20 MINUTESCongratulations! You have decided to tackle the prestigious CompTIA Network+ certification. Whether you are a seasoned network engineer pursuing certification to further your career, or a relative novice building your fundamental skills in networking, you’re in the right place. The fact that you’ve got the Mike Meyers’ CompTIA Network+® Guide to Managing and Troubleshooting Networks textbook and this Lab Manual in your hands shows that you’re serious about earning that certification. That’s a smart move!
As discussed in the textbook, the term networking describes a vast field of study, far too large for any single certification book, training course, or for that matter, lab manual to cover. However, armed with the textbook and this Lab Manual, you have the tools not only to pass the certification exam, but also to exercise the skills you will need to develop and grow as a networking professional. Ask any veteran network tech, and they will tell you that the key to being a good tech is working through the installation, configuration, management, and troubleshooting of network devices, cabling, protocols, and applications. That’s where this lab manual is invaluable. It will take you through hands-on exercises with cabling, switches, routers, and servers. You’ll configure protocols and services such as TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, QoS, VPNs, and many more. If some of these abbreviations are new to you, don’t worry; you will learn them all!
Another skill required by network techs is the ability to find information regarding network devices, protocols, and applications and their interoperability quickly and efficiently. Many times when you run into problems, it’s not necessarily a failure of one specific device, protocol, or application but a combination of the configuration parameters and interaction between those devices, protocols, and applications. Many of the labs will have you practice the art of researching information on these devices, protocols, and services as if your job depended on it. It just might!
To help you grasp these networking concepts, the following scenario is used throughout this Lab Manual. You are a newly hired desktop support specialist in a mid-sized IT consulting firm, ITCF. ITCF has clients of all sizes scattered all over the country. Client networks can be as small as a single insurance office with 15 computers to a financial institution with 1500 computers and dozens of servers.
You are CompTIA A+ certified, but are immediately encouraged to pursue the CompTIA Network+ certification. Maggie, one of the network technicians in the department, offers to mentor you. She believes that achieving the CompTIA Network+ certification will strengthen your fundamental understanding of networking and will really help when communicating with both customers and your new boss, CJ. You respect her advice and dive right in to a CompTIA Network+ training course—this course!
This chapter will show you how to prepare for the CompTIA Network+ exam, while the labs will take you through the steps needed to start studying for it. First, you’ll explore jobs that require or prefer CompTIA Network+ certification. Following that, you’ll make certain that you understand the important details of the certification itself. Next, you’ll look at how Network+ applies toward other IT industry certifications. Then you’ll formulate a study plan. Finally, you’ll schedule your CompTIA Network+ exam. Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines!
20 MINUTES
Becoming Network+ certified will open up many new doors for you in terms of jobs, salaries, and promotions.
This certification, in some cases, will give you a leg up on competition. In other cases, it’s a little like a union card, required for even a first interview. Some job listings list it as a requirement, while other listings categorize it as a preferred credential.
In this lab, you will visit employment listing websites. By the end of this lab, you will be able to
Recognize the huge advantage becoming Network+ certified will have on the start of your career
The materials you’ll need for this lab are
Internet access
Pencil or pen
Paper
To see what jobs out there require or prefer employees to have their Network+ certification, follow these steps:
Step 1 Launch your Web browser and head over to one of the world’s leading employment websites, www.monster.com. In the keywords text box, type “CompTIA Network+” (without filling in the other textboxes) and then click the Search button. The results will include hundreds of different jobs that require or desire candidates to have CompTIA Network+ certification.
Step 2 List ten different jobs that require or prefer candidates to have CompTIA Network+ certification.
Step 3 Some jobs will have salaries listed. What is the range of salaries for these positions that require or prefer CompTIA Network+ certification?
Step 4 Are you willing to relocate for a networking-related job? Filter the results by entering a city, state, or ZIP code in the textbox at the top of the page. Are there any jobs that require or prefer the CompTIA Network+ certification in the area you selected? Which one interests you the most?
The CompTIA Network+ certification is an industry-wide, vendor-neutral certification qualifying a tech’s basic skills in supporting networks, and knowledge of networking concepts. CompTIA Network+ is to network techs what CompTIA A+ is to PC techs: a valuable credential assuring clients and employers that you possess the aptitude and specific technical skills to implement and maintain computer networks on a variety of hardware and software platforms. To achieve this certification, you must pass the CompTIA Network+ exam at an approved exam administration center. The CompTIA Network+ certification requires just a single exam, unlike the CompTIA A+ certification, which requires you to pass two exams:
220-801, which covers computer technology fundamentals, installation and configuration of PCs, laptops, and similar hardware, and basic networking.
220-802, which covers keys skills needed for installation and configuration of PC operating systems, as well as skills for configuring common features (e.g., network connectivity and e-mail) for mobile operating systems Android and Apple iOS.
The new CompTIA Network+ certification exam, N10-006 (which replaces N10-005), is defined by a documented list of exam objectives separated into five domains. Each domain counts toward a percentage of the exam’s total scoring.
It’s important to understand what’s required to pass the Network+ exam, so you should become familiar with the exam objectives. Detailed Network+ objectives may be downloaded from the CompTIA Web site.
In this lab, you will visit the CompTIA Web site to download the latest CompTIA Network+ exam objectives. By the end of this lab, you will be able to
Define the objectives being tested on the CompTIA Network+ exam
The materials you’ll need for this lab are
Internet access
Pencil or pen
Paper
Many techs pursue certifications to validate their current skill set or to advance their careers. The Network+ certification not only meets these criteria, but also provides candidates with an excellent foundation in networking and serves as a stepping-stone to more specialized certifications.
CompTIA proudly states on their website: “The CompTIA Network+ certification is the sign of a qualified networking professional.”
To develop your understanding of the Network+ exam requirements, domains, and objectives, complete the following steps:
Step 1 Launch your Web browser and head over to the CompTIA Web site, www.comptia.org. Follow the links: click Certifications (top upper right) | mouse over Get Certified | click CompTIA Network+ | click Exam Objectives | fill out the form | click Get Exam Objectives to download the Network+ objectives as a PDF file. Web sites change often, so you may have to enter different information than at the time of this writing. Currently you must enter your name, e-mail address, and country before you can download the CompTIA Network+ objectives.
Step 2 Summarize the CompTIA Network+ exam objective domain 1.0, Network architecture.
Step 3 Summarize the CompTIA Network+ exam objective domain 2.0, Network operations.
Step 4 Summarize the CompTIA Network+ exam objective domain 3.0, Network security.
Step 5 Summarize the CompTIA Network+ exam objective domain 4.0, Troubleshooting.
Step 6 Summarize the CompTIA Network+ exam objective domain 5.0, Industry standards, practices, and network theory.
30 MINUTES
In addition to the value of the CompTIA Network+ certification itself, the IT industry recognizes that the skill sets defined by the CompTIA Network+ objective domains provide an excellent foundation for the pursuit of other established IT certifications. The CompTIA Network+ certification can be a great foundation, leading to some of the certifications offered by Microsoft and Cisco.
Because of the broad base of networking skills that it covers, the CompTIA Network+ certification will also give you a leg up on other IT certifications in the areas of network administration, server management, and cyber security.
In this lab, you’ll explore the benefits of CompTIA Network+ certification as it applies toward further IT industry certifications.
At the end of this lab, you will
List the IT certifications toward which CompTIA Network+ provides an excellent foundation.
Map out your own certification path beyond CompTIA Network+.
The materials you’ll need for this lab are
Internet access
Pencil or pen
Paper
The CompTIA Network+ certification is vendor-neutral. This means that the broad skill base encompassed by CompTIA Network+ can be used to launch the pursuit of further, specialized certifications with IT vendors such as Microsoft and Cisco.
Step 1 Navigate over to the CompTIA certification roadmap and Career Pathways Web site at http://certification.comptia.org/certroadmap.aspx. In the “Select a Career” pane on the left, click Network and Cloud Technologies. Expand the Intermediate, Advanced, and Expert categories to see their details. Which other IT certifications build off the CompTIA Network+ certification? What are some of the career directions you could apply the CompTIA Network+ certification toward?
Step 2 While at the CompTIA certification site, mouse over the Get Certified tab in the upper left-hand corner and explore some of the other certifications offered by CompTIA. Which of these do you think might build on some of the skills you develop while preparing for the CompTIA Network+ certification?
Step 3 Visit Microsoft’s certification Web site at www.microsoft.com/learning/en-us/certification-overview.aspx, and explore the requirements for the various Microsoft certifications. How do you think the CompTIA Network+ certification will benefit an IT tech pursuing these certifications?
Step 4 Now explore some of the organizations offering certifications on Linux at www.gocertify.com/faqs/linux-certification-faq and click the What Linux certifications are available? link. How do you think the CompTIA Network+ certification might benefit an IT tech pursuing these certifications?
Step 5 Next, surf over to the Cisco certifications Web site at www.cisco.com/web/learning/certifications/index.html, and explore the various paths to become a Cisco certified professional. How do you think the CompTIA Network+ certification might benefit an IT tech pursuing these certifications?
Step 6 Now that you’ve seen the more common certifications that relate to CompTIA Network+, what do you think will be a natural certification progression for you?
25 MINUTES
If you take a look at the certification blogs, I’m sure you will find candidates claiming to have passed some certification exam or other with little or no preparation. Though everybody is different, even seasoned network techs have to spend some time on areas that they are less familiar with to be successful on the CompTIA Network+ exam. The CompTIA Network+ exam is a thorough test of your understanding of a broad range of networking topics and concepts. As such, it can be very challenging. No matter how much networking experience and skill you possess, it is highly recommended that you develop a strong preparation plan to maximize your chance of passing the exam the first time.
With that in mind, your next step is to come up with a plan of attack for the CompTIA Network+ exam. Preparation is the key, so start by identifying what you need to study and how to go about studying.
In this lab, you will develop your plan of action for preparing for the CompTIA Network+ exam. To do this you need to deal with two issues: determining which topics you need to study the most and checking your study habits.
At the end of this lab, you will
Identify the CompTIA Network+ topics you need to spend the most time on
Develop a study plan
The materials you’ll need for this lab are
Internet access
Pencil or pen
Paper
The instructors of Total Seminars have taught the CompTIA Network+ certification for years and have helped thousands of techs achieve their CompTIA Network+ certification. Incorporating this experience, we have developed a handy template to give students some idea of what they need to study and how much time they need to devote to preparing for the Network+ exam. This template is essentially the same one that appears in the Mike Meyers’ CompTIA Network+® Guide to Managing and Troubleshooting Networks textbook, except that here we have added an extra step to help you determine which topics you need to study.
Step 1 Look at each of the listed skills and circle the corresponding number of study hours for that skill based on the amount of experience you have. Either you have no experience with it, or you have performed that skill once or twice, a few times, or quite a bit.
Now that you’ve got a feel for the topics that you need to concentrate on, determine your total study time. Add up all of the hours you circled in the previous table to get your base study time. Take that base time and use the following table to calculate the additional hours you’ll need to study relative to your work experience.
What is the estimate for the total number of hours you will need to study for the CompTIA Network+ certification exam?
Step 2 Now that you know what topics are important to you and how much study time they will take, you need to develop your study plan. First of all, take the amount of time you’ve set aside and determine how many days you will need to prepare. Consider work, holidays, weekends—anything that will affect your study time. If you’re in an instructor-led course, this is easy. Just use the duration of the course. Then break down your textbook into manageable chunks. Again, if you’re in a course, your instructor will certainly already have done this for you. You now have your deadline—the day that you will say you’re ready to take the test!
What is your deadline for taking the Network+ exam?
Schedule your exam with Pearson VUE. Don’t put this off—do it now! Get it out of the way so that you’ll feel you’re working toward a deadline.
In this lab, you’ll learn how to schedule your CompTIA Network+ exam with Pearson VUE.
At the end of this lab, you will be able to
Look at your scheduled appointment for your Network+ exam.
The materials you need for this lab are
A computer with Internet access, or a telephone
Payment method (credit card or voucher number)
There are a lot of very qualified, yet uncertified, techs out there in the IT world. Many of them have even gone through the training courses to get certified, only to postpone (sometimes permanently) taking the certification exam. To paraphrase Steve Jobs, real techs certify. Sure, some people scoff and say that certifications are just pieces of paper, but even competent, seasoned techs will tell you that certifications have only helped their careers.
Take the plunge! Schedule your exam for the CompTIA Network+ exam right now.
Step 1 Pearson VUE is the only organization that administers the CompTIA Network+ exam. Through Pearson VUE, you will schedule the exam at an approved exam administration center.
You can register online for CompTIA’s Pearson VUE exams at www.pearsonvue.com/comptia/. You can also register the old-fashioned way by calling Pearson VUE on the telephone. In the United States and Canada, call Pearson VUE at (877) 551-7587 to locate the nearest testing center and schedule the exam. Make sure you have a method of payment, either a credit card or voucher number, and some form of identification, like a driver’s license.
Here’s some great news: You don’t have to pay full price for your Network+ exam! Virtually every organization that provides Network+ training and testing also offers discount vouchers. In a nutshell, you pay a CompTIA member a discounted price, and in return you get a unique number that you provide instead of a credit card number when you schedule your exam. One provider of Network+ vouchers is Total Seminars. You can call Total Seminars toll-free from the United States or Canada at (800) 446-6004, or check the Web site: www.totalsem.com. If you don’t buy your voucher from us, for goodness’ sake, buy one from some other organization.
When are you scheduled to sit for the CompTIA Network+ exam?
Cross-Reference
For details on taking the Network+ test, go to the CompTIA Web site (www.comptia.org).
1. You are interviewing for a network support position at a large business organization. The human resources officer, Trevor, isn’t familiar with the CompTIA Network+ certification. Can you briefly summarize the value of the CompTIA Network+ certification for him?
2. Preparing for and passing the CompTIA Network+ certification exam demonstrates that you have built a strong foundation in networking concepts and technologies. What might you list as your next step in certification?
3. The TCP/IP suite has become the de facto standard for networking protocols. Justin is studying with you, and while exploring the CompTIA Network+ Certification Exam Objectives, he notices many networking protocols listed. What are some of the protocols included in the TCP/IP suite?
4. Jason is also studying with you, and has been reviewing the CompTIA Network+ Certification Exam Objectives. He recognizes some of the network topologies that were covered on the CompTIA A+ Certification Exam. What are some of the network topologies you should be familiar with?
5. Jordan notices the letters VPN in the CompTIA Network+ Certification Exam Objectives. What do these letters stand for, and what is a VPN?
Use the terms from the list below to complete the sentences that follow.
approved exam administration center
Cisco CCNA Routing and Switching
CompTIA
CompTIA Security+
Microsoft MCSA
objective domains
Pearson VUE
1. _______________ is the organization that offers the Network+ certification.
2. The Network+ certification has a total of five _______________.
3. After achieving the Network+ certification, you might consider studying for other advanced certifications, for example, _______________, _______________, and _______________ .
4. Your Network+ exam must be taken at a(n) _______________.
5. _______________ is the organization that administers the Network+ exam.
