CompTIA Network+ (N10-009)

Understand the purpose of network standardization and how bodies like ISO, OSI, IETF, IEEE 802, ANSI, TIA, FCC, W3C, IEC, and ITU drive interoperability and common specs.

Explore encapsulation and decapsulation across the OSI model, tracing how application data gains layered PDUs and SDUs, then becomes frames and packets for transmission.

Explore physical and logical network topologies from star, bus, and ring to mesh and hybrid models, and examine north-south and east-west traffic flows in security contexts.

Explore RFC 1918 private addressing and NAT to conserve IPv4 by translating private IPs to a public address. Identify private ranges 10.0.0.0/8, 172.16.0.0/12, 192.168.0.0/16 as non-routable.

Explore the five IPv4 address classes (a through e), their ranges, and default subnet masks. Learn real-world uses, including class d multicast, class e experimental, loopback 127.0.0.0/8, and APIPA 169.254.0.0/16.

Explore the structure of IPv4 addresses, learn how subnet masks define network and host portions, and understand network IDs, broadcast addresses, and binary conversion.

Discover variable length subnet masking (VLSM) and CIDR notation to tailor subnets for 50, 30, and 10 hosts, boost IP efficiency, and prevent overlapping networks.

Implement ip addressing in Windows by configuring ipv4 and subnet masks. Troubleshoot with ipconfig and ping, resolve domain controller connectivity, and demonstrate IPv6 auto-configuration and DNS name resolution.

Explore storage area networks, a high-speed fault-tolerant fabric using fiber channel for block-level storage, with redundancy, and note iSCSI and fc over ethernet variants, plus NAS vs SAN concepts.

Configure PC and switch interfaces with IP addresses, subnet masks, default gateways, and DNS, using DHCP or manual settings, while tuning duplex, speed, VLANs, and layer 2/3 roles.

Explore how spanning tree protocol prevents loops on switches, using rapid spanning tree protocol (802.1w) and per VLAN spanning tree, with Ether Channel to increase available bandwidth.

Explain how service set identifiers define your wifi network name, distinguish ssid from bssid and basic service set identifier, and cover hiding, random naming, and roaming for security.

Explore wireless encryption through the CIA triad of confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Trace the shift from WEP to WPA, WPA2, and WPA3 with AES keys and personal versus enterprise use.

Learn how guest networks provide internet access via separate infrastructure, ensure isolation from corporate resources, and use captive portals with open, password, voucher, or federated login options.

Explore how different Wi-Fi antennas: omnidirectional, directional, parabolic, Yagi, patch, hatch, and sector, shaping coverage and support site surveys and optimized signal range.

Explore how access points vary by form factor and role, from autonomous to lightweight, and wireless LAN controllers enable lightweight APs to bridge wireless and wired networks in infrastructure mode.

Explore physical network installations from the main distribution frame to intermediate distribution frames and wiring closets, including patch panels, fiber distribution panels, and rack organization.

Learn how baseline metrics guide network management by tracking CPU utilization, availability, reliability, memory, and security; build CloudWatch dashboards and alarms to monitor performance and incidents.

Learn how port mirroring duplicates switch traffic to a monitoring station to observe unicast communications. Use local or port mirroring, via a remote VLAN, and enable only when needed.

Master disaster recovery metrics such as recovery point objective (RPO) and recovery time objective (RTO), plus MTTR and MTBF, to plan DR strategies and cloud recovery timelines.

Explore ldap authentication, including connection establishment, binding with a dn and password, and server validation. Learn how optional search and session establishment enable centralized authentication.

Explore deception technologies like honeypots, honey nets, honey files, and honey tokens. Learn how decoys lure attackers from the production network and reveal attack techniques to strengthen organizational security.

Identify, classify, control, and monitor risks while distinguishing vulnerabilities as specific weaknesses and threats as potential actors, including insiders, script kiddies, and advanced groups.

Explore network security defenses with device hardening, port controls, default credentials, NAC and MAC filtering, key management, ACLs, content filtering, and DMZ architectures to reduce attack surface.

Establish and test troubleshooting theories using simple fixes, the OSI model, and divide-and-conquer to isolate issues and guide actionable solutions.

Implement the solution by applying the action plan, initiating continuous monitoring, and escalating with the right experts while communicating findings and verification results.

Explore how interface metrics help troubleshoot networks by examining CRC errors, runts and giants, MTU, duplex, and drops. Learn to diagnose hardware, QoS, port status, PoE, transceivers, and cabling issues.

Diagnose IP addressing issues using 169.254 addresses (APIPA/PIPA), DHCP scope exhaustion, and static misconfigurations, and apply fixes like expanding the pool, shortening leases, and using reservations.

Explore linux network commands for troubleshooting, including ping for reachability and ip for addresses. Learn name resolution with dig or nslookup, and use tcpdump or mtr for capture and tracing.

Explore hardware-based networking tools, including cable cutters, strippers, crimpers, and testers. Learn to test, terminate, and trace copper and fiber cables in structured wiring.

Explore protocol analyzers and packet capture utilities, including Wireshark, learn pcap analysis, traffic filtering, tcp handshakes, and wireless network assessment with a wi-fi analyzer and speed tests.