FCSS LAN Edge 7.6 study plan

FCSS LAN Edge 7.6 · Give each week a clear focus.

8 weeks · About 7 hours per week

Week 1

LAN Edge fundamentals and FortiOS 7.6 administration

Diagram the FortiGate-FortiLink-FortiSwitch-FortiAP topology and label each management plane (CAPWAP, HTTPS, SSH, SNMP) from memory
Configure a FortiGate 7.6 LAN Edge baseline: interfaces, DHCP, DNS, NTP, admin profiles, and a FortiLink-enabled port
Compare FortiLink modes (dedicated vs. shared, auto-discovery vs. manual) and predict which mode fits a given small-branch scenario
Set up a lab FortiGate VM with a FortiSwitch-VM and a FortiAP-VM (or physical equivalents) and verify FortiLink authorization succeeds

A one-page topology diagram with management-plane annotations plus a working FortiLink authorization screenshot/log bundle

Week 2

Provision a FortiSwitch from factory default to managed state through FortiLink, including firmware upgrade and config sync
Configure VLANs, inter-VLAN routing, and a trunk port between two FortiSwitches; verify with show commands
Map FortiSwitch port modes (access, trunk, mirror, igmp-snooping) to three realistic access-layer use cases
Write a rollback checklist for a failed FortiSwitch firmware upgrade on a production stack

A working two-switch lab with VLAN 10/20/30 reachability proven by ping/traceroute output and a saved config backup

Week 3

Configure and verify LAG (static and LACP) between FortiSwitches and from FortiSwitch to FortiGate
Enable and interpret STP/RSTP/MSTP on a redundant loop topology; capture and explain the root bridge election
Apply 802.1X (MAB and user auth) on a FortiSwitch port and trace the RADIUS exchange in FortiGate logs
Configure QoS, storm control, and port security on access ports and validate with traffic-generation tools

A troubleshooting log of five injected L2 faults (loop, LAG mismatch, STP root change, 802.1X reject, storm) with root cause and fix each

Week 4

Authorize a FortiAP through FortiGate and confirm CAPWAP control/data tunnel states
Configure an SSID with WPA3-SAE and a second with WPA2-Enterprise (RADIUS) and test client onboarding on both
Map FortiAP profiles: radio, SSID, and custom AP profiles; explain which settings are inherited vs. overridden
Design a VLAN-per-SSID wireless plan that reuses the week-3 switch VLANs and bridge traffic correctly

A wireless design document with SSID-to-VLAN mapping, security modes, and two successful client association logs

Week 5

Tune RF: channel width, power, band steering, and DFS; measure before/after with a site survey tool
Configure a WIDS/WIPS profile and simulate a rogue AP and a deauth attack to confirm detection and containment
Set up fast roaming (802.11r/k/v) across two FortiAPs and verify handoff with a continuous ping
Apply wireless QoS/WMM and rate limiting per SSID and validate with iperf3 across the tunnel

A before/after RF survey report with channel/power changes, roaming latency numbers, and WIDS event screenshots

Week 6

Build segmentation with VLANs, security profiles, and FortiGate policies restricting guest-to-corporate traffic
Integrate FortiSwitch/FortiAP with FortiNAC or an external RADIUS for dynamic VLAN assignment and test a failed-auth fallback
Configure and verify FortiLink security hardening: admin auth, trusted hosts, and SNMPv3
Correlate a simulated incident across FortiGate, FortiSwitch, and FortiAP logs to reconstruct the event timeline

A segmentation test matrix proving allowed/denied flows between guest, corporate, and IoT VLANs with policy hit logs

Week 7

Diagnose five common LAN Edge failures (CAPWAP down, FortiLink down, DHCP relay miss, VLAN mismatch, PoE budget) using CLI and GUI
Use FortiSwitch and FortiAP debug commands to capture and interpret control-plane traffic
Write a troubleshooting runbook that maps symptom to command to likely cause for each failure class
Perform a timed mock troubleshooting exercise under 30 minutes and record your decision path

A symptom-to-command runbook plus a recorded 30-minute mock troubleshooting session with a written post-mortem

Week 8

Review weak areas from weeks 1-7 using a self-made flashcard set of 60+ facts and commands
Take two full-length timed practice exams and score each domain separately
Reconfigure the entire lab from scratch in under 90 minutes to prove retention
Write a one-page exam-day checklist covering key CLI commands, default behaviors, and common traps

A domain-scored practice exam report with a remediation list and a completed from-scratch lab rebuild log

Week 2: Can provision a FortiSwitch from factory default to managed through FortiLink and prove VLAN reachability without notes

Week 4: Can onboard a FortiAP, publish two SSIDs, and explain CAPWAP tunnel states and profile inheritance from memory

Week 6: Can enforce and verify guest/corporate/IoT segmentation and pass a 20-question mixed quiz at 80% or higher

Week 8: Scores 80%+ on two timed practice exams with no domain below 70%, and rebuilds the full lab in under 90 minutes