CompTIA Network+ (N10-009) Overview — Format, What’s Tested & How to Prepare

Exam snapshot

• Certification: CompTIA Network+ — N10-009 (V9)
• Audience: Help desk → network support; junior sysadmins; anyone building strong networking fundamentals
• Recommended experience: ~9–12 months in an IT networking role
• Format: Multiple-choice + PBQs (performance-based questions)
• Questions / time: Maximum of 90 questions in 90 minutes
• Passing score: 720 (scale 100–900)
• Delivery: Pearson VUE (test center or online proctoring)

Study funnel: Read this Overview → work the Syllabus objective-by-objective → keep the Cheatsheet open for fast recall → validate with Practice.

What N10-009 measures (by domain)

1) Networking concepts (23%)
OSI model, addressing/subnetting, protocols, network functions, and cloud/virtual networking concepts.

2) Network implementation (20%)
Deploy wired/wireless connectivity, configure key services, and implement common routing/switching patterns.

3) Network operations (19%)
Monitoring, documentation, change management, incident response basics, and operational best practices.

4) Network security (14%)
Hardening, secure protocols, segmentation, AAA, and foundational security controls.

5) Network troubleshooting (24%)
Systematic diagnosis using symptoms, OSI reasoning, and tools (CLI + packet capture).

Readiness checklist (be honest)

• I can map a symptom to an OSI layer, then pick the right tool (ping/traceroute/nslookup/pcap).
• I can do IPv4 subnetting quickly (hosts, masks, network/broadcast) and explain default gateway behavior.
• I can choose between TCP vs UDP and explain why a protocol uses one vs the other.
• I know the purpose of common services: DNS, DHCP, NTP, SNMP, syslog.
• I can explain VLANs, trunking, and why segmentation improves security and performance.
• I can secure access with AAA (RADIUS/TACACS+), MFA/802.1X, and prefer secure protocols (SSH, HTTPS).
• I can use Wireshark/tcpdump at a basic level (filters, what a handshake looks like).

If you checked fewer than 5, spend two extra days on subnetting + troubleshooting drills before taking full mocks.

Compact 4–6 week study plan

Week 1 — Networking concepts
OSI, TCP/UDP, addressing/subnetting, NAT, core protocols.
Daily: 20–25 questions + 10 minutes subnetting reps.

Week 2 — Implementation
Switching (VLANs/STP), routing basics, wireless standards, DHCP/DNS basics.
Lab: build a small two-VLAN network in VMs (or a home router + managed switch).

Week 3 — Operations
Monitoring (SNMP/syslog), documentation, baselining, change control, common ops workflows.
Lab: interpret logs, build a simple “network diagram + IP plan” document.

Week 4 — Security
Segmentation, secure management, AAA, VPN basics, hardening checklists.
Practice: do scenario sets where you pick the most secure-but-realistic control.

Week 5–6 — Troubleshooting + mocks
2–3 full mocks under time; review every miss; re-drill weakest domains and PBQ-style items.

PBQ expectations (what to practice)

PBQs usually test “do you know what to do next?” using:

• Small topology diagrams (pick the right device/port/VLAN)
• Subnetting and address planning
• Command output interpretation (ipconfig, ping, tracert, nslookup, route tables)
• Basic packet or log reasoning (DNS vs DHCP vs TCP handshake issues)

Strategy: leave PBQs for the end, but scan them early so you know what knowledge they require.

Exam-day tactics

• First pass fast: aim ~60–70 seconds per MCQ; flag long stems.
• PBQs last: don’t let one PBQ consume 10 minutes early.
• Think OSI: if the link is down, don’t troubleshoot DNS; if IP works but names fail, don’t touch cabling.
• Ports matter: learn the core list (DNS/DHCP/SSH/HTTPS/RDP/SNMP/NTP) and eliminate distractors quickly.