4/24/23, 9:03 PM
CompTIA Network+ N10-008
Contents
1. Networking Fundamentals
1.1 Compare and contrast the Open Systems
Interconnection (OSI) model layers and encapsulation
concepts.
1.2 Explain the characteristics of network topologies
and network types.
1.3 Summarise the types of cables and connectors
and explain which is the appropriate type for a
solution.
1.4 Given a scenario, configure a subnet and use
appropriate IP addressing schemes.
1.5 Explain common ports and protocols, their
application, and encrypted alternatives.
1.6 Explain the use and purpose of network services.
1.7 Explain basic corporate and datacenter network
architecture.
1.8 Summarise cloud concepts and connectivity
options.
2. Network Implementations
2.1 Compare and contrast various devices, their
features, and their appropriate placement on the
network.
2.2 Compare and contrast routing technologies and
bandwidth management concepts.
2.3 Given a scenario, configure and deploy common
Ethernet switching features.
2.4 Given a scenario, install and configure the
appropriate wireless standards and technologies.
3.0 Network Operations
3.1 Given a scenario, use the appropriate statistics
and sensors to ensure network availability.
https://duncanbennie.com/comptia-network+-n10-008-study-notes/notes/CompTIA Network+ N10-008.html
1/47
4/24/23, 9:03 PM
CompTIA Network+ N10-008
3.2 Explain the purpose of organisational documents
and policies.
3.3 Explain high availability and disaster recovery
concepts and summarise which is the best solution.
4.0 Network Security
4.1 Explain common security concepts.
4.2 Compare and contrast common types of attacks.
4.3 Given a scenario, apply network hardening
techniques.
4.4 Compare and contrast remote access methods
and security implications.
4.5 Explain the importance of physical security.
5.0 Network Troubleshooting
5.1 Explain the network troubleshooting
methodology.
5.2 Given a scenario, troubleshoot common cable
connectivity issues and select the appropriate tools.
5.3 Given a scenario, use the appropriate network
software tools and commands.
5.4 Given a scenario, troubleshoot common wireless
connectivity issues.
5.5 Given a scenario, troubleshoot general
networking issues.
1. Networking Fundamentals
1.1 Compare and contrast the Open
Systems Interconnection (OSI) model
layers and encapsulation concepts.
OSI model
Layer 1 - Physical: Turns physical signals
(light/electricity) into data/bits. Accounts for bit
sync, bit rate control, physical topologies &
transmission mode (i.e. half/full duplex or simplex).
https://duncanbennie.com/comptia-network+-n10-008-study-notes/notes/CompTIA Network+ N10-008.html
2/47
4/24/23, 9:03 PM
CompTIA Network+ N10-008
Layer 1 devices include hubs, repeaters, modems &
cables.
Layer 2 - Data Link (MAC frames): Responsible for
communication between physical devices that are
directly connected, and encapsulates sender &
receivers MAC address in frame headers. Functions
include framing, physical addressing, error control,
flow control & access control. Layer 2 devices
include NIC's and switches.
Layer 3 - Network (IP packets): Transmits data
between hosts on different networks and handles
packets and packet routing. Works with IP
addresses. Layer 3 devices include routers.
Layer 4 - Transport (Segments with port numbers):
Responsible for end to end delivery of messages.
Provides acknowledgement of of successful data
transmission or re-transmits data if needed. Uses
segmentation, and the data type is referred to as
segments. Looks after flow & error control and adds
source and destination port numbers to the
segment header. The transport layer is managed by
the OS. It is referred to as the heart of the OSI
model.
Layer 5 - Session: Responsible for the
establishment, maintenance, and termination of
connections. Mediates the communication between
hosts and adds synchronisaton points to
transmissions. Looks after full duplex/half duplex
settings. Handled by network applications.
Layer 6 - Presentation: Also referred to as the
translation layer. Data is extracted to or from a
format compatible with the adjacent layers.
Handles translation (i.e. from ASCII to EBCDIC),
encryption/decryption, and compression.
Layer 7 - Application: Produces/displays data that
is to be/has been transferred over the network.
Usually implemented via protocols rather than
literal desktop applications.
Data encapsulation and decapsulation within the OSI
model context
https://duncanbennie.com/comptia-network+-n10-008-study-notes/notes/CompTIA Network+ N10-008.html
3/47
4/24/23, 9:03 PM
CompTIA Network+ N10-008
Ethernet frame header: Preamble > SFD (Start of
Frame Delimiter) > Destination MAC Address >
Source MAC address > Frame Length > Data > CRC
(Cyclic Redundancy Check aka Checksum)
Internet Protocol (IP) header: Version (IP Version) >
Header Length > Priority and Type of Service >
Packet Length > Identification > Flags >
Fragmented Offset (for reassembly fragmented
packets) > TTL > Protocol (TCP/UDP) > Source IP >
Destination IP > Options
TCP/UDP headers
TCP: Source Port > Destination Port >
Sequence Number > Acknowledgement
Number > DO (Data Offset) > RSV
(Reserved) > Flags (URG: Urgent > ACK:
Acknowledgement > PSH: Push > RST:
Reset > SYN: Synchronise > FIN: Finish) >
Window > Checksum > Urgent > Options
UDP: Source Port > Destination Port >
Datagram Length > Checksum
TCP flags: URG: Urgent > ACK: Acknowledgement >
PSH: Push > RST: Reset > SYN: Synchronise > FIN:
Finish
Payload: Layer 2: (MAC) Frames > Layer 3: (IP)
Packets > Layer 4: (Ports) Segments
Maximum Transmission Unit (MTU): 1500 bytes
unless using Jumbo Frames which can be up to
9000 bytes.
1.2 Explain the characteristics of
network topologies and network
types.
Mesh: Each host is physically connected with all other hosts
on the network. Cabling requirements expand exponentially
- unscalable.
Star/hub-and-spoke: Each host is physically connected with
a central node such as a router, hub, or switch.
https://duncanbennie.com/comptia-network+-n10-008-study-notes/notes/CompTIA Network+ N10-008.html
4/47
4/24/23, 9:03 PM
CompTIA Network+ N10-008
Bus: All devices connected to a common half-duplex link
that terminates at both ends.
Ring: The same as bus topology, however all nodes connect
to two other nodes, meaning that the common link does not
terminate and forms a ring.
Hybrid: The combination of two or more topologies.
Network types and characteristics
Peer-to-peer: Interconnected devices directly
sharing resources with one another.
Client-server: Centralised servers providing
resources to multiple clients.
LAN: Local Area Network
MAN: Metropolitan Area Network
WAN: Wide Area Network
WLAN: Wireless Local Area Network
PAN: Personal Area Network
CAN: Campus Area Network
SAN: Storage Area Network
SDWAN: Software Defined Wide Area Network
MPLS: Multiprotocol Label Switching
mGRE: Multipoint Generic Routing Encapsulation
Service related entry point
Demarcation point: Physical network boundary
point between telecom and private network.
Smartjack: Network demarcation terminals that
provide diagnostic capabilities.
Virtual network concepts
vSwitch: A virtual switch.
vNIC: A virtual NIC.
NFV: Network Function Virtualisation. The
replacement of physical network devices with
virtual versions.
Hypervisor: Software that creates and runs virtual
machines.
Provider links
https://duncanbennie.com/comptia-network+-n10-008-study-notes/notes/CompTIA Network+ N10-008.html
5/47
4/24/23, 9:03 PM
CompTIA Network+ N10-008
Satellite: Self explanatory.
DSL: Digital Subscriber Line - data over telephone
lines.
Cable: Data over coax/cable TV infrastructure.
Leased line: A dedicated communication channel
between two sites.
Metro-optical: MAN over fibre.
1.3 Summarise the types of cables and
connectors and explain which is the
appropriate type for a solution.
Copper
Twisted pair: Two wires are twisted together to
reduce electromagnetic interference.
Cat 5: 1Gbps, 1000BASE-T, 100MHz
Cat 5e: 1Gbps, 1000BASE-T, 100MHz
Cat 6: 1Gbps, 1000BASE-T, 250Mhz
Cat 6a: 10Gbps, 10GBASE-T, 600Mhz
Cat 7: 10Gbps, 10GBASE-T, 1Ghz
Cat 8: 40Gbps, 40GBASE-T, 2Ghz
Coaxial/RG-6: Single conductor
Twinaxial: Two conductors
Termination standards
TIA/EIA-568A: Green White > Green >
Orange White > Blue > Blue White >
Orange > Brown White > Brown
TIA/EIA-568B: Orange White > Orange >
Green White > Blue > Blue White > Green
> Brown White > Brown
Fibre: Data transmission by light.
Single mode: Used for long range communication
(<= 100KM). Uses laser beams.
Multimode: Used for short range communication
(<= 2KM). Typically uses LEDs. The core of the fibre
https://duncanbennie.com/comptia-network+-n10-008-study-notes/notes/CompTIA Network+ N10-008.html
6/47
4/24/23, 9:03 PM
CompTIA Network+ N10-008
is larger than the wavelength of light, the light
splits as it travels and takes the form of multiple
modes.
Connector types
LC (Local Connector): Rectangular and small. Has
two fibres, one each for send and receive. Has clips
similar to an RJ45.
ST (Straight Tip): Round. Use bayonet connectors.
SC (Subscriber Connector): Sometimes referred to
as Square Connector. Unique, spring loaded locking
mechanism.
MT-RJ (Mechanical Transfer Registered Jack):
Smallest fibre connector. Has two fibre connections.
Similar looking mechanism to LC (Local Connector).
APC (Angled Physical Contact): Has a slight angle,
lower return loss.
UPC (Ultra Physical Contact): Not angled. High
return loss.
RJ11: 6P2C, used for DSL & analogue telephone
connections.
RJ45: 8P8C
F-type: Used with cable modems, DOCSIS,
generally RG-6, threaded connector.
Transceivers/media converters: Layer 1 devices.
Convert network signals to different types i.e copper
> fibre, fibre > copper. Transceivers are defined by
the capability to both transmit and receive data.
Transceiver type
SFP (Small Form-factor Pluggable): 1Gbps.
SFP+ (Enhanced Small Form-factor
Pluggable): 16Gbps. Same size as SFP.
QSFP (Quad Small Form-factor Pluggable):
Four channel SFP. 4Gbps.
QSFP+ (Enhanced Quad Small Form-factor
Pluggable): 40Gbps.
Cable management
https://duncanbennie.com/comptia-network+-n10-008-study-notes/notes/CompTIA Network+ N10-008.html
7/47
4/24/23, 9:03 PM
CompTIA Network+ N10-008
Patch panel: Intermediate connector
between hosts and switches.
Fibre distribution panel: Used for
accommodating fiber cable terminations,
connections and patching.
Punchdown block
66: Usually used for analogue
voice. Left is patched to right.
110: Replaced 66 blocks. Supports
Cat5 & Cat6 cables. Metal bites
into insulator.
Krone: European alternative to 110
block.
BIX (Building Industry Cross
Connect): Has been updated over
the years, supports Cat6.
Ethernet standards: Baseband - single frequency.
Copper
10BASE-T: 10 Mbps. Two pair. Cat3
minimum. 100 meter max.
10BASE-TX: 100 Mbps. Two pair.
Cat5 minimum. 100 meter max.
1000BASE-T: 1 Gbps. Four pair.
Cat5 minimum. 100 meter max.
10GBASE-T: 10 Gbps. Four pair.
Cat6 minimum. 100 meter max.
40GBASE-T: 40 Gbps. Four pair.
Cat8 minimum. 30 meters max.
Fibre
100BASE-FX: 100 Mbps. Laser. 400
meters half-duplex, 2 kilometres
full-duplex.
100BASE-SX: 100 Mbps. LED. 300
meters max.
1000BASE-SX: 1 Gbps. Short
wavelength laser. 550 meters.
https://duncanbennie.com/comptia-network+-n10-008-study-notes/notes/CompTIA Network+ N10-008.html
8/47
4/24/23, 9:03 PM
CompTIA Network+ N10-008
1000BASE-LX: 1 Gbps. Long
wavelength laser. 5 kilometres.
10GBASE-SR: 10 Gbps. Multimode
fibre. 400 meters.
10GBASE-LR: 10 Gbps. Single mode
fibre. 10 kilometres.
WDM (Bidirectional Wavelength
Division Multiplexing):
Bidirectional communication over a
single strand of fibre for multiple
types of signals. Uses different
wavelengths for each carrier.
CWDM (Coarse Wavelength
Division Multiplexing): 10GBASELX4.
DWDM (Division Wavelength
Division Multiplexing): 160 signals,
up to 1.6 Tbps.
1.4 Given a scenario, configure a
subnet and use appropriate IP
addressing schemes.
Public vs. Private
RFC1918: Defines private IP address ranges.
10.0.0.0 to 10.255.255.255. 16,777,216
addresses.
172.16.0.0 to 172.31.255.255. 1,048,576
addresses.
192.168.0.0 to 192.168.255.255. 65,536
addresses.
Network Address Translation (NAT): The changing
of an IP address as it progresses through a network,
usually from private to public or vice versa.
Port Address Translation (PAT): Translation of port
numbers from source to destination and vice versa.
IPv4 vs IPv6
https://duncanbennie.com/comptia-network+-n10-008-study-notes/notes/CompTIA Network+ N10-008.html
9/47
4/24/23, 9:03 PM
CompTIA Network+ N10-008
Automatic Private IP Addressing (APIPA): Link local
address. Automatically assigned. Unable to
communicate with the router and therefore external
networks. 169.254.1.0 to 169.254.254.255. Picked
randomly from range/automatically assigned.
Extended Unique Identifier (EUI-64): Extends the
MAC address into a 64 bit value. The MAC address
is split into two 3 byte halves. A value of 'FFFE' is
placed in between these halves to make the address
64 bits in length. The 7th bit of the of the first half
of the MAC address is flipped to distinguish the
address as a local address rather than a globally
unique address.
Multicast: One to many of many communication
(only those who want it).
Unicast: One to one communication.
Anycast: One to one of many communication (data
is delivered only to the closest device with the
correct anycast address).
Broadcast: One to all communication.
Link local: Same as APIPA.
Loopback: 127.0.0.1 - the address of the machine
you're using.
Default gateway: The IP address of the device which
provides a gateway out of the network. The router.
IPv4 subnetting: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?
list=PLIFyRwBY_4bQUE4IB5c4VPRyDoLgOdExE
Classless (variable length subnet mask): See CIDR
notation.
Classful
A: Leading bits: 1 - 127. Subnet mask:
255.0.0.0.
B: Leading bits: 128 - 191. Subnet mask:
255.255.0.0
C: Leading bits: 192 - 223. Subnet mask:
255.255.255.0
D: Leading bits: 224 - 239. Used for
multicast.
https://duncanbennie.com/comptia-network+-n10-008-study-notes/notes/CompTIA Network+ N10-008.html
10/47
4/24/23, 9:03 PM
CompTIA Network+ N10-008
E: Leading bits: 240 - 254. Reserved.
Classless Inter Domain Routing (CIDR): Ones on
the left (network), zeroes on the right (host).
IPv6 concepts: 128 bit address. First half of address (the first
64 bits) is typically associated with the subnet. The second
half is created by combining 1. The first three bytes of the
MAC address (with the 7th bit flipped), 2. FFFE, 3. The last 3
bytes of the MAC address.
Tunnelling: 6to4 addressing allows sending of IPv6
traffic over an IPv4 network. 4to6 does the opposite.
No NAT and requires router relays. Teredo
(Windows)/Miredo (Linux/BSD/macOS) allow
tunnelling of IPv6 through NATed IPv4 networks
with no special routers needed.
Dual stack: Running both IPv4 and IPv6
simultaneously.
Shorthand notation: Leading zeroes are optional.
Groups of zeroes can be removed and replaced with
a double colon (this can only be done once per
address).
Router advertisement: IPv6 has no broadcast
functionality and therefore no ARP. Instead, this is is
managed by Neighbour Discovery Protocol (NDP)
using multicast.
Stateless address autoconfiguration (SLAAC): The
automatic configuration of IP addresses (without a
DHCP server).
Virtual IP (VIP): An IP address not associated with a physical
network adapter.
Subinterfaces: One physical network interface handling
multiple VLANs.
1.5 Explain common ports and
protocols, their application, and
encrypted alternatives.
Protocols
Ports
Description
https://duncanbennie.com/comptia-network+-n10-008-study-notes/notes/CompTIA Network+ N10-008.html
11/47
4/24/23, 9:03 PM
CompTIA Network+ N10-008
File Transfer Protocol
(FTP)
20/21
Transfers files.
Secure Shell (SSH)
22
Facilitates secure, remote,
shell access.
22
Provides secure file access,
transfer, and
management.
Telnet
23
Unsecured bi-directional
interactive text
communication.
Simple Mail Transfer
Protocol (SMTP)
25
Allows for server to server
email communication.
Domain Name System
(DNS)
53
Decentralised database
used to identify
computers.
Dynamic Host
Configuration Protocol
(DHCP)
67/68
Automatically assigns IP
addresses.
Trivial File Transfer
Protocol (TFTP)
69
Simple file transfer
protocol.
Hypertext Transfer
Protocol (HTTP)
80
Transfers hypertext.
Post Office Protocol v3
(POP3)
110
Provides basic mail
transfer functionality.
Secure File Transfer
Protocol (SFTP)
Network Time Protocol
123
(NTP)
Synchronises clocks
among network devices.
Internet Message
143
Access Protocol (IMAP)
Send, receives, and allows
management of email on
a remote server.
Simple Network
Management Protocol
(SNMP)
Gathers stats from
network devices. Has
notification functionality.
161/162
https://duncanbennie.com/comptia-network+-n10-008-study-notes/notes/CompTIA Network+ N10-008.html
12/47
4/24/23, 9:03 PM
CompTIA Network+ N10-008
Lightweight Directory
389
Access Protocol (LDAP)
A protocol for accessing
and maintaining
distributed directory
information services.
Hypertext Transfer
Protocol Secure
(HTTPS) [Secure
Sockets Layer (SSL)]
443
Self explanatory.
Hypertext Transfer
Protocol Secure
(HTTPS) [Transport
Layer Security (TLS)]
443
Self explanatory.
Server Message Block
(SMB)
445
Windows file sharing
protocol.
Syslog
514
A protocol for sending
and receiving system logs.
SMTP TLS
587
Self explanatory.
Lightweight Directory
Access Protocol (over
SSL) (LDAPS)
636
Self explanatory.
IMAP over SSL
993
Self explanatory.
POP3 over SSL
995
Self explanatory.
Structured Query
Language (SQL) Server
1433
Databases.
SQLnet
1521
Databases.
MySQL
3306
Databases.
Remote Desktop
Protocol (RDP)
3389
Microsoft's proprietary
remote system access
protocol.
Session Initiation
Protocol (SIP)
5060/5061 Used for VOIP.
IP protocol types
https://duncanbennie.com/comptia-network+-n10-008-study-notes/notes/CompTIA Network+ N10-008.html
13/47
4/24/23, 9:03 PM
CompTIA Network+ N10-008
Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP): A basic
communication protocol, usually used by network
devices, including routers, to send error messages
and operational information indicating success or
failure when communicating with another IP
address. Ping uses ICMP.
TCP: https://i.ibb.co/wznfjgr/jrbdgx5j7md51.jpg
UDP: https://i.ibb.co/wznfjgr/jrbdgx5j7md51.jpg
Generic Routing Encapsulation (GRE): Creates a
tunnel between two IP endpoints, making them
appear to be directly connected. No encryption.
Internet Protocol Security (IPSec): A VPN protocol.
Provides encryption and security of data over OSI
layer 3.
Authentication Header (AH): Includes a
hash of the IP packet and a shared key.
Encapsulating Security Payload (ESP):
Encrypts the packet. Adds a header, trailer,
and an Integrity Check Value.
Connectionless vs connection-oriented: The main
differentiator between TCP & UDP.
1.6 Explain the use and purpose of
network services.
Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP): Automatic
assignment of IP addresses to devices on the local network.
Confined to the local subnet. Uses the IPv4 broadcast
domain. Stops at the router.
Scope: A single configurable contiguous pool of IP
addresses that can be leased to clients.
Exclusion ranges: A configurable range of IPs that
do not get leased to clients.
Reservation: See static assignment.
Dynamic assignment: The server has a pool of
addresses to hand out, they get reclaimed after a
lease period (if unused).
https://duncanbennie.com/comptia-network+-n10-008-study-notes/notes/CompTIA Network+ N10-008.html
14/47
4/24/23, 9:03 PM
CompTIA Network+ N10-008
Static assignment: Hosts get designated a static IP
address by the DHCP server. Hosts are identified by
MAC address.
Lease time: DHCP addresses renew at the following
times, in the following order - T1: 50% of the lease
time; T2: 87.5% (7/8ths) of the lease time, from any
DHCP server. T2 only takes effect if the original
DHCP server is down.
DHCP relay: Routers can be configured as DHCP
relays in order to extend DHCP functionality
beyond the local subnet.
IP helper/UDP forwarding: See DHCP relay.
DNS: Domain Name System. Used to translate domain
names to IP addresses.
Record types
Address (A vs AAAA): A = IPv4 address;
AAAA = IPv6 address.
Canonical name (CNAME): Aliasing.
Mail exchange (MX): Defines the host
name for a mail server.
Start of authority (SOA): Meta DNS info.
Pointer (PTR): Provides info for reverse DNS
lookups.
Text (TXT): Human readable information.
Commonly used for Sender Policy
Framework (SPF) and Domain Keys
Identified Mail (DKIM).
Service (SRV): A record pointing to other
services on the domain (i.e. LDAP, VOIP).
Name server (NS): Lists the nameservers
associated with the domain.
Global hierarchy
Root DNS servers: 13 root server clusters.
Internal vs external: Self explanatory: where are the
DNS servers?
Zone transfers: Zone transfers are used to copy a
domain’s database from a primary server to a
https://duncanbennie.com/comptia-network+-n10-008-study-notes/notes/CompTIA Network+ N10-008.html
15/47
4/24/23, 9:03 PM
CompTIA Network+ N10-008
secondary server.
Authoritative name servers: Cached responses are
non-authoritative.
Time to live (TTL): Configured on the authoritative
server. Specifies how long a cache is valid in
seconds.
DNS caching: The storage of retrieved DNS results
on a host.
Reverse DNS: Provide the DNS server with an IP
address and receive a Fully Qualified Domain
Name (FQDN) in return.
Reverse lookup: dig -x 93.184.216.34. Provide the
DNS server with an IP address and receive a Fully
Qualified Domain Name (FQDN) in return.
Forward lookup: dig www.example.com. Provide
the DNS server with a FQDN. Receive an IP address
in return.
Recursive lookup: Single query from client. DNS
servers communicate between each other to sort
out the rest.
Iterative lookup: The host initiates all queries.
NTP: Network Time Protocol.
Stratum: Measure of accuracy. Starts at 0, which
would be an atomic clock. Stratum 1 would be a
primary time server. A device that pull time from a
Stratum 1 device would be a Stratum 2 device.
Clients: A device that gets its NTP info from an NTP
server.
Server: A device that provides NTP info to NTP
clients.
1.7 Explain basic corporate and
datacenter network architecture.
Three-tiered
Core: Web servers, databases, server applications.
https://duncanbennie.com/comptia-network+-n10-008-study-notes/notes/CompTIA Network+ N10-008.html
16/47
4/24/23, 9:03 PM
CompTIA Network+ N10-008
Distribution/Aggregation: Manages
communication between users and the core.
Access/Edge: User facing infrastructure.
Workstations, printers.
Software defined networking: Replacing physical
networking devices with virtual versions. Split into separate,
functional layers.
Application layer/management plane: End user
facing management of the control layer.
Control layer: Manages the infrastructure
layer/control plane. Contains internal resources
such as routing tables, session tables, and NAT
tables.
Infrastructure layer/data plane: Does the "real"
networking. Virtual switches, routers, and firewalls.
Spine and leaf: Services connect to leaf switches, leaf
switches connect to spine switches. Spine switches are fully
meshed with leaf switches. Leaf switches do not connect to
each other. Spine switches do not connect to each other.
Top-of-rack switching: A conceptual hierarchical
topology. Leaf switches are "on top" of hosts, etc.
Traffic flows
North-South: Traffic that is travelling in/out of the
datacenter.
East-West: Traffic between devices in the same
datacenter.
Network locations
Branch office: Local.
On-prem datacenter: A wholly self managed
datacenter.
Colocation: Your hardware in a datacenter
managed by another company.
Storage Area Networks (SAN): Appears as a local device to
end users. Block level storage/access. Requires a lot
bandwidth, may use an isolated network.
Connection types
https://duncanbennie.com/comptia-network+-n10-008-study-notes/notes/CompTIA Network+ N10-008.html
17/47
4/24/23, 9:03 PM
CompTIA Network+ N10-008
Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE): No
special hardware required, integratable
with FC setups.
Fibre Channel (FC): A specialised high
speed topology used for SANs. 2, 4, 8, and
16Gbps transfer rates. Requires a special FC
switch.
Internet Small Computer Systems Interface
(iSCSI): SCSI over a network.
1.8 Summarise cloud concepts and
connectivity options.
Deployment model
Public: Available publicly over the internet.
Private: Your own (virtualised) datacenter.
Hybrid: A mixture of private and public.
Community: Resources shared by several
organisations.
Service models
Software as a Service (SaaS): On demand,
externally hosted software.
Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS): Self managed
remote hardware.
Platform as a Service (PaaS): Serverless. No
management required, ready for development.
Desktop as a Service (DaaS): PC becomes a thin
client.
Infrastructure as code: Using code to define and deploy
remote infrastructure. Entire servers can be deployed and/or
destroyed instantly.
Automation/Orchestration: Saltstack, Ansible etc.
Connectivity options
Virtual Private Network (VPN): Site to site
encrypted tunnelling.
https://duncanbennie.com/comptia-network+-n10-008-study-notes/notes/CompTIA Network+ N10-008.html
18/47
4/24/23, 9:03 PM
CompTIA Network+ N10-008
Private-direct connection to cloud provider:
Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) endpoint to cloud
provider.
Multitenancy: Shared hosting.
Elasticity: Rapid scaling of resources.
Scalability: See elasticity.
Security implications: Need to be adjusted according to the
context.
2. Network Implementations
2.1 Compare and contrast various
devices, their features, and their
appropriate placement on the
network.
Networking devices
Layer 2 switch: Layer 2 device. Forwards packets
based on destination MAC addresses.
Layer 3 capable switch: Layer 3 device. Managed
switch. Switch/router/firewall, all in one.
Router: Layer 3 device. Routes traffics between IP
subnets.
Hub: Layer 1 device. Half duplex. Any incoming
traffic is repeated out to all other ports.
Access Point: Layer 2 device. Extends a wired
network onto a wireless network.
Bridge: Layer 2 device. A switch with not many
ports (2 to 4).
WLAN controller: Provides centralised
management of WAPs.
Load balancer: Distributes request load between
multiple web servers. Provides redundancy and
fault tolerance.
https://duncanbennie.com/comptia-network+-n10-008-study-notes/notes/CompTIA Network+ N10-008.html
19/47
4/24/23, 9:03 PM
CompTIA Network+ N10-008
Proxy server: Usually sits between users and the
external network. Handles requests and responses
on the users behalf.
Cable modem: A modem that connects to a cable
service over DOCSIS (Data Over Cable Service
Interface Specification.
DSL modem: Commonly ADSL. Uses telephone
lines.
Repeater: Layer 1 device. Receives a signal,
amplifies, and forwards.
Voice gateway
Media converter: Layer 1 device. Converts between
network mediums i.e. copper > fibre or vice versa.
Intrusion Prevention System (IPS)/Intrusion
Detection System (IDS): Analyses network traffic.
IDS alerts when attacks occur, IPS prevents attacks.
Firewall: Layer 2/3 devices. Filters traffic by port
number, IP address, or application.
VPN headend: A purpose built VPN gateway.
Networked devices
VOIP phone: Self explanatory.
Printer: Self explanatory.
Physical access control devices: Devices that
control physical access to rooms etc. Card readers,
biometric authenticators, pin pads.
Cameras: Self explanatory.
Heating, Ventilation, and Air-Conditioning (HVAC)
sensors: Self explanatory.
Internet of Things (IoT): The trend of connecting
random things that don't need to be networked, to
the internet. VLAN'd.
Refrigerators: Self explanatory.
Smart speakers: Self explanatory.
Smart thermostats: Self explanatory.
Smart doorbells: Self explanatory.
https://duncanbennie.com/comptia-network+-n10-008-study-notes/notes/CompTIA Network+ N10-008.html
20/47
4/24/23, 9:03 PM
CompTIA Network+ N10-008
Industrial control systems/Supervisory Control
And Data Acquisition (SCADA): Control of
factory/farm/warehouse/manufacturing
equipment, commonly seen on
https://computernewb.com/vncresolver/
2.2 Compare and contrast routing
technologies and bandwidth
management concepts.
Routing
Dynamic routing: Handle the updating of routing
tables within routers by seeking other routers
nearby while simultaneously advertising their own
presence.
Protocols: Determine the optimal routing
path.
Routing Internet Protocol (RIP):
Distance vector routing protocol
(takes the path with fewest hops).
Enhanced Interior Gateway
Routing Protocol (EIGRP): Distance
vector routing protocol (takes the
path with fewest hops).
Open Shortest Path First (OSPF):
Link state routing protocol. Takes
bandwidth into account, will take
the fastest route to destination
disregarding the number of hops
required.
Border Gateway Protocol (BGP):
Hybrid protocol. Uses distance
vector + link state criteria, plus
network policies and/or configured
rule sets to determine the optimal
path to destination.
Link state vs distance vector vs hybrid: See
above for explanation and examples.
https://duncanbennie.com/comptia-network+-n10-008-study-notes/notes/CompTIA Network+ N10-008.html
21/47
4/24/23, 9:03 PM
CompTIA Network+ N10-008
Static routing: You define where the next
hop will be by manually editing the routing
table. In routing tables, lower numbers in
the metric column have higher priority.
Administrative distance numbers also are
prioritised with lower numbers first administrative distances prioritise different
routing protocols.
Default route: Used if there are no valid
options in the routing table. The gateway of
last resort.
Exterior vs interior: In relation to the local
network.
Time To Live (TTL): A number attached to
packets that reduces by 1 at every hop.
When it reaches 0, the packet is destroyed.
Prevents indefinite loops from occurring.
Bandwidth management
Traffic shaping: The prioritising of traffic according
to protocol/application.
Quality of Service (QoS): Same as traffic shaping.
2.3 Given a scenario, configure and
deploy common Ethernet switching
features.
Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN): Segmentation of single
physical networks into multiple logical networks.
Voice VLAN: A separate VLAN for VOIP data that can be
prioritised over general data.
Port configurations:
Port tagging/802.1Q: The addition of a tag to the
L2 frame with VLAN info.
Port aggregation:
Link Aggregation Control Protocol (LACP):
Used in the management of Link
Aggregation/Port Bonding, which is
https://duncanbennie.com/comptia-network+-n10-008-study-notes/notes/CompTIA Network+ N10-008.html
22/47
4/24/23, 9:03 PM
CompTIA Network+ N10-008
aggregation of multiple switch ports in
order to make them act as a single
interface.
Duplex: Full duplex Ethernet can send and receive
data simultaneously. Half duplex Ethernet can send
and receive data, but not at the same time. Simplex
Ethernet can only send information in one direction.
Speed: Self explanatory? Ethernet/ports can be
built to handle different speeds.
10/100/1,000/10,000
Flow control: Implemented when data is being
transmitted faster than it can be accepted at the
receiving end. A PAUSE frame is sent, halting the
transmission of data for a specified amount of time
(represented by a two-byte unsigned integer (aka
up to 65535 seconds).
Port mirroring: Mirroring a copy of packets seen on
one switch port (or entire VLAN), to a network
monitoring connection on another switch port. Can
be also be implemented on virtual hardware.
Port security: Prevents unauthorised MAC addresses
from accessing the switch. AKA MAC address
whitelisting.
Jumbo frames: The typical MTU of an Ethernet
frame is 1,500 bytes. Jumbo Frame compatibility
bumps this up to 9,000 bytes.
Auto Medium Dependent interface crossover
(MDI-X): _Implements MDIX via software (so you
don't need to use a crossover cable).
Media Access Control (MAC) address tables: A table used
internally by layer 2 devices, which links MAC addresses to
physical ports/interfaces.
Power over Ethernet (PoE)/Power over Ethernet plus
(PoE+): Self explanatory. The + version increases the
wattage.
Spanning Tree Protocol: No TTL for Ethernet frames - only
IP packets - so loops can occur in switches and other layer 2
devices. STP identifies whether a loop would be created with
the devices current configuration.
https://duncanbennie.com/comptia-network+-n10-008-study-notes/notes/CompTIA Network+ N10-008.html
23/47
4/24/23, 9:03 PM
CompTIA Network+ N10-008
Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Detection
(CSMA/CD): On networks with multiple devices, CSMA/CD
defers data transmission until no other devices are
transmitting when a collision is detected. Jams all traffic
and each device begins to retransmit after a random time.
Address Resolution Protocol (ARP): A protocol for
retrieving MAC addresses via IP addresses.
Neigbhour Discovery Protocol (NDP): IPv6 version of ARP.
2.4 Given a scenario, install and
configure the appropriate wireless
standards and technologies.
802.11 Standards: 802.11 == WiFi
a: 1999, 5GHz, 54Mbps, 20MHz.
b: 1999, 2.4GHz, 11Mbps, 20MHz.
g: 2003, 2.4GHz, 54Mbps, 20MHz.
n (WiFi 4): 2009, 2.4GHz/5GHz, 150Mbps/600MBps,
4 x MIMO, 20/40/80MHz.
ac (WiFi 5): 2014, 5GHz, 857Mbps/6.9Gbps, 8 x DL
MU-MIMO, 20/40/80/80+80/160MHz.
ax (WiFi 6): 2021, 2.4GHz/5GHz,
1201Mbps/9.6Gbps, 8 x bi-directional MU-MIMO,
20/40/80/80+80/160MHz.
Frequencies and range
2.4GHz: Better range.
5GHz: More bandwidth.
Channels: Groups of frequencies, some overlap. Channel
width can be 20MHz, 40MHz, 80MHz, or 160MHz.
Channel bonding: Combining two adjacent wireless
channels to increase bandwidth/throughput.
SSID (Service Set Identifier)
Basic service set: MAC address of SSID.
Extended service set: One SSID across multiple
WAPs.
https://duncanbennie.com/comptia-network+-n10-008-study-notes/notes/CompTIA Network+ N10-008.html
24/47
4/24/23, 9:03 PM
CompTIA Network+ N10-008
Independent basic service set (ad-hoc): No AP
required.
Antenna types
Omni: Signal is distributed on all sides. Common.
Directional: Signal is distributed in a single
direction. Provides increased signal distance.
Encryption standards
WiFi Protected Access (WPA): 2002. Replaced WEP.
Every packet gets a 128 bit encryption key.
WiFi Protected Access 2 (WPA2): 2004.
WiFi Protected Access 3 (WPA3): 2018.
Cellular technologies
Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA): Each call
used a different code, which were used to filter the
calls on the receiving side.
Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM):
Had 90% of the market and worldwide coverage.
Used multiplexing.
3G: 1998. Several Mbps.
4G/LTE: 150Mbps. LTE Advanced (LTE-A) increased
this to 300Mbps.
5G: 2020. 100 - 900Mbps. Will eventually reach
10Gbps.
Multiple Input, Multiple Output (MIMO) and Multi User
MIMO (MU-MIMO): MIMO enables multiple streams of
traffic to be transmitted. MU-MIMO enables dedicated
streams per device(?).
3.0 Network Operations
3.1 Given a scenario, use the
appropriate statistics and sensors to
ensure network availability.
https://duncanbennie.com/comptia-network+-n10-008-study-notes/notes/CompTIA Network+ N10-008.html
25/47
4/24/23, 9:03 PM
CompTIA Network+ N10-008
Performance metrics/sensors
Device/chassis
Temperature: Self explanatory.
CPU usage: Self explanatory.
Memory: Self explanatory.
Network metrics
Bandwidth: The rate of data transfer.
Latency: Delay between request and
response.
Jitter: Time between frames i.e. in video
calls.
SNMP: Simple Network Management Protocol is an Internet
Standard protocol used to monitor and manage the
network devices connected over an IP. Different devices like
routers, switches, firewalls, load balancers, servers, CCTV
cameras, and wireless devices communicate using SNMP.
Traps: Network device self monitors/gathers its own
SNMP data (rather than having to be constantly be
polled by a remote workstation). The data on the
device is sent to a remote workstation when a
certain event occurs, or when data gathered
reaches a certain threshold.
Object Identifiers (OIDs): Object Identifier. This is
the data contained within the MIBs.
Management Information Bases (MIBs): A
database of statistics contained within network
infrastructure/devices.
Network device logs
Log reviews
Traffic logs
Audit logs
Syslog: A standard protocol for message
logging. Logs from multiple sources are
consolidated and organised.
Logging levels/severity levels: Not all logs have the
same priority i.e. debug and general information vs
https://duncanbennie.com/comptia-network+-n10-008-study-notes/notes/CompTIA Network+ N10-008.html
26/47
4/24/23, 9:03 PM
CompTIA Network+ N10-008
high level critical alerts. Configurable.
Interface statistics/status
Link state (up/down)
Speed/duplex
Send/receive traffic
Cyclic Redundancy Checks (CRCs)
Protocol packet and byte counts
Interface errors or alerts
CRC errors: Cyclic Redundancy Check error - occur
when Ethernet frames are corrupted.
Giants: A frame larger than 1518 bytes (unless
using jumbo frames, which can be up to 9000
bytes).
Runts: An Ethernet frame smaller than the
minimum size (64 bytes).
Encapsulation errors: Occur when Ethernet frames
that use incompatible encapsulation methods are
transferred between devices.
Environmental factors and sensors: Self explanatory.
Temperature: Self explanatory.
Humidity: Self explanatory.
Electrical: Self explanatory.
Flooding: Self explanatory.
Baselines: A standard level of performance for a network used as something to compare to when trying to identify
errors or other patterns in network performance.
NetFlow data: A standard statistics collection method that
involves a probe (a device within the network) and collector
(a device that receives the information from the probe).
Uptime/downtime: A useful data point for troubleshooting.
Defines whether a service/interface is up or down (and for
how long).
3.2 Explain the purpose of
organisational documents and
https://duncanbennie.com/comptia-network+-n10-008-study-notes/notes/CompTIA Network+ N10-008.html
27/47
4/24/23, 9:03 PM
CompTIA Network+ N10-008
policies.
Plans and procedures
Change management: A formal plan regarding
how to make a change to network.
Incident response plan: A formal plan regarding
what to do if a certain type of incident occurs i.e.
security incident.
Disaster recovery plan: A formal plan regarding
what to do if a disaster occurs.
System life cycle: A plan for physical asset disposal.
Standard operating procedures: Documentation
for standard procedures such as infrastructure
downtime, software upgrades etc.
Hardening and security policies
Password policy: The policy defining minimum
password requirements.
Acceptable use policy: Defines acceptable use of
company assets.
Bring your own device (BYOD) policy: Defines
whether or not employees can bring/use their own
device rather than a device provided by the
company.
Remote access policy: Documents security methods
required to be in place when requiring internal
resources from a remote location.
Onboarding and offboarding policy: Policies
defining how onboarding new employees and
terminating current employees should take place.
Security policy: Details all of the policies and
procedures regarding security. Contains many other
policies.
Data loss prevention: Policies defining how
sensitive data is transferred to/from/within a
network.
Common documentation
https://duncanbennie.com/comptia-network+-n10-008-study-notes/notes/CompTIA Network+ N10-008.html
28/47
4/24/23, 9:03 PM
CompTIA Network+ N10-008
Physical network diagram: A diagram showing all
network devices and how they are interconnected.
Floor plan: Shows the wired and wireless
networks within a building, including
access points and cabling.
Rack diagram: A logical diagram showing
the devices and layout of a rack.
Intermediate Distribution Frame
(IDF)/Main Distribution Frame (MDF)
documentation: The documenting of the
layout of IDFs/MDFs.
Logical network diagram: A diagram showing the
devices and layout of a network.
Wiring diagram: Self explanatory.
Site survey report
Audit and assessment report: A report, following
an audit, to validate existing security policies.
Baseline configurations: A measure of
"performance" over time. Ambiguous.
Common agreements
Non Disclosure Agreement (NDA): Agreement
between parties that certain information will
remain undisclosed.
Service Level Agreement (SLA): The minimum
terms for services provided between parties (usually
between customers and service providers).
Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU): Expresses
a convergence of will between two or more parties,
indicating an intended common line of action. Not
a contract.
3.3 Explain high availability and
disaster recovery concepts and
summarise which is the best solution.
Load balancing: Service load is shared among components.
If a component fails or the load is too high, the service is
https://duncanbennie.com/comptia-network+-n10-008-study-notes/notes/CompTIA Network+ N10-008.html
29/47
4/24/23, 9:03 PM
CompTIA Network+ N10-008
able distributed from the remaining components.
Multipathing: Multiple NICs in a server, each connecting to
their own router/switch to provide redundancy.
NIC teaming: Multiple NICs in a server, however the server
as a whole appears as a single NIC.
Redundant hardware/clusters: Having more than one of
each component in the network (i.e. switches, routers,
firewalls), so that if one device fails, an alternate can be
switched to (usually automatically).
Switches
Routers
Firewalls
Facilities and infrastructure support
Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS): A battery that
sits between equipment and the mains power,
allowing devices to stay powered for a short time if
there is a blackout.
Power Distribution Units (PDUs): A device with
multiple power outlets. Some have network
connectivity.
Generator: Self explanatory.
HVAC: Self explanatory.
Fire suppression: Self explanatory.
Redundancy and High Availability (HA) concepts
Cold site: An empty building/warehouse.
Warm site: A datacenter with empty racks. BYO
hardware.
Hot site: A (managed?) datacenter used for
backups, usually with a 1:1 copy of hardware and
data as the main hardware/data.
Cloud site: Using a cloud provider for typical
datacenter services..
Active-active vs active-passive: Having two devices
synchronised, for redundancy. AA: two devices,
synchronised, used simultaneously; AP: two devices,
synchronised, with only one device in use at a time.
https://duncanbennie.com/comptia-network+-n10-008-study-notes/notes/CompTIA Network+ N10-008.html
30/47
4/24/23, 9:03 PM
CompTIA Network+ N10-008
Multiple ISPs/diverse paths: Multiple paths
to and from a destination. Involves
advanced dynamic routing protocols.
Virtual Router Redundancy Protocol
(VRRP)/First Hop Redundancy Protocol
(FHRP):
VRRP: A virtual IP that points to
the router. If the router fails, the IP
shifts to the next available router.
The host/workstation uses the
same IP to reach the router and to
it, it appears nothing has changed.
FHRP: Configuration of multiple
routers to provide redundancy for
the first hop. If a router fails,
functionality is provided by an
alternate default gateway.
Meant Time to Repair (MTR): How long is required
to fix a certain issue?
Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF): Self
explanatory.
Recovery Point Objective (RPO): How much data
needs to be available, before the service/system can
be classified as "normal" or "available" or "back up
and running".
Network device backup/restore: Self explanatory.
State: The state of the network device.
Configuration: The configuration of the network
device.
4.0 Network Security
4.1 Explain common security concepts.
Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability (CIA)
https://duncanbennie.com/comptia-network+-n10-008-study-notes/notes/CompTIA Network+ N10-008.html
31/47
4/24/23, 9:03 PM
CompTIA Network+ N10-008
Confidentiality: Ensuring information is only
available to certain people.
Integrity: Ensuring data is transferred/stored
unmodified.
Availability: Ensuring access to information is
available.
Threats: People who have the ability to exploit systems.
Internal: Threats from people who are
authorised/have access to systems (i.e. employees).
External: Threats from people who are not
authorised/do not have access to the system (i.e.
not employees).
Vulnerabilities
Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVEs): A
database of known exploits and vulnerabilities.
Zero days: Yet to be published vulnerabilities.
Exploits: Taking advantage of vulnerabilities.
Least privilege: Granting all users the minimal amount of
privileges needed to do their job properly.
Role-based access: People are granted a set of permissions
according to their position in the organisation i.e. manager,
team leader etc.
Zero trust: Every device, for every user, has to be authorised
and approved before gaining access to internal resources
(every time).
Defense in depth
Network segmentation enforcement: Seperation of
networks, to ensure that no single person is able to
access the whole network and all devices on it.
Screened subnet/DMZ: A portion of the network
configured for public access.
Separation of duties: Ensuring that no single
person has "all" of the (security relevant)
knowledge.
Network Access Control (NAC): IEEE 802.1X.
RADIUS/EAP. No network communication until
authorised and authenticated (logged-in).
https://duncanbennie.com/comptia-network+-n10-008-study-notes/notes/CompTIA Network+ N10-008.html
32/47
4/24/23, 9:03 PM
CompTIA Network+ N10-008
Honeypot: Something designed to attract bad
actors.
Authentication methods
Multifactor: Multiple methods of authentication
required.
Terminal Access Controller Access Control System
Plus (TACACS+): An old remote authentication
protocol. Generally used for network devices.
Single Sign On (SSO): Single sign-on is an
authentication scheme that allows a user to log in
with a single ID to any of several related, yet
independent, software systems. True single sign-on
allows the user to log in once and access services
without re-entering authentication factors.
Remote Authentication Dial In User Service
(RADIUS): Provides a centralised server-based
database of user authentication details. Versatile.
LDAP: A protocol for reading and writing directories
over a network.
Kerberos: Authenticate once, trusted by the entire
system.
Local authentication: Authentication credentials are
stored on the local device. Manual and
cumbersome but reliable.
802.1X: See Network Access Control (NAC).
Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP): An
authentication framework, comes in many flavours,
tightly integrated with IEEE 802.1X.
Risk management
Security risk assessments
Threat assessment: Researching potential
threats.
Vulnerability assessment: Minimally
invasive tests to compare your
system/network with a set of known
vulnerabilities.
https://duncanbennie.com/comptia-network+-n10-008-study-notes/notes/CompTIA Network+ N10-008.html
33/47
4/24/23, 9:03 PM
CompTIA Network+ N10-008
Penetration testing: Attempting to actively
exploit any vulnerabilities within a
system/network.
Posture assessment: Ensuring a set of
requirements are met before a device is
authorised to interact with the network.
Business risk assessments
Process assessment
Vendor assessment: Assessing the risk of
data sharing with vendors/service
providers.
Security Information and Event Management (SIEM): A
centralised (documentation) database in which all security
events and information is recorded.
4.2 Compare and contrast common
types of attacks.
Technology based
Denial of Service (DOS)/Distributed Denial of
Service (DDOS): Forcing a service to fail, usually by
overloading a server with traffic.
Botnet/command and control: A botnet is
a system being maliciously controlled. They
are controlled from centralised servers
called command & control servers.
On path attack/Man In The Middle (MITM): An
attacker sits between a user and a web service,
intercepting traffic.
DNS poisoning: If you can modify the DNS server,
or the client host file, or send fake DNS responses,
you can redirect traffic to wherever you like (rather
than from where it was originally requested).
VLAN hopping: Hopping onto an alternate VLAN
on a network segmented by VLANs. Done by either
pretending to be a trunk connection, or
https://duncanbennie.com/comptia-network+-n10-008-study-notes/notes/CompTIA Network+ N10-008.html
34/47
4/24/23, 9:03 PM
CompTIA Network+ N10-008
encapsulating a second VLAN tag within the
"actual/legitimate" VLAN tag (double tagging).
ARP spoofing: Hijacking the ARP procedure in
order to have a certain device appear as another
device on the local network. Synonymous with IP
spoofing.
Rogue DHCP: A malicious DHCP server, overriding
the legitimate DHCP server. DHCP snooping can be
activated at the switch to prevent this.
Rogue AP: Unauthorised WAP. Can be used for
MITM attacks.
Evil twin: A malicious wireless access point with a
similar SSID to a legitimate network.
Ransomware: Software that encrypts your files. The
distributor of the software usually requests payment
to unencrypt the data.
Password attacks
Bruteforce: A known hash is compared with
the hashes of many possible iterations of
passwords, until a hash is found.
Dictionary: The same as a bruteforce/hash
attack, but uses words from the dictionary
rather than every single possible iteration
of characters.
MAC spoofing: MAC addresses can be changed.
IP spoofing: See ARP spoofing.
Deauthentication: A DoS attack which prevents
users from connecting to a wireless network.
aircrack-ng.
Malware: Malicious software.
Human and environmental
Social engineering
Phishing: The fraudulent practice of
sending emails purporting to be from
reputable companies in order to induce
individuals to reveal personal information,
such as passwords and credit card numbers.
https://duncanbennie.com/comptia-network+-n10-008-study-notes/notes/CompTIA Network+ N10-008.html
35/47
4/24/23, 9:03 PM
CompTIA Network+ N10-008
Tailgating: When an authorised person
allows an unauthorised person to access a
restricted (physical) location i.e. through a
locked door.
Piggybacking: The same as tailgating, but
with permission from the authorised
person.
Shoulder surfing: Someone looking at your
monitor over your shoulder.
4.3 Given a scenario, apply network
hardening techniques.
Best practices
Secure SNMP: SNMPv1 & SNMPv2 do not use
encryption. Use SNMPv3.
Router Advertisement (RA) Guard: IPv6 routers
periodically announce their presence. A malicious
actor could pretend to be a router, opening up
vulnerabilities. Switches can limit RA messages to
certain devices.
Port security: A MAC address whitelist for switches.
Only authorised devices are given access to the
network.
Dynamic ARP inspection: Inspection of ARP packets
to prevent ARP poisoning at the switch level.
Control plane policing: Protection of the control
plane in switches via firewall utilities and rate
limiting.
Private VLANs: The limiting or prevention of access
between devices on a VLAN. Used often in public
networks.
Disable unneeded switchports: It's best practice to
administratively disable unused interfaces/switch
ports.
Disable unneeded network devices: Self
explanatory.
Change default passwords: Self explanatory.
https://duncanbennie.com/comptia-network+-n10-008-study-notes/notes/CompTIA Network+ N10-008.html
36/47
4/24/23, 9:03 PM
CompTIA Network+ N10-008
Password complexity/length: Self explanatory.
Enable DHCP snooping: DHCP is inherently
insecure and unencrypted. Switches can use DHCP
snooping to essentially act as a DHCP firewall,
managing the DHCP connections.
Change default VLAN: Separate user traffic from
administrative traffic.
Patch and firmware management: Self explanatory.
Keep firmware updated.
Access Control List (ACL): Allow or disallow
network traffic based on things such as source IP,
destination IP, port number, time of day, application
etc.
Role-based access: Define network access
permissions based on role in the workplace.
Firewall rules
Explicit deny: Explicitly denying traffic
based on certain criteria (see ACL above).
Implicit deny: If traffic isn't explicitly
allowed, it's implicitly denied.
Wireless security
MAC filtering: Traffic filtering based on MAC
address. Self explanatory. Not that secure because
MAC addresses can be changed.
Antenna placement: Limit who can connect to a
network by limiting number of WAPs and placing
them strategically.
Power levels: Limit transmission signal strength to
minimum viable amount. RSSI (receive)/EIRP
(transmit).
Wireless client isolation: Devices connected to a
wireless network are isolated and cannot interact
with each other.
Guest network isolation: A network which can
reach the internet, but no access to internal
resources.
Preshared keys (PSKs): A key that can be
distributed, that is used to access a wireless network
https://duncanbennie.com/comptia-network+-n10-008-study-notes/notes/CompTIA Network+ N10-008.html
37/47
4/24/23, 9:03 PM
CompTIA Network+ N10-008
(rather than using a password).
Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP): An
authentication framework with different
implementations. Typically, users authenticate
against a database with credentials individual to
them (i.e. RADIUS).
Geofencing: Restricting access to a wireless network
depending on the users physical location.
Captive portal: A portal requiring authentication
before full network access is granted.
IoT access considerations: It's best practice to put IoT
devices on a separate network.
4.4 Compare and contrast remote
access methods and security
implications.
Site to site VPN: Direct network connectivity between sites
in different locations.
Client to site VPN: Access to a network, from remote
device/client. Traffic is encrypted.
Clientless VPN: Connecting to a VPN without client
side software i.e. via a web browser.
Split tunnel vs full tunnel: Full tunnel: all traffic
flows through the VPN endpoint; Split tunnel: only
traffic destined for the private network connected to
the VPN will travel through the VPN connnection regular internet traffic will not use the VPN
connection.
Remote desktop connection: Access a desktop environment
remotely. VNC/RDP.
Remote desktop gateway: A centralised gateway, requiring
authentication, granting access to multiple remote desktop
connections.
SSH: Encrypted remote shell access.
Virtual Network Computing (VNC): A remote desktop
protocol.
https://duncanbennie.com/comptia-network+-n10-008-study-notes/notes/CompTIA Network+ N10-008.html
38/47
4/24/23, 9:03 PM
CompTIA Network+ N10-008
Virtual desktop: A desktop where the hardware is in a
different physical location to the user/workstation.
In band vs out of band management: Out of band
management is an alternate way to interface with network
devices that does not require an internet connection i.e. via
a serial cable.
4.5 Explain the importance of physical
security.
Detection methods
Camera: Self explanatory.
Motion detection: Self explanatory.
Asset tags: The attachment of serialised tags to
your devices.
Tamper detection: Sensors that detect whether
hardware has been tampered with i.e. case opened
in UEFI.
Prevention methods
Employee training: Train your employees to snitch
on imposters.
Access control hardware: Self explanatory.
Badge readers: Self explanatory.
Biometrics: Self explanatory.
Locking racks: Self explanatory.
Locking cabinets: Self explanatory.
Access control vestibule: Multiple doors in a row,
only one can be unlocked at a time, prevents
tailgating.
Smart lockers: AusPost Parcel Lockers.
Asset disposal
Factory reset/wipe configuration: Self explanatory.
Sanitise devices for disposal: Self explanatory.
https://duncanbennie.com/comptia-network+-n10-008-study-notes/notes/CompTIA Network+ N10-008.html
39/47
4/24/23, 9:03 PM
CompTIA Network+ N10-008
5.0 Network Troubleshooting
5.1 Explain the network
troubleshooting methodology.
Identify the problem
Gather information
Question users
Identify symptoms
Determine if anything has changed
Duplicate the problem, if possible
Approach multiple problems individually
Establish a theory of probably cause
Question the obvious
Consider multiple approaches
Top to bottom/bottom to top OSI model
Divide and conquer
Test the theory to determine the cause
If the theory is confirmed, determine the next
steps to resolve the problem
If the theory is not confirmed reestablish a new
theory
Establish a plan of action to resolve the problem and
identify potential effects
Implement the solution or escalate as necessary
Verify full system functionality and, if applicable,
implement preventative measures
Document findings, actions, outcomes, and lessons
learned
5.2 Given a scenario, troubleshoot
common cable connectivity issues and
select the appropriate tools.
https://duncanbennie.com/comptia-network+-n10-008-study-notes/notes/CompTIA Network+ N10-008.html
40/47
4/24/23, 9:03 PM
CompTIA Network+ N10-008
Specifications and limitations
Throughput: Maximum data rate.
Speed: Maximum data rate.
Distance: Maximum distance of cable type.
Cable considerations
Shielded and unshielded: Shielding prevents
electromagnetic interferences. S = shielded, U =
unshielded, F = foil shielding
Plenum and riser-rated: Plenum rated cable doesn't
use PVC (or uses less toxic PVC), so as to be safer if
a fire occurs.
Cable application
Rollover cable/console cable: DB9 connectors.
Usually used for configuring network devices (these
days).
Crossover cable: Used to communicate directly
between NICs (without having a router between
devices).
PoE: Power over Ethernet.
Common issues
Attenuation: The diminishing of signal strength
over distance.
Interference: Self explanatory. EMI.
Decibel loss: See attenuation.
Incorrect pinout: Self explanatory. A cable tester
can diagnose pinout issues.
Bad ports: Refers to physical (RJ45) ports/interfaces.
Open/short: Open circuit/short circuit.
LED status indicators: Indicate connectivity.
Incorrect transceivers: Important to match single
mode/multi mode receivers when using fibre.
Different light wavelengths also use different
transceivers.
Duplexing issues: TX & RX should be set to the
same duplex configuration to prevent issues.
TX/RX reversed: Self explanatory.
https://duncanbennie.com/comptia-network+-n10-008-study-notes/notes/CompTIA Network+ N10-008.html
41/47
4/24/23, 9:03 PM
CompTIA Network+ N10-008
Dirty optical cables: Self explanatory.
Common tools
Cable crimper: Crimps connectors to twisted pair
cables.
Punchdown tool: Used for punching down cables
into wiring blocks.
Tone generator: Generates a tone at one end of a
wire, to help identify where the other end of the
wire terminates.
Loopback adapter: Loop an output back into an
input on the same device. Used for testing physical
ports.
Optical Time Domain Reflectometer (OTDR): Use to
estimate cable lengths, check impedance and
identify breaks or splices in the cable.
Multimeter: Used to check voltage.
Cable tester: Tests a cable to make sure its able to
transmit data and that the pinout is correct.
Wire map
Tap: Used to duplicate packet capture - similar to a
hub.
Fusion splicers: Allows two separate fibre cables to
be connected together permanently.
Spectrum analysers: Analyses wireless frequency
spectrums.
Snips/cutters: Self explanatory.
5.3 Given a scenario, use the
appropriate network software tools
and commands.
Software tools
WiFi analyser: Provides the ability to capture and
analyse WiFi network info/packets.
Protocol analyser/packet capture: WireShark.
Bandwidth speed tester: Speed test websites.
https://duncanbennie.com/comptia-network+-n10-008-study-notes/notes/CompTIA Network+ N10-008.html
42/47
4/24/23, 9:03 PM
CompTIA Network+ N10-008
Port scanner: Software to scan a network for IP
addresses and open ports. nmap.
iperf: Bandwidth tester.
NetFlow analysers: Allows the gathering of
network/traffic statistics from NetFlow probes that
have been installed on the network.
Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP) server: A bare
minimum file transfer protocol.
Terminal emulator: Self explanatory.
IP scanner: Software to scan a network for IP
addresses and open ports. nmap.
Command line tool
ping: Test reachability via ICMP and shows roundtrip time.
ipconfig/ifconfig/ip: IP/interface information.
nslookup/dig: Lookup information from DNS
servers. nslookup has been deprecated in favour of
dig.
traceroute/tracert: Determines the route a packet
takes to a destination.
arp: Used to grab MAC addresses known by the
local machine. 'arp -a' to view the ARP cache.
netstat: Displays local TCP connections, routing
tables, and other statistics.
hostname: Shows the FQDN and IP address of the
device in use.
route: Shows the devices routing table. netstat -r on
macOS.
telnet: Unencrypted text based remote
communication. Useful for checking whether a port
is open.
tcpdump: Used to capture packets.
nmap: Port scanner.
Basic network platform commands
show interface: Show the interfaces on a device.
show config: Show the device configuration.
https://duncanbennie.com/comptia-network+-n10-008-study-notes/notes/CompTIA Network+ N10-008.html
43/47
4/24/23, 9:03 PM
CompTIA Network+ N10-008
show route: Show the devices routing table.
5.4 Given a scenario, troubleshoot
common wireless connectivity issues.
Specifications and limitations
Throughput: Maximum data rate.
Speed: Maximum data rate.
Distance: Receivers distance from the access point.
Received Signal Strength Indication (RSSI) signal
strength: The strength of the received signal.
Effective Isotropic Radiated Power (EIRP)/power
settings: The strength of the transmitted signal.
Considerations
Antennas
Placement: Where are the antennas?
Type: Is it omnidirectional or
unidirectional?
Polarisation: The orientation of the antenna
in relation to the earth i.e. horizontal or
vertical. TX & RX should have the same
orientation.
Channel utilisation: If there are many users on a
single wireless channel, traffic congestion can occur.
AP association time: The time it takes for a device
to associate with an access point.
Site survey: Determine the wireless equipment and
usage in a certain area.
Common issues
Interference:
Channel overlap: If a channel on one
access point overlaps with the bandwidth
being used on another wireless device in
the same area, interference will occur.
https://duncanbennie.com/comptia-network+-n10-008-study-notes/notes/CompTIA Network+ N10-008.html
44/47
4/24/23, 9:03 PM
CompTIA Network+ N10-008
Antenna cable attenuation/signal loss: Attenuation
that occurs between the wireless access point and
the switch or other device.
RF attenuation/signal loss: The further away you
are from the antenna, the weaker the signal will
become.
Wrong SSID: Self explanatory.
Incorrect passphrase: Self explanatory.
Encryption protocol mismatch: Self explanatory.
Insufficient wireless coverage: Self explanatory.
Captive portal issues: Occur when user reaches
data limit, or exceeds allowed timeframe.
Client disassociation issues: A DOS attack that
prevents legitimate users from connecting to
wireless networks.
5.5 Given a scenario, troubleshoot
general networking issues.
Considerations
Device configuration review: Self explanatory.
Routing tables: If set incorrectly, traffic won't be
routed properly.
Interface status: Individual interfaces have their
own settings and statuses.
VLAN assignment: Is the device connected to the
right VLAN?
Network performance baselines: Gathering
information about the baseline network
performance can help identify trends and issues in
network performance.
Common issues
Collisions: Two devices trying to communicate at
the same time. Occurs by default on half-duplex
networks/devices such as hubs.
https://duncanbennie.com/comptia-network+-n10-008-study-notes/notes/CompTIA Network+ N10-008.html
45/47
4/24/23, 9:03 PM
CompTIA Network+ N10-008
Broadcast storm: Large numbers of broadcasts can
cause performance issues.
Duplicate MAC address: Will cause issues. Unlikely
to occur.
Duplicate IP address: Usually occur only when IP
addresses have been set statically, or when there
are multiple DHCP servers on the same LAN.
Multicast flooding: If multicast is incorrectly
configured, multicast will flood all devices i.e. like a
broadcast.
Asymmetrical routing: When packets take a
different route on their transmitting/receiving
paths. Can cause issues with NAT & firewalls.
Switching loops: When switches create a loop on
the network that constantly sends traffic back and
forth between two switches (i.e. causing an infinite
loop). No TTL with Layer 2 communications to
prevent this..
Routing loops: A loop between routers: Router A
has the next hop set to Router B, and Router B has
the next hop set to Router A.
Rogue DHCP server: DHCP is insecure, anyone can
spin up a DHCP server and start handing out IPs.
IP settings issues
Incorrect gateway
Incorrect subnet mask
Incorrect IP address
Incorrect DNS
Missing route: No next hop or default hop is set in
the routing table.
Low optical link budget: Lack of light on fibre
connections. Occurs when distances are too great,
or when there is an issue with the connectors.
Certificate issues: Certs may be expired, or the
certificate may be linked to the wrong domain
name. Certs will be invalid if the date & time is
wrong on your system.
https://duncanbennie.com/comptia-network+-n10-008-study-notes/notes/CompTIA Network+ N10-008.html
46/47
4/24/23, 9:03 PM
CompTIA Network+ N10-008
Hardware failure: Self explanatory.
Host-based/network-based firewall settings: Self
explanatory.
Blocked services, ports, or addresses: Self
explanatory.
Incorrect VLAN: Self explanatory.
DNS issues: No URLs will resolve.
NTP issues: If times are wrong, or unsynchronised
between client & server, many things will fail.
BYOD challenges: Difficult to secure. Use MDM.
Licensed feature issues: Software licences may not
be maintained during nuke & paves.
Network performance issues: Many factors.
https://duncanbennie.com/comptia-network+-n10-008-study-notes/notes/CompTIA Network+ N10-008.html
47/47