Quick Answers
Frequently Asked Questions
Find quick answers to common questions about our courses, payments, certifications, and more.
Courses & Learning
How long do I have access to a course after purchase?
Most of our courses come with lifetime access, meaning you can access the content anytime, forever. You’ll also receive free updates to the course content. Some bootcamps or special programs may have specific access periods, which will be clearly stated on the course page before purchase.
Can I access courses on mobile devices?
Yes! Our platform is fully responsive and works on all devices including smartphones and tablets. You can watch video lessons and track your progress on the go. However, lab environments require a desktop or laptop for the best experience due to the technical nature of hands-on exercises.
Are there any prerequisites for courses?
Prerequisites vary by course and are listed on each course page. For example:
- CCNA: Basic computer knowledge
- CCNP: CCNA certification or equivalent experience
- CCIE: CCNP certification and hands-on experience
- AWS/Azure: Basic IT knowledge
Can I download videos for offline viewing?
Currently, video downloads are not available due to content protection policies. However, you can access all course content through our website anytime with an internet connection. We’re working on an offline mode feature for our mobile app, coming soon!
Do courses include live sessions?
Yes! Our premium courses include live instructor-led sessions in addition to recorded content. Live sessions are scheduled weekly and allow you to interact directly with instructors, ask questions, and participate in real-time labs. Recordings are also available if you miss a session.
How often is course content updated?
We update our courses whenever there are changes to certification exams or significant technology updates. On average, courses are reviewed and updated every 3-6 months. When exam objectives change, we prioritize updating affected courses immediately. All updates are free for enrolled students.
Payment & Billing
What payment methods do you accept?
We accept a variety of payment methods:
- Credit/Debit Cards: Visa, MasterCard, American Express
- PayPal: For secure online payments
- Bank Transfer: For corporate purchases
- Cryptocurrency: Bitcoin, Ethereum (select courses)
Do you offer payment plans?
Yes! We offer flexible payment plans for courses over $500. You can split your payment into 2, 3, or 4 monthly installments with no additional fees or interest. Payment plans are available at checkout. Full course access is granted after the first payment.
What is your refund policy?
We offer a 14-day money-back guarantee on all courses. If you’re not satisfied and have accessed less than 20% of the content, you can request a full refund. Simply contact our support team within 14 days of purchase. Refunds are processed within 5-10 business days.
Can I get an invoice for my company?
Yes! Invoices are automatically generated for all purchases and sent to your email. You can also download invoices from your account dashboard. For corporate purchases requiring custom invoicing or purchase orders, please contact our corporate training team.
Do you offer discounts or promotions?
Yes! We regularly offer:
- Seasonal sales: Black Friday, New Year, etc.
- Bundle discounts: Save when buying multiple courses
- Student discounts: 20% off with valid student ID
- Group discounts: For teams of 3 or more
Subscribe to our newsletter to be notified of upcoming promotions!
Lab Environment
What is included in the lab environment?
Our lab environments include real network equipment and cloud infrastructure:
- CCIE Labs: Full topology with routers, switches, firewalls
- AWS Labs: Sandbox environment with allocated credits
- Azure Labs: Microsoft cloud sandbox access
- DevOps Labs: Docker, Kubernetes, CI/CD pipelines
How many lab hours do I get?
Lab hours vary by course and are clearly specified on each course page. Typically:
- CCNA: 40 hours
- CCNP: 80 hours
- CCIE: 200+ hours
- Cloud courses: Unlimited sandbox access during course period
Additional lab time can be purchased if needed.
I'm having trouble connecting to the lab. What should I do?
If you’re experiencing connection issues, try these steps:
- Check your internet connection
- Disable any VPN or proxy services
- Clear your browser cache
- Try a different browser (Chrome recommended)
If issues persist, contact our technical support team with your error details.
Can I save my lab progress?
Yes! Your lab configurations are automatically saved when you end a session. You can resume from where you left off within 24 hours. For longer breaks, we recommend documenting your configurations or using the “Save Configuration” feature available in most labs.
Certifications & Exams
Do I get a certificate after completing a course?
Yes! Upon completing all course requirements, you’ll receive a Certificate of Completion from SMEnode Academy. This is different from vendor certifications (Cisco, AWS, etc.), which require passing official exams. Our certificate verifies your training completion and can be shared on LinkedIn.
How does the Pass Guarantee work?
Our Pass Guarantee ensures you’re fully prepared. To qualify:
- Complete 100% of course videos and materials
- Complete all lab exercises
- Score 80%+ on all practice exams
If you meet these requirements but don’t pass your certification exam, you get free course access extension to retake the training.
Do you provide exam vouchers?
Some of our premium courses include exam vouchers. Check the course page for details. If not included, you can purchase vouchers separately through the certification vendor (Cisco, AWS, Microsoft, etc.) or we can help you obtain discounted vouchers through our partnerships.
How accurate are your practice exams?
Our practice exams are designed to closely simulate the real certification exams. They cover the same topics, question formats, and difficulty level. Students who score 80%+ on our practice exams have a 95% pass rate on actual certification exams. We update our question banks regularly to match current exam objectives.
What's your student pass rate?
Our overall student pass rate is 92% for first-time exam attempts (for students who complete the full course). This is significantly higher than the industry average. For CCIE candidates specifically, our pass rate is 85%, compared to the global average of around 30%.
Account & Settings
How do I reset my password?
CCIE programs require solid networking fundamentals. We recommend CCNP certification or equivalent experience (3-5 years) in enterprise networking before enrolling in CCIE courses. For CCIE Security, understanding of firewalls and security concepts is essential.
Can I change my email address?
For Associate level certifications (AWS Solutions Architect Associate, Azure Administrator), basic IT knowledge is sufficient. Professional and Expert level certifications require 1-2 years of hands-on cloud experience. Our courses include comprehensive labs to build practical skills.
Can I share my account with others?
You get LIFETIME access to our lab infrastructure! Unlike other providers who limit lab time, we believe in unlimited practice. Access real Cisco equipment, AWS/Azure sandboxes, and Fortinet appliances 24/7 forever at no additional cost
How do I delete my account?
SMEnode Academy maintains a 95% first-attempt pass rate across all certification programs. This is significantly higher than the industry average of 60-70%. Our success comes from expert instruction, comprehensive labs, and personalized mentoring.
Courses & Learning
How long do I have access to a course after purchase?
Most of our courses come with lifetime access, meaning you can access the content anytime, forever. You’ll also receive free updates to the course content. Some bootcamps or special programs may have specific access periods, which will be clearly stated on the course page before purchase.
Can I access courses on mobile devices?
Yes! Our platform is fully responsive and works on all devices including smartphones and tablets. You can watch video lessons and track your progress on the go. However, lab environments require a desktop or laptop for the best experience due to the technical nature of hands-on exercises.
Are there any prerequisites for courses?
Prerequisites vary by course and are listed on each course page. For example:
- CCNA: Basic computer knowledge
- CCNP: CCNA certification or equivalent experience
- CCIE: CCNP certification and hands-on experience
- AWS/Azure: Basic IT knowledge
Can I download videos for offline viewing?
Currently, video downloads are not available due to content protection policies. However, you can access all course content through our website anytime with an internet connection. We’re working on an offline mode feature for our mobile app, coming soon!
Do courses include live sessions?
Yes! Our premium courses include live instructor-led sessions in addition to recorded content. Live sessions are scheduled weekly and allow you to interact directly with instructors, ask questions, and participate in real-time labs. Recordings are also available if you miss a session.
How often is course content updated?
We update our courses whenever there are changes to certification exams or significant technology updates. On average, courses are reviewed and updated every 3-6 months. When exam objectives change, we prioritize updating affected courses immediately. All updates are free for enrolled students.
Payment & Billing
What payment methods do you accept?
We accept a variety of payment methods:
- Credit/Debit Cards: Visa, MasterCard, American Express
- PayPal: For secure online payments
- Bank Transfer: For corporate purchases
- Cryptocurrency: Bitcoin, Ethereum (select courses)
Do you offer payment plans?
Yes! We offer flexible payment plans for courses over $500. You can split your payment into 2, 3, or 4 monthly installments with no additional fees or interest. Payment plans are available at checkout. Full course access is granted after the first payment.
What is your refund policy?
We offer a 14-day money-back guarantee on all courses. If you’re not satisfied and have accessed less than 20% of the content, you can request a full refund. Simply contact our support team within 14 days of purchase. Refunds are processed within 5-10 business days.
Can I get an invoice for my company?
Yes! Invoices are automatically generated for all purchases and sent to your email. You can also download invoices from your account dashboard. For corporate purchases requiring custom invoicing or purchase orders, please contact our corporate training team.
Do you offer discounts or promotions?
Yes! We regularly offer:
- Seasonal sales: Black Friday, New Year, etc.
- Bundle discounts: Save when buying multiple courses
- Student discounts: 20% off with valid student ID
- Group discounts: For teams of 3 or more
Subscribe to our newsletter to be notified of upcoming promotions!
Lab Environment
What is included in the lab environment?
Our lab environments include real network equipment and cloud infrastructure:
- CCIE Labs: Full topology with routers, switches, firewalls
- AWS Labs: Sandbox environment with allocated credits
- Azure Labs: Microsoft cloud sandbox access
- DevOps Labs: Docker, Kubernetes, CI/CD pipelines
How many lab hours do I get?
Lab hours vary by course and are clearly specified on each course page. Typically:
- CCNA: 40 hours
- CCNP: 80 hours
- CCIE: 200+ hours
- Cloud courses: Unlimited sandbox access during course period
Additional lab time can be purchased if needed.
I'm having trouble connecting to the lab. What should I do?
If you’re experiencing connection issues, try these steps:
- Check your internet connection
- Disable any VPN or proxy services
- Clear your browser cache
- Try a different browser (Chrome recommended)
If issues persist, contact our technical support team with your error details.
Can I save my lab progress?
Yes! Your lab configurations are automatically saved when you end a session. You can resume from where you left off within 24 hours. For longer breaks, we recommend documenting your configurations or using the “Save Configuration” feature available in most labs.
Certifications & Exams
Do I get a certificate after completing a course?
Yes! Upon completing all course requirements, you’ll receive a Certificate of Completion from SMEnode Academy. This is different from vendor certifications (Cisco, AWS, etc.), which require passing official exams. Our certificate verifies your training completion and can be shared on LinkedIn.
How does the Pass Guarantee work?
Our Pass Guarantee ensures you’re fully prepared. To qualify:
- Complete 100% of course videos and materials
- Complete all lab exercises
- Score 80%+ on all practice exams
If you meet these requirements but don’t pass your certification exam, you get free course access extension to retake the training.
Do you provide exam vouchers?
Some of our premium courses include exam vouchers. Check the course page for details. If not included, you can purchase vouchers separately through the certification vendor (Cisco, AWS, Microsoft, etc.) or we can help you obtain discounted vouchers through our partnerships.
How accurate are your practice exams?
Our practice exams are designed to closely simulate the real certification exams. They cover the same topics, question formats, and difficulty level. Students who score 80%+ on our practice exams have a 95% pass rate on actual certification exams. We update our question banks regularly to match current exam objectives.
What's your student pass rate?
Our overall student pass rate is 92% for first-time exam attempts (for students who complete the full course). This is significantly higher than the industry average. For CCIE candidates specifically, our pass rate is 85%, compared to the global average of around 30%.
Account & Settings
How do I reset my password?
CCIE programs require solid networking fundamentals. We recommend CCNP certification or equivalent experience (3-5 years) in enterprise networking before enrolling in CCIE courses. For CCIE Security, understanding of firewalls and security concepts is essential.
Can I change my email address?
For Associate level certifications (AWS Solutions Architect Associate, Azure Administrator), basic IT knowledge is sufficient. Professional and Expert level certifications require 1-2 years of hands-on cloud experience. Our courses include comprehensive labs to build practical skills.
Can I share my account with others?
You get LIFETIME access to our lab infrastructure! Unlike other providers who limit lab time, we believe in unlimited practice. Access real Cisco equipment, AWS/Azure sandboxes, and Fortinet appliances 24/7 forever at no additional cost
How do I delete my account?
SMEnode Academy maintains a 95% first-attempt pass rate across all certification programs. This is significantly higher than the industry average of 60-70%. Our success comes from expert instruction, comprehensive labs, and personalized mentoring.
