I could not disagree more. The CCNA and CCNP are well worth the effort. They are very good ways to identify entry level and a bit above IT staff. Keep in mind that most organizations only have a few employees. Only the largest would need a CCIE on staff.

I don't think the OP is looking for "entry level and a bit above" - totally agree with you that these certs are not useless though. They're a great way to differentiate yourself in your first few years of an IT career. It is true, however, that if you really want to focus on networking - and that probably means moving to a decent sized organization with dedicated people in that role - a CCIE is likely to be your biggest asset other than work experience.