CompTIA Network+ Cheat Sheet (Updated for Latest Exam)

Comptia Network+ Cheat Sheet

You’ve made a brilliant decision aiming for the CompTIA Network+ certification. Given the deluge of information on networking and limited time to prepare for the examination, it can be difficult to decide what aspects of Network+ are high-priority items to review.

Our CompTIA Network+ cheat sheet is handy as an overview or a refresher in such a predicament. It makes an excellent companion to our Security+ cheat sheet, which excludes Network+ material, and it goes deeper into major networking topics than those briefly mentioned in our A+ cheat sheet.

Keep this CompTIA Network+ cheat sheet handy by downloading it here. When you’re ready, let’s dive in.

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About CompTIA Network+

The CompTIA Network+ exam tests your fundamental skills in essential computer networking functions.

You’ll need to answer at most 90 questions in this 90-minute examination and complete a survey after it ends. The passing score is 720 on a scale of 100–900.

The latest CompTIA Security+ exam code is N10-008, available from September 2021 to sometime in 2024. The exam objectives (domains) are as follows:

Network+ exam domains
CompTIA Network+ Exam Domains

Domains

This CompTIA Network+ cheat sheet arranges concepts according to our Total Seminars Network+ course subtopics. Diagrams put concepts into a visual form, and tables compartmentalize information. Here’s a key to finding items by domain:

Hashtag (Remember to type the # symbol)Domain (N10-008)
#nfNetworking Fundamentals 
#niNetwork Implementations
#noNetwork Operations
#nsNetwork Security
#ntNetwork Troubleshooting

Network Models

This section lays the foundation for all other Network+ sections.

DomainConceptElaboration
#nfOSI modelOpen Systems Interconnect:
1. Physical
2. Data Link
3. Network
4. Transport
5. Session
6. Presentation
7. Application

Memory aid: Please Do Not Throw Sausage Pizza Away
#nfUnicast/BroadcastOne/All network devices receive data
#nf #niDHCPDynamic Host Configuration Protocol

Cabling and Topology

Be careful: it’s easy to provide incorrect answers to exam questions related to the different fiber connector types.

DomainConceptElaboration
#nfNetwork topology• Mesh
• Star (hub-and-spoke)
• Bus
• Ring
• Hybrid
#nfTIA/EIA-568A1. White/green
2. Green
3. White/orange
4. Blue
5. White/blue
6. Orange
7. White/brown
8. Brown
#nfTIA/EIA-568BSwap “green” and “orange” in TIA/EIA-568A
#nfCoaxialF-type, BNC
#nfTwinaxial/twinaxHas two inner conductors instead of one as in coaxial
#nfTwisted pairRJ-45, RJ-11
#nfSTP/UTPShielded/Unshielded twisted pair
#nfFiber opticSC, ST, LC, FC, MT-RJ
#ntPlenum-ratedFire-resistant cable; compare with riser-rated, non-plenum rated, and PVC
#nfMultimode/Single-modeCables carry LED/laser signals
#nfUTP categoryDefine speed and length of cables:
• Cat 3
• Cat 5
• Cat 5e
• Cat 6/6a
• Cat 7
• Cat 8

Ethernet Basics

Recognizing the Ethernet naming syntax (10Base5, 100Base5, 1000Base5, 10Broad5, 10BaseT, etc.) is crucial to the Network+ exam.

DomainConceptElaboration
#ni #nt(Auto-)MDI-X(Automatic) medium dependent interface crossover
#ni #ntUplink portEnable connection between two switches using a straight-through cable
#ni #ntCSMA/CDCarrier sense multiple access with collision detection

Ethernet Standards

Familiarize yourself with 1000Base and 10GBase types (names, distances, node numbers, cable types, etc.).

DomainConceptElaboration
#nf1000BaseTMaximum cable length: 100m; max speed: 1,000 Mbps (1 Gbps)
#nfHalf-duplexFor one-way communication
#nfFull-duplexFor simultaneous two-way traffic
#nfGBICGigabit interface converter
#nfSFP, SFP+Small form-factor pluggable
#nfQSFPQuad small form-factor pluggable
#ni #ntSwitching/Bridging loopTwo or more data link layer paths between two endpoints
#ni #ntLayer 2 attackAttacks on OSI model layer 2 (data link)
#ni #ntFlood guardBlock malicious traffic from entering a network

Installing a Physical Network

Remember the following concepts in structured cabling:

DomainConceptElaboration
#nf66-punchdownTypically used in non-VoIP telephone systems
#nf110-punchdownFor copper-wired networks
#nfFiber distribution panelFor fiber-optic networks
#ntWiremapSimple test to confirm each wire terminates correctly
#ntTDRTime domain reflectometer
#ntOTDROptical TDR
#ntNEXTNear-end crosstalk
#ntFEXTFar-end crosstalk
#nf #ns #noMDFMain distribution frame
#nf #ns #noIDFIntermediate distribution frame
#nf #nsU (unit)Standard height for rack components; 19-inch wide and a multiple of 1¾-inch tall
#nf #nsDemarcSeparate the telecom company’s property from your responsibility

TCP/IP Basics

Review additional information on IPv4 on your own.

DomainConceptElaboration
#nf #niInternet Protocol (IP)IPv4 and IPv6
#nf #niTransmission Control Protocol (TCP)Connection-oriented
#nf #niUser Datagram Protocol (UDP)Connectionless
#nf #niIPv4 address32-bit number, consisting of four decimals from 0 to 255 separated by period (.), e.g., 192.168.1.1
#nf #niIPv4 loopback127.0.0.1
#nf #niAPIPA/link-local169.254.x.x
#nf #niClassless Inter-Domain Routing (CIDR)CIDR IPv4 addresses have a prefix; e.g., “/24” in “10.150.23.58/24” denotes a 255.255.255.0 subnet mask.

Routing

Review router-related abbreviations below.

DomainConceptElaboration
#nf #niBGPBorder Gateway Protocol
#niOSPFOpen Shortest Path First
#niRIPRouting Information Protocol
#nf #niMTUMaximum transmission unit
#nf #niIGP/EGPInterior/Exterior Gateway Protocol
#nfNATNetwork Address Translation
#nfPATPort Address Translation

TCP/IP Applications

Remember to check out our Common Ports Cheat Sheet.

DomainConceptElaboration
#nfNTPNetwork Time Protocol
#nfSNTPSimple Network Time Protocol
#ntIGMPInternet Group Management Protocol
#nf #ntIPAMIP Address Management
#ntNetworking troubleshooting toolsWindows: tracert
Linux:
• traceroute
• ifconfig
• pathping
• netstat
Well-known ports: unencrypted vs encrypted

Network Naming

Network administrators cannot skip this section.

DomainConceptElaboration
#nfDNSDomain Name System
#nfSOAStart of authority
#nfA/AAAADNS record for IPv4/IPv6
#nfCNAMECanonical name or alias
#nfMXMail exchange
#nfPTRPointer record

Securing TCP/IP

Review key network security acronyms here.

DomainConceptElaboration
#nsRADIUSFor authentication, authorization, and accounting
#nsTACACS+For access control
#nsKerberosFor authentication and authorization on wired networks
#nsEAPExtensible Authentication Protocol
#nsPEAPProtected Extensible Authentication Protocol
#ntPKIPublic Key Infrastructure
#nsSAMLSecurity Assertion Markup Language

Switch Features

The definition for VLAN (virtual local area network) is in the section Integrating Networked Devices.

DomainConceptElaboration
#niVTPVLAN Trunking Protocol
#ni #ns #ntSTPSpanning Tree Protocol
#ni #ns #ntBPDUBridge protocol data unit
#ni #noLACPLink Aggregation Control Protocol
#niQoSQuality of service
#niIDSIntrusion detection system
#niIPSIntrusion prevention system

IPv6

Here are IPv6 concepts for quick learning:

DomainConceptElaboration
#nf #niNDPNeighbor Discovery Protocol
#nf #niIPv6 address128-bit hexadecimal number, e.g., 2001:7120:0000:8001: 0000:0000:0000:1F10
#nf #niIPv6 loopback::1 (unicast)
#nfVLSMVariable-length subnet mask

WAN Connectivity

Review additional information on WAN construction by yourself.

DomainConceptElaboration
#nf #nsVPNVirtual Private Network

#nfWDM/BWDMBidirectional wavelength division multiplexing
#nfDWDMDense wavelength division multiplexing
#nfMPLSMultiprotocol Label Switching

#niGSMGlobal System for Mobile Communications
#niTDMATime-division multiple access
#niEDGEEnhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution
#niCDMACode-division multiple access
#nf #nsICAIndependent Computing Architecture (Citrix)
#nf #nsTightVNCTight Virtual Network Computing
#nf #nsRDPMicrosoft Remote Desktop Protocol
#nf #nsPPTPPoint-to-Point Tunneling Protocol
#nf #nsL2TP/IPsecLayer 2 Tunneling Protocol over IPsec
#nf #nsEAPEncapsulating Security Payload
#nf #nsGREGeneric Routing Encapsulation

Wireless Networking

The ubiquity of mobile devices makes mastering wireless networking a necessity.

DomainConceptElaboration
#niSSIDService Set Identifier
#niBSSID/ESSIDBasic/Extended Service Set Identifier
#niCSMA/CACarrier-sense multiple access with collision avoidance
#niDSSSDirect-sequence spread-spectrum
#niOFDMOrthogonal frequency-driven multiplexing
#niWireless Ethernet versions• 802.11a
• 802.11b
• 802.11g
• (802.11i)
• 802.11n
• 802.11ac
• 802.11ax
#niPoEPower over Ethernet
• PoE injector
• PoE+ 802.3af, 15.4 watts
• PoE+ 802.3at, 30 watts
#ni #ntWireless antennae• Omni
• Dipole
• Patch
• Directional/Yagi
• Directional/Parabolic
• SMA (SubMiniature version A) connector

Gain measured in dBi
#niWPA2Wi-Fi Protected Access version 2, encryption: CCMP-AES
#ntAPIPAAutomatic Private IP Addressing
#nsEvil twinFake Wi-Fi access point to trick people into choosing it over the genuine one

Virtualization and Cloud Computing

This section covers virtual machines and key ideas in cloud computing.

DomainConceptElaboration
#nfCloudConsiderations:
• Scalability
• Elasticity
• Multitenancy
• Security implications
• Principle of least privilege
Types:
• Public
• Private
• Community
• Hybrid
#nfHypervisor Type 1Bare or native metal
#nfHypervisor Type 2App-like VM on the operating system
#nfIaaSInfrastructure as a Service
#nfPaaSPlatform as a Service
#nfSaaSSoftware as a Service
#nfDaaSDesktop as a Service
#nfVDIVirtual desktop infrastructure
#nfIaCInfrastructure as Code
#nfvSwitchVirtual switch
#nfVPCVirtual private cloud
#nfNFVNetwork function virtualization
#nfSDNSoftware-defined networking

Data Centers

The prevalence of cloud computing makes learning about data centers a necessity.

DomainConceptElaboration
#nfFCoEFibre Channel over Ethernet
#nfFCFibre Channel
#nfHBAHost bus adaptor
#noFHRPFirst Hop Redundancy Protocol
#noVRRPVirtual Router Redundancy Protocol
#noHSRPHot Standby Router Protocol
#noUPSUninterruptible power supply
#noHVACHeating, ventilation, and air conditioning
#noPDUPower distribution unit

Integrating Networked Devices

Know the differences between every type of “area network.”

DomainConceptElaboration
#ni #nsIoTInternet of Things
#nf #niVoIPVoice over IP
#niICSIndustrial control systems
#niSCADASupervisory control and data acquisition system
#nf #niLANLocal area network
#nfWLANWireless local area network
#niVLANVirtual LAN; split one broadcast domain into two
#nfCANCampus area network
#nfWANWide area network
#nfSD-WANSoftware-defined wide area network
#nfMAN Metropolitan area network
#nfPANPersonal area network
#nfSANStorage area network

Network Operations

Network operations cover the actions needed to protect a network and its associated organization. Two main risks are security and business.

DomainConceptElaboration
#no #nsNDANondisclosure Agreement
#no #nsMOUMemorandum of Understanding
#no #ns #nfMSAMulti-Source Agreement
#no #nsSLAService Level Agreement
#no #nsBYODBring Your Own Device
#no #nsSOWStatement of Work
#nsIncident response• Forensics
• First responder
• Secure the area
• Document the scene
• Collect evidence
• Chain of custody
• Forensics report
• Legal hold
• Electronic discovery (e-discovery)
#noRPORecovery point objective
#noRTORecovery time objective
#noMTTRMean time to repair
#noMTTFMean time to failure
#noMTBFMean time between failures
#noBCPBusiness continuity plan
#no #ntAUPAcceptable use policy
#no #ntMDMMobile Device Manager
#no #ntCOBOCorporate-owned, business only
#no #ntCOPECorporate-owned, personally enabled
#no #ntCYODChoose your own device

Protecting Networks

This is a vital section, especially if you intend to embark on a career in cyber security.

DomainConceptElaboration
#nsCIA triadConfidentiality, integrity, availability
#nsHoneypot/honeynetIndividual/connected devices inviting attacks to capture information
#ns #ntRogue DHCP serverIP address is outside of the network ID
#nsScreened subnet (demilitarized zone, DMZ)Five components:
• External network
• External router
• Perimeter network
• Internal router
• Internal network
#ni #ns #ntMan-in-the-middle (MITM)/on-path attackIntercept a two-party conversation for one’s advantage.

Tools:
• Ettercap
Wireshark
tcpdump
#nsSpoofingDigital misrepresentation
• MAC
• IP
• VLAN
#ni #nsDTPCisco Dynamic Trunking Protocol
#nsITADIT asset disposal
#nsDNS poisoningExploit known DNS vulnerabilities
#nsURL hijacking/typosquattingTarget URL typos
#nsReplay attackIntercept data and replay later
#nsDowngrade attackForce a network channel to switch to an unprotected or less secure data transmission standard
#nsSession hijackingSeize control of a user’s browsing session to gain access
#no #nsBrute-force attackTrying character combinations
#no #nsDictionary attackUsing lists of probable passwords
#ni #nsVLAN hoppingAttacker can move from one VLAN to another
#nsCVECommon vulnerabilities and exposure: publicly disclosed list of security flaws
#nsCNACVE Numbering Authority
#nsZero-dayFlaw discovered by third party sooner than vendor
#ni #nsDAICisco Dynamic ARP Inspection
#ni #nsRARouter Advertisement
#ni #nsControl plane policingUse QoS to stop Denial-of-Service attacks
#ni #nt #nsFirewallFilter for network traffic.
- Hardware/software
- Stateful/stateless
- Network-based/host-based
- Context-/application-aware
#ni #ntUTMUnified threat management
#niACLAccess control list
#niDPIDeep-packet inspection
#nsVirusRun on a computer without the user’s knowledge.
Examples: Boot Sector, Macro, Program, Polymorphic, Stealth, and Multipartite.
#nsWormReplicate itself across a network
#nsTrojan HorsePerform useful functions superficially but runs malicious programs covertly
#nsSpywareSpy on a computer and record its activities.
Examples: keylogger and browser-hijacking adware
#nsRootkitGain administrator-level access to the system core undetected
#nsRansomwareHold a computer hostage until the user pays
#nsAdwareUnwanted software displaying advertisements
#nsRemote Access Trojans (RATs)Malware to remotely control an infected computer
#nsLogic bombStart a malicious program upon fulfillment of certain logical conditions
#nsCrypto-malwareMine cryptocurrency that enriches perpetrators
#nsPhysical controls• Deterrent:
○ Preventative
○ Detective
○ Corrective
• Recovery
• Compensating controls

Network Monitoring

Monitoring a network helps nip problems in the bud.

DomainConceptElaboration
#nsSIEMSecurity Information and Event Management
#nf #no #nsSNMPSimple Network Management Protocol
#nf #no #nsNMSNetwork management system/station
#noEvent Viewer, SyslogTools to display logs

Network Troubleshooting

Apply the six technical troubleshooting steps (same as A+) to networking problems.

DomainConceptElaboration
#ntAdditional considerations on the “establish theory” step- Top-to-bottom/bottom-to-top
- OSI model
- Divide and conquer
Technical Troubleshooting Flow Chart
Technical Troubleshooting Best Practice Methodology (borrowed from our A+ Cheat Sheet)

Conclusion

We hope this CompTIA Network+ cheat sheet helps your learning or career journey. Check out our other articles on networking, strictly exam-related test taking tips, and Network+ accelerated certification training programs, which include supplemental sample tests and chapter-end test questions. No matter where you go next, we wish you all the best.

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  • Cassandra Lee

    Cassandra is a writer, artist, musician, and technologist who makes connections across disciplines: cyber security, writing/journalism, art/design, music, mathematics, technology, education, psychology, and more. She's been a vocal advocate for girls and women in STEM since the 2010s, having written for Huffington Post, International Mathematical Olympiad 2016, and Ada Lovelace Day, and she's honored to join StationX. You can find Cassandra on LinkedIn and Linktree.

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