Complete Networking Fundamentals Course: CCNA Start vs Comprehensive GMAT Prep: Self-Study Guide to GMAT 700+

The course spans approximately 79.5 hours of video across all core CCNA 200-301 domains, covering networking fundamentals, OSI and TCP/IP models, IP addressing and subnetting, routing (static routes, OSPF, EIGRP, IPv6), switching, VLANs, Spanning Tree, NAT, ACLs, wireless technologies, QoS, VoIP, and network automation. Reviewers on Reddit and course aggregator sites consistently describe it as "one of the most comprehensive networking courses I have ever seen for the price" and praise its logical, ground-up progression. The course includes GNS3 and Packet Tracer lab demonstrations, cheat sheets, quizzes, and downloadable resources, though a small number of reviewers note it should be supplemented with additional practice exam resources for full 200-301 readiness.

David Bombal holds CCIE #11023 Emeritus, which he earned on his first attempt in January 2003 — a distinction achieved by a very small percentage of Cisco engineers. He has over 20 years of network training experience, has trained engineers at Fortune 100 companies, holds Cisco and HPE certified instructor status, and has over 2 million YouTube subscribers. Reviewers consistently praise his teaching methodology for the care put into scope and learning progression, with one Reddit user describing the course as the result of someone who "invested significant effort into what needs to be learned and in what order." His credentials are regularly cited as a reason students trust the material.

The course is consistently available on Udemy for $11–$20 during the platform's frequent sales, which Reddit reviewers repeatedly highlight as exceptional value. One r/homelab user who purchased it for $13.99 called it "the best purchase I made of thousands I've spent on my homelab over the years." Another r/linuxadmin commenter noted paying "a whopping $11.99" for "one of the most comprehensive networking courses I have ever seen." With nearly 80 hours of content, lifetime access, 18 articles, 124 downloadable resources, and regular updates to keep pace with the CCNA 200-301 exam blueprint, the cost-per-hour ratio is among the lowest of any CCNA prep course on the market.

David Bombal explicitly designs the course for both exam preparation and real-world application — the curriculum covers actual device configuration on simulated Cisco routers and switches via Packet Tracer and GNS3, not just definitions and theory. Reddit discussions in r/homelab, r/linuxadmin, and r/ccna note that the course teaches concepts in a way that applies directly to home labs and enterprise networking jobs, not just to passing an exam. The practical emphasis on configuration, VLANs, routing protocols, and troubleshooting scenarios means graduates are better prepared for entry-level network engineering roles, not just the Cisco certification exam.

The course's integration of GNS3 and Packet Tracer labs throughout the curriculum is the most consistently praised retention element — learners build and configure simulated networks rather than passively watching lectures. Multiple Reddit reviewers credit the hands-on component with making the course worthwhile for both CCNA candidates and general networking enthusiasts. The course length of ~79.5 hours is frequently described as thorough but potentially overwhelming for learners with time constraints, and some reviewers note the instructor's delivery can occasionally be hard to follow during dense technical sections. Overall, the lab-heavy format gives it stronger retention than purely lecture-driven alternatives.

The course is positioned as a consolidated self-study strategy guide rather than a full content syllabus: it teaches how to plan a GMAT preparation, how to attempt questions, and how to track progress, rather than re-teaching every quant and verbal concept from scratch. Reviewers describe it as covering "all important aspects of the GMAT exam in an easy to comprehend manner," and the standout asset is a specially designed MS-Excel GMAT Analysis Tool plus consolidated revision notes. The honest limit is breadth — it is a strategy and planning layer, not a comprehensive concept course, so a true beginner will need separate material to actually learn the maths and grammar.

The instructor's credibility rests on a concrete, verifiable claim: a GMAT 740 (Q50, V40) on the first attempt achieved through self-study. That is a strong, top-percentile result and it gives the strategy advice real weight, because the whole course is essentially "here is exactly what I did." The teaching philosophy — "if I was able to crack the GMAT through self-study, anyone can" — is encouraging and the test-day strategy insights are the part learners single out as genuinely useful. The deduction is transparency: the instructor's full name and broader teaching track record are not prominently published, so you are trusting one person's score story rather than an established prep brand.

This is the course's strongest dimension. It is explicitly priced "at the lowest possible price" and is regularly available very cheaply or via free coupons, with lifetime access and Udemy's 30-day refund. For the cost of a single coffee you get a structured self-study roadmap, an Excel tracking tool and revision notes from a 740 scorer — a tiny fraction of what Target Test Prep, Manhattan Prep or e-GMAT charge. The fair caveat is that the low price reflects scope: you are buying a plan and tools, not thousands of practice questions, so the real cost of your prep is this plus the official GMAT material you still need to buy.

The weakest area and the one most likely to disappoint buyers who expect a question bank. The course includes some solved questions to illustrate the attempting strategy, but it is not a high-volume practice resource — there are no full-length adaptive mocks and no large bank of original problems. Its own design assumes you will do your heavy practice in the Official Guide and GMAT Official Practice Exams; the course's job is to tell you how to use them efficiently and track your weak areas with the Excel tool, not to be your practice source.

The realistic value proposition is structure and efficiency rather than a guaranteed point jump. Learners credit the test-day strategy and the self-analysis tool with helping them prepare smarter, and the 740-scorer framing maps the plan onto a genuinely high outcome. But because the course supplies little practice and no full mocks, any score gain depends almost entirely on the learner pairing it with official material and doing the timed reps — the course is the map, not the miles.