CCST Networking study plan
CCST Networking · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 6 hours per week
Standards and Concepts & Addressing and Subnet Formats
Map the OSI model and TCP/IP model layers to each other and state which layer a given protocol (HTTP, TCP, IP, Ethernet, ARP) belongs to
Convert between binary, decimal, and hexadecimal for a full octet without a calculator
Classify IPv4 addresses as private, public, loopback, link-local, or APIPA and explain when each appears
Identify the purpose of common standards bodies and where the CCST fits in the certification landscape
Your checkpoint
A one-page hand-drawn reference sheet showing the two models side by side, protocol placement, and a private/public address range table, scored against a self-quiz of 20 binary-to-decimal conversions at 90% or better
Addressing and Subnet Formats
Calculate network, broadcast, and usable host ranges for /24, /25, /26, /27, and /28 subnets from a given address
Distinguish classful addressing from CIDR notation and explain why classful addressing was retired
Convert between CIDR prefix length and dotted-decimal subnet mask in both directions
Describe IPv6 address structure, abbreviation rules, and the difference between global unicast, link-local, and multicast
Your checkpoint
A completed 15-problem subnetting worksheet with written work shown for each answer, reviewed for errors and corrected to 100% accuracy
Addressing and Subnet Formats & Endpoints and Media Types
Assign correct addresses, masks, and gateways to hosts in a small multi-subnet scenario and justify each choice
Compare copper cabling categories (Cat5e, Cat6, Cat6a) by speed, distance, and typical use
Differentiate fiber types, coaxial, and shielded versus unshielded twisted pair by deployment context
Explain how DHCP and DNS interact to let a client reach a named host on another subnet
Your checkpoint
A written design for a three-subnet small office that lists every address range, mask, gateway, and cabling choice with a one-sentence rationale per decision
Endpoints and Media Types & Infrastructure
Identify the role of switches, routers, access points, firewalls, and wireless LAN controllers in a network diagram
Explain how a switch builds its MAC address table and how VLANs segment broadcast domains
Compare wired and wireless endpoint connectivity options and state when each is appropriate
Distinguish access ports from trunk ports and describe what a trunk carries
Your checkpoint
A labeled diagram of a small enterprise network (clients, access points, switch, router, firewall, internet link) with an accompanying paragraph per device explaining its function and the layer it operates at
Infrastructure
Describe the purpose and basic operation of routing, including the default gateway and static versus dynamic routes
Explain NAT and PAT and why private addresses require translation to reach the internet
Outline how wireless authentication and encryption (WPA2, WPA3) protect a network
Identify common cloud and virtualization connectivity concepts such as virtual switches and VPN tunnels
Your checkpoint
A troubleshooting-ready infrastructure summary sheet covering routing, NAT, wireless security, and virtualization, cross-checked against at least two independent study sources
Diagnosing Problems
Apply a structured troubleshooting methodology (identify, theorize, test, verify, document) to a described outage
Interpret ping, traceroute, ipconfig/ifconfig, and nslookup output to locate a fault
Distinguish physical-layer failures from addressing, routing, and name-resolution failures by symptom
Recognize common wireless problems such as interference, weak signal, and channel overlap
Your checkpoint
A written troubleshooting log for three distinct failure scenarios, each with the symptom, hypothesis, test performed, evidence from tool output, and final resolution
Standards and Concepts & Diagnosing Problems
Explain how encapsulation and de-encapsulation move data down and up the stack during a web request
Trace a packet path from client to server and name the addressing used at each hop
Match security concepts such as firewalls, encryption, and authentication to the problems they solve
Practice reading tool output quickly to answer scenario questions under time pressure
Your checkpoint
A full end-to-end walkthrough of a single HTTPS request written in numbered steps, from DNS lookup through ARP, routing, and NAT to the response returning to the client
Standards and Concepts & Addressing and Subnet Formats & Endpoints and Media Types & Infrastructure & Diagnosing Problems
Review every domain using the personal notes and reference sheets built in weeks 1 through 7
Take timed practice sets per domain and record the score for each
Re-study only the weakest two domains based on recorded scores
Simulate exam conditions with full-length timed practice and review every missed item
Your checkpoint
A final scorecard showing per-domain practice results, a list of remaining weak areas with a remediation note for each, and a completed full-length timed practice attempt
Milestones
Week 2: Complete ten subnetting problems unaided in under 15 minutes with at least 9 correct
Week 4: Explain aloud, without notes, the function of a switch, router, firewall, and access point and the layer each operates at
Week 6: Diagnose three practice fault scenarios correctly using ping, traceroute, and nslookup, documenting the evidence for each
Week 8: Score at least 80% on a full-length timed practice attempt and show per-domain results with no domain below 70%