After the last two post, I kind of want to get the cert lol  and I wish it did hold as much value as the CCNA!

It depends on your level of retention and current understanding.  I can tell you, in general, the Wireshark cert will drill a LOT into you, and I'm not sure that I'd say CCNA is as 'involved' as the Wireshark cert.  CCNA is, in general, vendor-specific (while some topics, such as subnetting and general understanding of VLAN's, for instance, carryover to other vendors' stuff,) whereas, Wireshark will ALWAYS apply, regardless of your network provider or hardware, and goes deeper into understanding, at the packet level.

If it were me, and I had to spend my money, I'd do Wireshark.  But if you want / need both, and are learning, I'd do CCNA first, to make sure you understand at least the basics of such topics, as I'd listed, above, then go Wireshark.  (Unless you already solidly understand TCP/IP and how it works.)

The Wireshark University stuff is excellent.  While mine is a couple of years old, and I'm not sure how much it may have changed or been updated, I still refer back to it, now and then.

I never took the cert exam (maybe I should, someday,) but IMHO, it's not widely recognized, yet, by recruiters, so I don't know that just adding the letters to my name would be worth my time right now.

But again, it's an excellent resource.

1) CCNA first then Wireshark if you're just starting out.

2) It will eventually get recognized but that will take time. HR might not "get it" (yet) but the admins that make the final candidate selection will. If a job requirement mentions Wireshark it's a definite plus. My resume has the WCNA spelled out so HR programs that use 'wireshark' as a search term will find it.

No, they are all asking about my Cisco experience as that seems to be what they are looking for in the jobs I'm applying for- WLAN admin/designer (that's why I'm busy relearning all that stuff).

I imagine once they see the WCNA cert they just check that off in their long list of requirements. I've turned down several jobs because they were contractual and they wouldn't guarantee me a long enough period. The wireless security jobs in this economy are few and far between so I've had to start looking at admin/design jobs.

It is taking long time bu wireless is the future.

I don't think it willl take over yet maybe in another 10 years or so.

What I don't get..is that everyone knows the future is wireless but I don't hear a lot of people studying it or trying to get wireless certs.. If I knew something is the future, I would want to study now so when wireless takes over, I would have all the certs and knowledge.  ?!?