CompTIA Network+ (N10-008) Certification Exam
Preparation
Key Objectives and Knowledge Areas
Certification Overview
• Skills Verified:
o Establishing network connectivity with wired and wireless
devices
o Maintaining network documentation
o Understanding network services and datacenter concepts
o Monitoring network performance and availability
o Implementing network hardening techniques
o Managing, configuring, and troubleshooting network
infrastructure
• Experience Required: 9–12 months in a junior network
administrator/network support technician role
Exam Accreditation and Development
• Accreditation: Accredited by ANSI, compliant with ISO 17024
• Development: Based on subject matter expert workshops and
industry surveys
Exam Details
• Exam Code: N10-008
• Number of Questions: Maximum of 90
• Types of Questions: Multiple-choice and performance-based
• Duration: 90 minutes
• Passing Score: 720 (on a scale of 100-900)
• Recommended Experience: CompTIA A+ certification or
equivalent, 9–12 months of hands-on experience
Exam Domains and Weightage
1. Networking Fundamentals: 24%
2. Network Implementations: 19%
3. Network Operations: 16%
4. Network Security: 19%
5. Network Troubleshooting: 22%
Networking Fundamentals
• OSI Model: Layers 1 to 7
o Layer 1 – Physical
o Layer 2 – Data link
o Layer 3 – Network
o Layer 4 – Transport
o Layer 5 – Session
o Layer 6 – Presentation
o Layer 7 – Application
• Data Encapsulation: Ethernet, IP, TCP/UDP headers, TCP
flags, Payload, MTU
• Network Topologies: Mesh, Star, Bus, Ring, Hybrid
• Network Types: Peer-to-peer, Client-server, LAN, MAN, WAN,
WLAN, PAN, CAN, SAN, SDWAN, MPLS, mGRE
• Cables and Connectors:
o Copper: Twisted pair (Cat 5 to Cat 8), Coaxial, Twinaxial
o Fiber: Single-mode, Multimode
o Connector Types: LC, ST, SC, MT, RJ, APC, UPC, RJ11,
RJ45, F-type
2
• IPv4 vs. IPv6: NAT, PAT, APIPA, EUI-64, Multicast, Unicast,
Anycast, Broadcast
• Common Ports and Protocols: FTP, SSH, SFTP, Telnet,
SMTP, DNS, DHCP, TFTP, HTTP, POP3, NTP, IMAP, SNMP,
LDAP, HTTPS, SMB, Syslog, SQL, RDP, SIP
Network Implementations
• Devices: Layer 2/3 switch, Router, Hub, Access point, Bridge,
Wireless LAN controller, Load balancer, Proxy server, Modems,
Repeater, Voice gateway, Media converter, IPS/IDS, Firewall,
VPN headend
• Routing Technologies: Dynamic (RIP, OSPF, EIGRP, BGP),
Static routing, Default route
• Ethernet Switching Features: VLANs, Port tagging/802.1Q,
Port aggregation, LACP, Port mirroring, Port security, Jumbo
frames, PoE/PoE+
• Wireless Standards and Technologies: 802.11 (a, b, g, n, ac,
ax), Frequencies (2.4GHz, 5GHz), Channels, SSID, Encryption
standards (WPA/WPA2), Cellular technologies (CDMA, GSM,
LTE, 3G/4G/5G)
Network Operations
• Performance Metrics: Device/chassis (Temperature, CPU
usage, Memory), Network metrics (Bandwidth, Latency, Jitter)
• SNMP and Logs: Traps, OIDs, MIBs, Traffic logs, Audit logs,
Syslog
• High Availability and Disaster Recovery: Load balancing, NIC
teaming, Redundant hardware, UPS, PDUs, Generators, HVAC,
Fire suppression
3
Network Security
• Security Concepts: CIA (Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability),
Internal and external threats, CVE, Zero-day exploits
• Authentication Methods: Multifactor, TACACS+, SSO,
RADIUS, LDAP, Kerberos, 802.1X, EAP
• Network Hardening: Secure SNMP, RA Guard, Port security,
ARP inspection, Change default passwords, Patch management,
ACLs, Firewall rules
Network Troubleshooting
• Methodology:
o Identify the problem
o Establish a theory of probable cause
o Test the theory
o Establish a plan of action
o Implement the solution
o Verify full system functionality
o Document findings
• Common Tools: Cable crimper, Punchdown tool, Tone
generator, Loopback adapter, OTDR, Multimeter, Cable tester,
Wire map, Tap, Fusion splicers, Spectrum analyzers
• Software Tools and Commands: WiFi analyzer, Protocol
analyzer, Bandwidth speed tester, Port scanner, iperf, NetFlow
analyzers, TFTP server, Terminal emulator, IP scanner,
Command line tools (ping, ipconfig, nslookup, traceroute, arp,
netstat, hostname, route, telnet, tcpdump, nmap)
4