The exam at a glance
The CompTIA Network+ (N10-009) is the current version of CompTIA’s vendor-neutral networking certification (it launched 20 June 2024 and replaced N10-008, whose English version retired in December 2024). Here is what you are walking into:
- Up to 90 questions in 90 minutes.
- A mix of multiple-choice (single and multiple response), drag-and-drop, and performance-based questions (PBQs) - hands-on simulations where you configure or troubleshoot something.
- Passing score: 720 on a scaled range of 100-900.
- Cost: USD $399 list price (authorized-reseller discounts run about $359).
- Valid for 3 years, then renewable through continuing education.
You get your pass/fail result immediately when you finish.
How it is scored
Network+ uses a scaled score from 100 to 900, and you need 720 to pass. This is not a simple percentage - questions are weighted, so there is no fixed “number right” that guarantees a pass. Treat it as a mastery bar, not a 72% target.
The big strategic point is performance-based questions. PBQs usually appear at the start of the exam, they take longer than multiple-choice, and they carry significant weight. Do not let them eat your clock. If a simulation stalls you, flag it, move on, and return at the end - an unanswered PBQ scores zero, but so does one you spent 20 minutes panicking over while leaving 40 multiple-choice questions untouched.
Are you eligible - and what does it cost?
There are no enforced prerequisites: anyone can register and sit the exam. CompTIA recommends you already hold CompTIA A+ and have 9-12 months of hands-on experience as a junior network admin or support technician. That recommendation is real - this exam rewards people who have actually plugged in cables, assigned IP addresses, and read a switch config.
- Voucher: USD $399 at list price, though authorized CompTIA partners discount to about $359 (prices vary by region/currency). Check the CompTIA Store for the current figure.
- Retakes require buying another voucher, so prepare properly the first time.
If you are new to IT, do A+ first. If you already work in networking, you can go straight at Network+.
Build a realistic study plan
Plan on 6-10 weeks if you study a few hours per evening plus weekends. Lean heavier than usual on hands-on labs and subnetting drills - this is not an exam you can pass by reading alone.
- Weeks 1-2 - Concepts (Domain 1): OSI and TCP/IP models, ports and protocols, topologies, cabling and transceivers, cloud connectivity. Start a running ports-and-protocols flashcard deck now and review it daily.
- Weeks 3-4 - Implementation + IP addressing (Domain 2): routing and switching, VLANs, wireless standards, and subnetting. Drill subnetting until you can do it in your head - CIDR, masks, usable hosts, block sizes.
- Week 5 - Operations (Domain 3): documentation, monitoring, SNMP, high availability, disaster recovery, and organizational processes.
- Week 6 - Security (Domain 4): zero-trust, common attacks, hardening, physical security, and authentication.
- Weeks 7-8 - Troubleshooting (Domain 5): the methodology and the tools (ping, traceroute, ipconfig/ip, nmap, cable testers). Do timed full-length practice exams and grind PBQ simulations.
Build a small home lab or use a simulator (packet tracer-style tools, virtual machines). Watch a respected free video series (e.g., Professor Messer) alongside the official Exam Objectives PDF, and check off every objective line by line.
The exam mindset / highest-leverage strategy
- Subnetting is your force multiplier. It threads through multiple objectives and shows up in PBQs. Getting fast at it earns points in several domains at once.
- Memorize ports and protocols cold (22, 53, 80, 443, 3389, 161/162, and friends). These are free points.
- Learn the troubleshooting methodology in order - identify the problem, establish a theory, test it, establish a plan, implement, verify, document. CompTIA loves “what is the next step” questions.
- Read the question for the keyword: “MOST likely,” “FIRST,” “BEST.” The wrong-but-tempting answer is usually there on purpose.
- Do the multiple-choice first if PBQs are slowing you down, then circle back.
Master the domains
- Networking Concepts - 23%: OSI/TCP-IP layers, appliances and their functions, ports/protocols/traffic types, transmission media, topologies and architectures, and cloud concepts (including SD-WAN, VXLAN, SASE/SSE). The conceptual backbone everything else builds on.
- Network Implementation - 20%: routing technologies, switching features (VLANs, STP, port aggregation), wireless standards and configuration, and IP addressing/subnetting. Heavily lab-driven and PBQ-friendly.
- Network Operations - 19%: documentation and diagrams, monitoring (SNMP, logs, baselines), high availability and disaster recovery, and organizational/process topics. Lots of definitions and “best practice” judgment calls.
- Network Security - 14%: zero-trust architecture, common attacks and mitigations, hardening, physical security, and authentication methods. Smallest domain, but easy points if you know the vocabulary.
- Network Troubleshooting - 24%: the largest domain. The troubleshooting methodology plus the right tool/command for cabling, wireless, and general connectivity issues. Expect scenario questions and PBQs here.
Common pitfalls
- Studying N10-008 material. It is retired - make sure every resource says N10-009.
- Skipping subnetting because it feels hard. It is the single most testable hands-on skill; avoiding it costs you across multiple domains.
- Ignoring PBQs in practice. If exam day is the first time you see a simulation, you will lose time and points. Practice them deliberately.
- Memorizing without understanding. “What is the next troubleshooting step” questions punish rote learners.
- Mismanaging the clock by sinking it into early PBQs. Flag and return.
- Confusing similar protocols/ports under pressure - drill the confusable pairs.
After you pass
Network+ is valid for 3 years. Renew through CompTIA’s Continuing Education (CE) program by earning 30 CEUs within your three-year cycle and paying the CE fee. The fastest single-step options are a CertMaster CE course (it bundles the CE fee) or earning a higher-level CompTIA certification - which renews Network+ automatically.
The natural next step is CompTIA Security+ (it also renews Network+), and from there into cloud (Cloud+), security analyst (CySA+), or vendor tracks like Cisco CCNA. Add the cert to your resume and LinkedIn, and note the exam version (N10-009) for clarity.
The week before, and exam day
- Take at least two full, timed practice exams and review every wrong answer until you understand why.
- Do a final ports/protocols and subnetting blitz - these are your guaranteed points.
- Confirm logistics: test center address or online-proctor system check, two valid IDs, and a quiet, clear room if testing online.
- Sleep. A rested brain subnets faster than a crammed one.
- On exam day: arrive/log in early, knock out the multiple-choice if early PBQs stall you, flag-and-return on anything that costs more than ~90 seconds, and answer every question - there is no penalty for guessing. Watch the clock at the halfway mark.
You have got this. Verify on the math, trust your troubleshooting methodology, and keep moving.