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Hi All,

I just passed CWSP exam today. I will try to share my preparation details and tips for the ones interested.

Here are the key materials:

- CWSP Study Guide v2
- Official CWSP practice tests

"Must" Readings:

- 802.11i Authentication and Key Management (AKM) White Paper
http://www.cwnp.com/learning_center/search_details.php?doc_id=duge

- Robust Security Network (RSN) Fast BSS Transition (FT) White Paper (man !! that's a though one..)
http://www.cwnp.com/learning_center/search_details.php?doc_id=j8s5

- Wi-Fi CERTIFIED???¡é?¡é?€?????¡é for Wi-Fi Protected Setup: Easing the User Experience for Home and Small Office Wi-Fi???????? Networks White Paper
http://www.wi-fi.org/wp/wifi-protected-setup

"Suggested" Readings:

- Cisco Enterprise Mobility Design Guide (especially if you don't have experience, necessary sections)
http://www.cisco.com/application/pdf/en/us/guest/netsol/ns279/c649/ccmigration_09186a00808d9330.pdf

- RFC 4017: Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) Method Requirements for Wireless LANs
http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc4017.txt

.. and lots of websites (except CWNP) especially cisco.com and wikipedia.com searches.

I have completed CWSP preparation in 3 weeks.

Week 1- Read the CWSP Guide once, take detailed notes, test yourself with Practice Tests (at that time I as scoring between 69-72 in exams, don't check the answers at that time).

Week 2- Review the notes. Read the white papers.

Week 3- Read the rest of white papers, take practice tests one final time (you are ready if you are over 80), check all the answers and make necessary readings from the notes, book or web seaches.

This may differ person-to-person, as I have 8 years of on-the-job-experience in a major networking vendor. If you feel lacking in an area, review it, don't rush.

I made majority of my mistakes in:
- WPS (I didn't know it was important, read the WP once but didn't spend much time on it, I got multiple questions)
- Security policy (typical engineer, like to act not to document. I didn't even review this section of the book twice, because it was too "easy" to review)
- Other mistakes almost by purpose, because of over-thinking. Don't over-think, yes it is as easy as it seems.

In my opinion, 30% of exam questions are extremely easy, 10% is really difficult, rest mid-level that you can make full by good preparation.

One last comment:
- When you register with VUE, they assign a bogus CWNP ID (V00xxx) which is different than your actual CWNP ID, and you cannot change it in their crappy system. In that situation make CWNP aware. I'm waiting for mine to be solved.

So, I congratulate everyone who passed and good luck for the ones preparing.

-Ozgur

PS: No personal messages for more tips and actual questions please.

Ozgur - this is fantastic. Congratulations, and thank you for sharing your experience.

- kevin

Hi Kevin,

You have a big part on that. Especially with your help on Practice Tests and 802.11i WP. Thank you so much.

Now I'm wondering if I should go for CWNE or CCIE-Wireless. I was initially thinking to go for CCIE-W but now seriously started thinking CWNE as well. Just point system to hold the cert makes me worry.

ozgur23 Escribi?3:

...

I made majority of my mistakes in:
- WPS (I didn't know it was important, read the WP once but didn't spend much time on it, I got multiple questions)
- Other mistakes almost by purpose, because of over-thinking. Don't over-think, yes it is as easy as it seems.

In my opinion, 30% of exam questions are extremely easy, 10% is really difficult, rest mid-level that you can make full by good preparation.

...

I passed mine today as well, with 83%. A bit disappointed with the score, felt like at least 90% going through it, so must have missed something I felt certain about. Used about 50 minutes out of 120 minutes allowed (I'm not native english speaking, so get an extra 30 minutes).

I did the same mistake as you on WPS, had a couple of questions I had to guess, and I agree with you that a lot of the questions were very easy.

I counted at least 5 questions I could have gotten right without knowing the answer by eliminating obvious wrong alternatives. If you ask for a disadvantage of something, and three of four alternatives are obvious advantages, you don't have to be a rocket scientist to pick the right one. Maybe something to improve for the next version?

I might have been better prepared for this one than CWNA, but felt that this test was way easier than CWNA (took that in june and scored 80%).

If I was using a protocol analyzer and had the WEP key, I could decode what's being transmitted.

But if I was using PSK, the was I see it, nobody can decode me since I'm using a key and it rotates. Right?

TIA,
Tim

Hello Everyone,

I passed the CWSP exam last week. Thanks everyone for providing valuable information on this forum specially "ozgur23" your tips were helpful.

tdennehy Escribi?3:

If I was using a protocol analyzer and had the WEP key, I could decode what's being transmitted.

But if I was using PSK, the was I see it, nobody can decode me since I'm using a key and it rotates. Right?

TIA,
Tim

If someone knows the PSK, your data can be captured and decoded as long as the protocol analyzer gets the 4 way handshake.

That's the main problem with PSK, not the cracking (it isn't really feasible with decent key length and random characters) it's the human side. The problem is, people need to know the PSK in order to configure it.

GT

Ozgur23

Many thanks for the link to the cisco document. It is jam-packed with good stuff. Really nice summary of many important concepts. Even though it is "Cisco-Centric", most of the concepts can be applied to Wi-Fi in general.I have it on my desktop now.

Have just gotten though reading the CCNA wireless book by Brandon Carroll. I really enjoyed the configuration sections for the 4400 WLC etc. Lots of good info. Don't know if it's just me, but the fine print of the controller screen shots was a bit of a strain on the eyes. What I did was to download a copy of the 4400 Cisco Configuration Guide and have the screen shots "blown-up" in Adobe zoom in order to see everything clearly.

The first few chapters cover RF etc and are not anywhere as good as the official CWNA book sections. In fact, some areas are a bit misleading. B+ grade [ due to RF coverage ].

Chapter 9 [ Delivering Packets From the Wireless to the Wired Networks ] is really good, with some nice diagrams.

There is a section on security, which is not too bad, but wouldn???¡é?¡é?????¡é???¡ét recommend anyone to buy the book as extra reading for CWNA or CWSP.

Have also been reading "Deploying and Configuring Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers" by Mark Gress. Some great troubleshooting info with good general sections on LWAPP and CAPWAPP. [ A grade ]

Jim Geier???¡é?¡é?????¡é???¡és book on 802.1X is one of the best tech books I had ever read [ and contains loads of stuff for the CWSP exam ]. Nearly didn???¡é?¡é?????¡é???¡ét read it right from the start due to the major typo right on the title !! [ Thought if they can???¡é?¡é?????¡é???¡ét get that right, what about the rest of the book !! ]. Glad I read it. Learned a lot.
http://www.amazon.com/Implementing-Security-Solutions-Wireless-Networks/dp/0470168609/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1262215632&sr=8-1

Those stand-alone specs !


Dave