CompTIA Network+ study guide
CompTIA Network+ · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
CompTIA Network+ is a vendor-neutral certification that validates foundational networking knowledge and hands-on skill. The current release, exam code N10-009 (version V9), launched on June 20, 2024, and assesses network connectivity, documentation, service configuration, data centers, cloud and virtual networking, monitoring, troubleshooting, and security hardening. The CompTIA Network+ study guide has 5 sections and about 1,686 words.
01Networking Concepts: Models, Ports, and Addressing
Know the OSI layers in order - Physical, Data Link, Network, Transport, Session, Presentation, Application - and map devices and protocol data units to them. Switches and MAC addresses live at Layer 2; routers and IP packets at Layer 3; TCP/UDP ports and segments at Layer 4.
317 words, about 2 min02Network Implementation: Routing, Switching, Wireless, and Physical Plant
Distinguish static routes from dynamic protocols. Distance-vector protocols choose by hop count or composite metric, while link-state protocols build a topology database and run shortest-path calculations; BGP carries routes between autonomous systems.
349 words, about 2 min03Network Operations: Monitoring, Documentation, and Continuity
SNMP polls agents on UDP 161 and receives traps on 162; MIBs define the object tree and OIDs identify individual values. Syslog on UDP 514 centralizes event messages with severity levels from 0 (emergency) to 7 (debug).
334 words, about 2 min04Network Security: Threats, Controls, and Secure Access
Anchor decisions in confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Threat actors range from insiders to organized crime, and social engineering remains effective: phishing by email, vishing by phone, smishing by text, plus tailgating and shoulder surfing.
326 words, about 2 min05Network Troubleshooting: Method and Tools
Work a consistent loop: identify the problem and gather information, establish a theory, test it, plan and implement a fix, verify full functionality, and document. Choose a direction - top-down from the application, bottom-up from the physical layer, or divide-and-conquer from the middle.
360 words, about 2 min