◆ The Apprentice's Roadmap ◆
Network+ Study Plan
The complete week-by-week roadmap for N10-009 — built around subnetting mastery.
CompTIA Network+ (N10-009) has the highest cut score in CompTIA's core trio — 720 out of 900 on the scaled scale, versus 675 for A+. That extra 45 points matters: it's the difference between a cert you can cram for and one that demands you actually understand the protocol stack.
Most failures on Network+ trace back to two weaknesses: subnetting that's "good enough but slow" and PBQs on routing/wireless that the candidate has never touched in a lab. This plan fixes both.
The five Network+ domains
- Networking Concepts (23%) — OSI, TCP/IP, ports, services
- Network Implementation (20%) — routing, switching, wireless, VLANs
- Network Operations (19%) — monitoring, documentation, change control
- Network Security (14%) — segmentation, secure protocols, basic threats
- Network Troubleshooting (24%) — the methodology + tooling that ties it all together
The 8-week plan (recommended)
About 10–12 hours per week. Take the exam at week 8.
- Week 1: OSI + TCP/IP fundamentals. Build a ports/protocols flashcard deck (memorize the top 40).
- Week 2: Subnetting boot camp. 30 minutes of subnet drills every single day. Don't move on until /27, /28, /29 are instant.
- Week 3: Routing and switching. Lab in Packet Tracer or GNS3 — at minimum, configure a router-on-a-stick with two VLANs.
- Week 4: Wireless (802.11 standards, security, troubleshooting) + cabling.
- Week 5: Network Operations + Security. SNMP, syslog, segmentation, secure protocols.
- Week 6: Troubleshooting methodology. Drill the CompTIA 7-step model until you can recite it from memory.
- Week 7: Two full timed practice exams. Continue daily subnetting drills.
- Week 8: Final practice exam, review weakest domain, sit the real exam.
Subnetting: the #1 lever on your score
Network+ PBQs and multiple-choice questions both lean heavily on subnetting. Build automatic recall on these patterns:
- Powers of 2 from 2⁰ to 2¹⁶ — instant recall
- CIDR /16 through /30 → mask, hosts, and increment
- VLSM: split a /24 into three networks of different sizes in under 90 seconds
The lab rule
You cannot pass Network+ without at least 15 hours in a network simulator. Packet Tracer is free from Cisco. Build, break, and fix a small network — the muscle memory is what carries you through PBQs on exam day.
Frequently asked questions
Is Network+ harder than A+?+
Yes. Network+ has CompTIA's highest core-trio passing score (720/900 vs 675 for A+), and it goes deeper on subnetting, routing, and protocol behavior. Plan for 80–120 hours.
Do I need A+ before Network+?+
No — A+ is recommended, not required. If you already understand basic IP networking, you can go straight to Network+.
What's the hardest Network+ domain?+
Subnetting consistently — Network Implementation and Troubleshooting both lean on it. Drill VLSM and CIDR until you can subnet a /20 in under 60 seconds without a calculator.
See the full Network+ exam page or check your pass probability.