Everything you need to pass the N10-009 — exam structure, domain breakdown, a realistic study plan, the highest-priority topics, and links to every Network+ concept covered on IT Study Hub.
The CompTIA Network+ is the benchmark certification for anyone working in networking — IT support technicians who need to understand what's happening beyond the workstation, aspiring network administrators, and help desk staff who regularly deal with connectivity issues. It's the natural step after CompTIA A+ and a prerequisite mindset for Security+.
Network+ proves you understand how networks actually work — not just that you can configure a device, but why packets move the way they do, what happens when they don't, and how to fix it. The N10-009 version places heavy emphasis on troubleshooting (29% of the exam) and security in a networking context.
The N10-009 (current version) kept the same 5 domains as N10-008 but rebalanced the weightings. The biggest change: Networking Fundamentals dropped from 24% to 23% while Network Troubleshooting increased from 17% to 18%. Cloud and virtualisation content is more integrated throughout. If you're using study materials, make sure they target N10-009 specifically.
The foundation — OSI model, TCP/IP, IP addressing, subnetting, protocols, wireless standards, and cable types. If you understand how a packet moves from source to destination, most of this domain makes sense. Subnetting is the single most important skill here.
How you actually configure and deploy networks — VLANs, inter-VLAN routing, routing protocols, DHCP, NAT, and wireless deployment. Performance-based questions frequently show network diagrams and ask you to spot misconfigurations.
Monitoring, documentation, high availability, and remote access. Often underestimated — but 19% is ~17 questions. SNMP, syslog, VPN types, and high availability terms (HSRP, LACP) are the most consistently tested topics here.
Security from a network engineer's perspective — firewalls, IDS/IPS, wireless security, VPNs, authentication (RADIUS, 802.1X), and network attacks. This overlaps heavily with Security+ and gives you a head start if you plan to take both.
Scenario-based troubleshooting — given a symptom, identify the cause and the fix. This domain rewards candidates who have hands-on experience. Performance-based questions here often show a network topology and ask you to identify the fault.
Most candidates need 6–10 weeks to prepare for Network+, depending on their background. This plan assumes 1–2 hours of study per day.
Subnetting — appears in multiple question formats including performance-based questions. You cannot pass Network+ without being comfortable with subnetting. Practice until you can do it in your head, not just with a formula sheet.
Port numbers — memorise the full port table. Not just HTTP/HTTPS — SNMP (161/162), LDAP (389/636), RADIUS (1812/1813), Kerberos (88), Syslog (514). These appear in firewall rule scenarios, troubleshooting questions, and security questions.
OSI layer identification — given a description of a protocol, device, or problem, you must identify the OSI layer. Switches operate at Layer 2. Routers at Layer 3. Firewalls typically at Layer 3–4 (stateful) or Layer 7 (NGFW). ARP is Layer 2/3. TLS is Layer 5–6. This question type appears on almost every exam.
The Network+ includes performance-based questions — interactive simulations where you configure a device, draw a network diagram, or troubleshoot a scenario. They appear at the start of the exam. Common PBQ formats on Network+ include:
Network diagram drag-and-drop — place devices in the correct network zones (inside, DMZ, outside). Know where the firewall, web server, DNS server, and workstations belong. IP address configuration — given network requirements, assign correct IPs, subnet masks, and gateways. Subnetting skill is essential. Cable selection — identify the correct cable type (Cat6, fiber SMF/MMF) for a given scenario. Command output interpretation — given ipconfig or tracert output, identify the problem.
See the best courses, practice exams, and books for Network+ N10-009.
The N10-009 exam is 90 questions in 90 minutes — a tight pace that rewards candidates who can read scenarios efficiently and recognise what's being tested quickly. Roughly 75–80 questions are multiple choice; the remainder are performance-based questions (PBQs) that appear at the start of the exam. PBQ formats include drag-and-drop topology labelling, IP configuration tasks, cable type matching, and command output interpretation.
The most important tactical preparation: don't spend more than 90 seconds on any multiple-choice question and cap PBQ time at 5 minutes each. Flag questions you're unsure about and return to them. Running out of time is a common failure mode — candidates who get stuck on difficult PBQs at the start often don't complete all the multiple-choice questions.
Passing score is 720 out of 900. The exam is scored on a scaled scoring system, so question difficulty affects point values. Exam questions are not published, but consistently tested areas across candidate reports include: subnetting calculations, VLAN and trunk configuration concepts, wireless standards (802.11ax/Wi-Fi 6 vs predecessors), network troubleshooting command output interpretation, and routing protocol characteristics (OSPF vs RIP vs BGP use cases).
Candidates with A+ or equivalent background can be ready for Network+ in 6–8 weeks studying 1–2 hours daily. A practical 4-phase approach: Weeks 1–2 — cover Networking Fundamentals (Domain 1) deeply, focusing on OSI/TCP-IP models, subnetting, and ports/protocols. These are the foundation for all other domains and are directly tested at 23% of the exam. Weeks 3–4 — cover Network Implementations (Domain 2) and Network Operations (Domain 3): routing protocols, VLANs, wireless, and network monitoring tools. Weeks 5–6 — cover Network Security (Domain 4) and Network Troubleshooting (Domain 5): attack types, firewall types, and systematic troubleshooting using the OSI model as a guide. Weeks 7–8 — full practice exams, domain-by-domain analysis of weak areas, targeted review, and PBQ-specific drilling.
The most important single skill to develop for Network+: subnetting. Practise daily until you can work any /24 through /30 subnet in under 60 seconds. Use free tools like subnet calculators to check your work, but always do the calculation manually first — the exam won't give you a calculator for subnetting questions.
Network+ is the most widely recognised vendor-neutral networking certification and the most commonly listed requirement for junior to mid-level network administration and IT infrastructure roles. It demonstrates that you understand how networks are designed, how traffic flows, and how to diagnose and fix common network problems — skills that apply regardless of whether the environment runs Cisco, Juniper, Aruba, or any other vendor's equipment.
For candidates who want to move into networking specialisation, Network+ is the stepping stone to vendor-specific credentials like Cisco CCNA. The CCNA builds on the conceptual knowledge Network+ establishes but adds configuration skills (CLI commands, routing protocol configuration, VLAN configuration on real switches). Network+ first, CCNA second is the most common and most logical progression for aspiring network engineers.