dude, my advice, get proper training before pursuing the cisco certification because u don't wanna go out in the real world with a piece of paper and when ur placed in an environment, u draw a complete blank.
This is good advice. I have seen techs and engineers apply for jobs and when asked to do simple route statements or explain how routing/routed protocols work they freeze. I understand that cost is an issue for you but you do need ground knowledge and experience before you jump at these things. Do the Net+ first. If you pass it, then you can look at Cisco. If you can enlist in a program that gives actual hands on experience with equipment then take it seeing that you don't/might not have any networking experience.
I did the CCNA course at SBCS without any networking knowledge when I first stated networking. I failed. After a year or so actually using switches and routers and intense simulations, when I understood what I was doing and not just reading it from a book or pdf, I was able to pass, by studying on my own.
