CompTIA A+ Core 1 Study Summary
Networking Fundamentals
Studied DNS, DHCP, IP addressing, and default gateway concepts. Practiced troubleshooting
scenarios including DNS failures, DHCP issues (APIPA 169.254.x.x), and network connectivity
problems.
Hardware Troubleshooting
Reviewed CPU, RAM, storage devices, power supplies, and motherboards. Practiced identifying
symptoms such as no POST, overheating, and system crashes.
Performance Issues
Learned to differentiate between CPU, RAM, storage, and GPU bottlenecks. Reinforced concepts
like bandwidth vs latency and their impact on performance.
Printers
Studied printer components including drum, fuser, toner, and rollers. Practiced identifying issues
such as faded prints, streaks, and smudging.
Wireless Networking
Reviewed causes of weak signals, interference, and connectivity drops. Practiced troubleshooting
device-specific vs network-wide issues.
Protocols and Ports
Memorized key protocols such as HTTP (80), HTTPS (443), DNS (53), SSH (22), RDP (3389),
SMTP (25), POP3 (110), and IMAP (143).
Troubleshooting Methodology
Applied step-by-step troubleshooting: identify problem, establish theory, test theory, implement
solution. Focused on choosing MOST likely and FIRST step answers.