule work across time zones? +
Weekly 1:1 sessions are scheduled at a time that works for you in the US (Eastern, Central, Mountain, Pacific). Async support is same-business-day, regardless of time zone.
Can I pay monthly? +
Yes — the CCNA program splits into 3 monthly payments of $250; CCNP into 3 monthly payments of $325. No credit check, no interest.
How does payment work — is there a credit-card form? +
No card on file, ever. The site does not collect payment up front. After your free first session, if you decide to continue, you receive a secure invoice and pay via bank transfer or Payoneer. This means no card-charging risk if you decide the program is not for you, and no merchant we are not in control of touching your card details.
Do you sponsor visas? +
No. PacketMentor is a training program, not an employer. We focus on getting you interview-ready for the US networking job market; the job application and visa side are on you (we share resources).
What happens to my session if I miss a week? +
No penalty. Reschedule with one business day notice and we move the slot. Async support continues during the gap.
Is this affiliated with Cisco? +
No. PacketMentor is an independent training program. Cisco®, CCNA®, CCNP®, and Packet Tracer™ are trademarks of Cisco Systems, Inc. We are not endorsed by or affiliated with Cisco.
Try the actual program. Free.
Not a sales call — a real first session of your chosen program. Meet your mentor, work through real content, then decide if you want to continue. No card required.