Should I take A+ first?

Not required, and plenty of people skip it. CompTIA positions A+ before Network+, and if you have never worked with hardware or an operating system at a support level the ordering helps. If you already do that work daily, go straight to Network+.

Network+ is vendor-neutral and broader but shallower; CCNA is Cisco-specific and goes considerably deeper into configuration. Network+ is the easier first exam and the better fit if you do not know yet which vendor you will work with. Neither is a prerequisite for the other.

How much subnetting is on it?

Enough that you cannot avoid it. Subnetting sits inside the heaviest concepts domain and shows up again in troubleshooting scenarios, so be able to work it quickly on paper rather than reasoning it out from first principles under the clock.

How long is it valid?

Three years. Renew by earning continuing education units, by completing CompTIA's CertMaster CE, or by passing a higher-level CompTIA exam, which also renews Network+ automatically.

CompTIA Network+ (N10-009)

N10-009· Intermediate

Network+ is CompTIA's vendor-neutral networking certification. It covers the concepts (OSI model, addressing, routing and switching, ports and protocols), how networks are built and cabled, how they are operated and monitored, how they are secured, and how they are troubleshot. Troubleshooting is the single heaviest domain, which tells you what the exam is really about: not naming things, but working out why a network is not doing what it should.

Up to 90
Questions: 90 min
Duration: 720 on a 100 to 900 scale
Passing score: About US$369
Exam cost

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Exam facts reviewed August 2026 · Independent study resource, not affiliated with CompTIA

Who should take it

Help-desk and support staff moving into network roles, junior network and systems administrators, and anyone heading for Security+ or CCNA who wants the vendor-neutral groundwork first. CompTIA recommends A+ level knowledge and around nine to twelve months of networking experience. Nothing is enforced, so there are no hard prerequisites.

Skills measured

Domains and weightings as published by CompTIA. Full objectives →

23%Networking Concepts
20%Network Implementation
19%Network Operations
14%Network Security
24%Network Troubleshooting

Prepare with Kwizza

Free practice exam: full-length, weighted to the official blueprint, every answer explained
Study guide: focus areas for each domain, common mistakes, and exam-day tips
Exam objectives: the official domains, broken down skill by skill
Sample questions: real questions from our bank, with answers and explanations
How our exams are made: the quality checks behind every question

Frequently asked questions

Should I take A+ first?: Not required, and plenty of people skip it. CompTIA positions A+ before Network+, and if you have never worked with hardware or an operating system at a support level the ordering helps. If you already do that work daily, go straight to Network+.
Network+ or CCNA?: Network+ is vendor-neutral and broader but shallower; CCNA is Cisco-specific and goes considerably deeper into configuration. Network+ is the easier first exam and the better fit if you do not know yet which vendor you will work with. Neither is a prerequisite for the other.
How much subnetting is on it?: Enough that you cannot avoid it. Subnetting sits inside the heaviest concepts domain and shows up again in troubleshooting scenarios, so be able to work it quickly on paper rather than reasoning it out from first principles under the clock.
How long is it valid?: Three years. Renew by earning continuing education units, by completing CompTIA's CertMaster CE, or by passing a higher-level CompTIA exam, which also renews Network+ automatically.

Related certifications

CompTIA A+ (220-1201 Core 1): The support-level exam CompTIA positions before this one
CompTIA Security+ (SY0-701): The usual next step, and it assumes the networking here
Cisco CCNA (200-301): The same ground on Cisco kit, considerably deeper into configuration