CompTIA Network+ (N10-009) is the vendor-neutral certification that proves you can design, configure, manage and troubleshoot real networks. It is the natural next step after CompTIA A+ and our free Networking Fundamentals path, and it opens the door to network administrator and network engineer roles.
The OSI Model
The seven-layer map every networking technician uses to troubleshoot.
Tap or hover a part to learn more.
User-facing protocols.
Where apps interact with the network — HTTP, HTTPS, DNS, SMTP. This is what users and applications actually 'see'.
Check your understanding
1. Which layer do IP addresses and routers operate at?
2. TCP and UDP live at which layer?
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Why Network+ matters
A+ proves you're a capable generalist IT technician. Network+ proves you specialise in the thing that connects everything together. Employers use it as a reliable signal that you understand routing, switching, subnetting, wireless, security and — crucially — how to troubleshoot a network methodically when it breaks. Because it's vendor-neutral, the knowledge transfers to Cisco, Microsoft, cloud and security paths rather than locking you into one product.
What the exam covers (N10-009)
The exam is organised into five domains, each with its own guide in this pathway:
- Networking Concepts — the OSI model, ports and protocols, IP addressing, network types and modern cloud/SDN concepts.
- Network Implementation — routing, switching, VLANs and wireless: actually building the network.
- Network Operations — monitoring, documentation, availability, disaster recovery and keeping the network healthy.
- Network Security — firewalls, VPNs, access control, segmentation and defending the network.
- Network Troubleshooting — a repeatable methodology and the tools to diagnose faults fast.
Expect multiple-choice questions plus performance-based questions (PBQs) where you configure or diagnose something interactively.
How it builds on what you already know
This pathway deliberately reuses the same interactive explainers as Networking Fundamentals — the OSI model, subnetting, VLANs, routing, OSPF/BGP, firewalls and VPNs — so you reinforce the fundamentals while going a level deeper on implementation and troubleshooting. There's no need to relearn the basics; Network+ is about applying them with confidence.
Career path and salaries
Network+ typically leads to Network Administrator, Network Support and junior Network Engineer roles, commonly paying £30,000–£45,000 in the UK and rising with experience. The usual progression is:
A+ → Network+ → Security+ → Cisco CCNA / cloud networking → Network Engineer / Security Engineer.
How to prepare
Work through the five domain guides in order, get hands-on in a lab (Packet Tracer, GNS3 or real kit), and rehearse the troubleshooting methodology until it's automatic. Then prove it: practise explaining these concepts out loud with Missiora's AI Interview™, plan your route with Career Coach™ and evidence your progress in your Career Passport™.
Ready? Start with Networking Concepts.