CompTIA Network+ (N10-009) Study Guide
1. Networking Concepts
Understand the OSI and TCP/IP models.
Differentiate between common ports and protocols (e.g., HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, SSH, DNS, DHCP).
Recognize IP addressing concepts: IPv4, IPv6, subnetting, and CIDR notation.
Compare and contrast common networking hardware: switches, routers, access points, firewalls.
2. Network Implementations
Compare standard network topologies: star, mesh, bus, ring.
Install and configure wireless technologies and standards (e.g., Wi-Fi 6, SSID, encryption).
Understand VLANs, trunking (802.1Q), and inter-VLAN routing.
Explain WAN technologies: MPLS, Metro Ethernet, broadband.
3. Network Operations
Use network monitoring tools: SNMP, Syslog, flow data, packet capture.
Understand configuration management and baseline documentation.
Recognize disaster recovery and high availability concepts.
Use troubleshooting methodologies and tools (ping, traceroute, nslookup).
4. Network Security
Identify types of security threats and attacks: phishing, DDoS, spoofing.
Implement network hardening techniques: disabling unused ports, strong passwords.
Understand authentication and access control: RADIUS, TACACS+, multifactor authentication.
Use firewalls, VPNs, and IDS/IPS appropriately.
5. Network Troubleshooting
Troubleshoot common connectivity issues: DNS resolution, interface errors, DHCP failures.
Use tools: cable tester, toner probe, loopback plug, protocol analyzer.
Interpret network diagrams and topology maps.
Recognize symptoms and select appropriate diagnostics.