15+ Best CCNA Courses & Certifications Online in 2023
Is the Cisco CCNA exam hard to pass? I’m going to be upfront with you.
Cisco CCNA exams can be challenging, and that’s because they not only test your technical networking knowledge but also if you can configure Cisco equipment in a time-constrained environment.
Without adequate preparation and the right learning resources to guide you, CCNA exams can be a tough nut to crack, which is why some students fail the first time.
If you’d like to know how CCNA compares to other industry certifications like the CompTIA, you should also consider taking a look at the best CompTIA online courses.
To pass your CCNA exam the first time, you’ll need help from the best Cisco online courses.
In this article, I’ll take you through the best Cisco CCNA course to take online in 2023 that will help you crush your exam and earn that certification.
Let’s get started.
1. CCNA 2020 200-125 Video Boot Camp With Chris Bryant [Udemy]
This CCNA training is not just about passing your exam, it’s also about giving you real-world skills to excel in any career in networking and telecommunications.
By the end of this course, you’ll be able to put into practice real-world tips for succeeding in a networking role. The class also covers the OSI model and the TCP/IP models.
You’ll also be able to understand ethernet standards and cable types, making it the best CCNA course on Udemy if you’d like to understand how to set up and monitor local area networks.
Moreover, you’ll gain the expertise to configure port security.
Unfortunately, support for this CCNA course isn’t as good as you’d hope so you’ll mostly be on your own. However, the course is well-outlined, the explanations are straightforward, and it’s filled with many examples, so you shouldn’t have too many problems following along.
2. Introduction to Networks and Cisco Device [Coursera]
If you’d like to learn about Cisco devices and networking right from the basics, then this is an excellent option to start your learning from scratch.
First, you’ll start off by uncovering what computer networks are, the various components that make up a basic network, and some common network security threats and how to fix them.
Then you’ll move on to the basic components of common Cisco devices, where you’ll learn how to access and manage these devices, thereby gaining the practical skills you need to take the CCNA certification exam.
By the end of the Cisco training, you’ll be able to navigate the Cisco IOS and understand switch and router troubleshooting.
While it may be the best Cisco training online for basic learners, for intermediate learners, it may seem to only scratch the surface. However, it serves as an excellent refresher for all skillsets.
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3. Cisco Networking Foundations [LinkedIn Learning]
Would you like to know how to efficiently manage internetwork?
Then this is the Cisco training to show you how to pair multiple computer networks and enable seamless communication between them.
More importantly, you’ll learn how to configure access lists to prevent unauthorized access to various network resources. For more on how to create highly secure computer networks, check out the best Network security courses online.
Moreover, the tutorial covers IP routing and configuration extensively, including both default and static routing.
It is therefore one of the best Cisco online courses if you’re eyeing a network administration position.
While it may have been geared toward preparing you for the old 100-105 ICND1 exam, many of the Cisco networking concepts it covers remain practically viable, and are still frequently tested to date. So it still proves an excellent CCNA exam preparation resource.
4. New CCNAx 200-125 Routing and Switching [Udemy]
This course isn’t just for CCENT and CCNA certification candidates, rather it’s for anyone interested in understanding how network technologies work.
If that describes you, then this is the best CCNA course on Udemy for getting acquainted with networking basics, including DHCP and IPv6 routing.
After taking this course, you should be able to troubleshoot routing and switching, in addition to knowing how to create a network pentesting checklist that guarantees results.
When it comes to Metro Ethernet, VPN, and other wide area network technologies, this training is also an excellent choice to get you under the hood to understand configuration.
Unfortunately, the instructor’s accent can be challenging to understand sometimes, so you may have a little trouble keeping up in some sections. Nonetheless, the audio quality is great overall, and there are transcriptions available should you need them.
5. Configure Standard Access Lists on Cisco Routers [Coursera]
If you’re most concerned about the security aspects involved in configuring Cisco routers, then this may be the right training for you to take.
By the end of this course, you’ll be able to comprehend what outbound access lists are and how different they are from standard inbound access lists. With this knowledge, it will be easy to configure both for Cisco routers.
If you’re keen on restricting the type of traffic that flows across Cisco routers, then it’s the best Cisco training online for that as well.
It covers how to set up an access list to regulate who has access to the network.
Notably, this course exclusively covers ACLs which are just one aspect of the CCNA certification exam. That said, configuring standard access lists is an important test area as well as a vital practical skill that you should possess if you wish to have a successful career in networking.
6. Cisco Network Security: Secure Routing and Switching [LinkedIn Learning]
Are you interested in a network administrator role?
Then it’s prudent to note that a huge part of this job involves securing network devices to shield against modern attacks. As a result, you may want to take this Cisco network security course.
By the end of this training, you’ll be able to ensure DHCP infrastructure security using vital techniques for DHCP snooping.
The course also covers the Cisco IOS resilient configuration, which enables you to prevent the deletion and reconfiguration of critical router files.
This is a straight-to-the-point course for intermediate learners so you may want to give the best computer science courses online a look first to gain the prerequisite knowledge.
If you’re an advanced learner, then it’s one of the best Cisco online courses for a quick recap of all the basics needed for the CCNA security exam.
7. The Complete Networking Fundamentals Course. Your CCNA Start [Udemy]
For an excellent course on understanding important WiFi technologies such as WiFi 6, this is the Cisco training to show you the ropes.
This course will teach you the concept behind popular WiFi penetration testing tools in 2023, as well as essential concepts of subnetting, and how you can simply build a subnet within a network to route traffic more efficiently.
You’ll also learn how to configure the DHCP server so that every device connected to your networks is automatically assigned an IP address, instead of having to do it manually.
When it comes to building simple LANs, it’s the best CCNA course on Udemy to understand the network fundamentals necessary to do so.
However, this course may not be entirely beginner-friendly, so you may want to first get familiar with basic networking concepts. On the other hand, it offers an immense depth of material useful beyond the CCNA certification exam.
8. Configure VLANs on Cisco Switches [Coursera]
If you’re specifically interested in configuring virtual local area networks for Cisco Switches, you’ll find this training offers all you need to get started in this regard.
After taking this course, you’ll be able to create a VLAN from multiple LANs, making it easier for you to manage all the devices in these networks.
In addition to that, you’ll be able to configure Cisco switches and set up trunk ports, as well as deal with the top cybersecurity trends of attack like VLAN hopping, making this the best Cisco training online for VLAN security as well.
The course also covers VLAN routing, which enables you to use a shared subnet to host multiple physical ports.
You may need to bridge this with another CCNA course because VLAN is only one component of the exam. Still, it’s an excellent option if you’d like to go in-depth with VLANs.
9. Cisco CCNP ENCOR (350-401) Cert Prep: 1 Architecture, Virtualization, and Infrastructure [LinkedIn Learning]
Covering the first three domains of the Cisco ENCOR (350-401) exam, namely infrastructure, virtualization, and architecture, this is an excellent preparatory course to give you a feel of what to expect from the test.
This course will teach you about virtual machines and the other different types of virtualization, as well as WLANs and other enterprise network technologies.
What’s more, you’ll gain the expertise you need to plan for fabric capacity and the necessary services, making this one of the best Cisco online courses for designing enterprise networks.
In particular, you’ll learn about designing Tier 2 and 3 data center networks.
There are a few mixups up in the exercises in terms of typos, but these are basically inconsequential to the learning experience. As a result, it remains an excellent guide if you’d like to crush the ENCOR exam.
10. Cisco CCNA 200-301: The Complete Guide to Getting Certified [Udemy]
Are you keen on passing the latest Cisco exam?
Then this is the best CCNA course on Udemy, more so if you have your eye set on the CCNA 200-301 exam, which is the latest iteration of the test.
After taking this training, you’ll be able to understand various user configurations and access, which will enable you to comfortably navigate the Cisco IOS and its various features.
The course also offers important study tips for successfully taking an online course, so you’ll be able to come up with a study plan for the CCNA exam to help keep you on track.
Unfortunately, the course doesn’t provide subtitles but the instructor is commendably audible. Moreover, the support for this course is great so you can always have any problems you may run into ironed out in the Q&A section.
11. Securing Cisco Switches with Port Security [Coursera]
Port security is an important aspect of network security, as it helps you prevent a denial of service attack and address spoofing.
As far as port security is concerned, this is the best Cisco training online if you’d like to learn how to configure various port security modes, to keep ports secure.
By the end of this course, you should be able to enable Port Security on Cisco switches, verify Port security settings, and secure unused switch ports.
For in-depth details on securing your networks, you may want to take a look at the best cyber security courses online in 2023.
Being part of a larger specialization, this course builds on the knowledge from the preceding training and therefore requires intermediate-level knowledge.
The upside is that it offers advanced port security techniques that will help you excel in the field as well as in the CCNA certification exam.
12. Learning Cisco CLI Switch Configuration [LinkedIn Learning]
If you’d like to become a Cisco CLI Switch expert, then this is the course to usher you down this path.
First, you’ll begin by learning how to get into EXEC mode, which will help you list system information and implement basic tests. This is followed up by an overview of the global configuration and privileged EXEC modes for fine tuning other important configurations for secure management access.
Eventually, you’ll be able to also use the CLI for port security, and IP address assignments, making this one of the best Cisco online courses for all-around Cisco CLI expertise.
To get the most out of this course, it’s essential to have background knowledge on network topologies and local area networks.
If you have experience with the Cisco CLI, it’s a quick and excellent guide for turbocharging resource control via advanced CLI commands.
13. Cisco CCNA 200-301 Exam: Complete Course with Practical Labs [Udemy]
How can you use Kali Linux to hack networks?
This is an excellent Cisco CCNA tutorial to help you find out, as you’ll get to use some of the best Kali Linux pentesting tools in 2023, such as Wireshark, to identify vulnerabilities in your network.
After taking this course, you’ll have the practical knowledge on configuring Cisco routers and switches, and consequently the necessary skills to make light work of your CCNA exam.
Additionally, you’ll be able to create IP subnets thanks to an excellent IPv4 subnetting cheat sheet, which makes it the best CCNA course on Udemy to handle common subnetting questions.
The GNS3 tool is covered at quite a comprehensive level for a beginner’s course. Fortunately, this makes it well-equipped to teach you how to deal with complex networks, as is often the case in the real world.
14. Configure and Verify NAT on Cisco Routers [Coursera]
Learning NAT configuration enables you to hide your internal networks by changing IP addresses, thereby mitigating the organizational security risks that come with using public networks.
By the end of this course, you will be able to configure NAT overloads.
More specifically, you’ll be able to configure dynamic as well as statistic NAT. Static NAT comes in handy when you’d like to grant internet access to devices within a private network.
Dynamic NAT, meanwhile, is useful when the devices in the internal network don’t need to be internet-accessible, and you’d like to dynamically assign IP addresses to many internal hosts.
As far as NAT is concerned, it is easily the best Cisco training online. However, it’s the ninth part of a learning path for the CCNA exam, so it may not be friendly to beginners. On the flip side, it’s an excellent option for intermediate learners.
15. Cisco BGP Essential Training [LinkedIn Learning]
While undoubtedly one of the most important internet protocols, the BGP can be a complex topic to learn.
As a result, you’ll need one of the best Cisco online courses to properly deconstruct what makes the Border Gateway Protocol tick. The course also covers the multi-exit discriminator (MED), eBGP peering, and BGP neighbors, among other BGP fundamentals.
Through this course, you’ll learn how to configure external BGP peering to ensure that the links in your networks are free of loops.
On top of that, you’ll be able to get around the iBGP rule on loop avoidance by creating route reflectors, in addition to understanding the BGP best-path selection process.
While it might be an overwhelming course, especially if you have no networking experience, it’s an excellent option because you can achieve two goals at once. It helps you prepare for both the 300-TSHOOT and 300-101 ROUTE CCNP certifications.
Conclusion
It’s time to get down to work preparing for your CCNA exam.
If you’re comfortable covering a lot of ground at once, then you should consider the CCNA 2020 200-125 Video Boot Camp With Chris Bryant, which is the best Cisco training online if you’d like an all-in-one training.
It’ll take you all the way from ethernets and LANs to advanced topics like the BGP.
Alternatively, if you prefer taking it one step at a time, you may find that the Introduction to Networks and Cisco Device is an excellent starter.
It’ll teach you the Cisco ISO and configuration at a basic level.
That said, all of the best Cisco CCNA courses to take online in 2023 we’ve looked at today are an excellent choice to make you exam-ready.
