How I Passed My Network+ Certification Exam

After 4 weeks of preparation, I passed the CompTIA Network+ exam with a score of 830. The journey was definitely a challenge, but I found a study approach that worked well for me. In this post, I’ll share my study plan, resources, and how the actual exam played out—including my strategy for handling the PBQs (spoiler: I skipped them at first).

Why I Took the Network+ Exam

Since I have a diploma in Computer Systems Technician, I wanted to reinforce my networking fundamentals with an industry-recognized certification. Network+ is a great entry-level cert that covers essential networking topics and serves as a stepping stone for more advanced ones like Security+ or CCNA. Plus, it’s a solid credential for my resume while job hunting in IT and cybersecurity.

How I Studied

I set aside 4 weeks for preparation, making sure to balance reading, videos, and practice tests. Here’s exactly what I did:

1. Understanding the Exam Objectives

Before anything, I downloaded the official CompTIA Network+ objectives and used them to track my progress. This helped me focus only on relevant topics.

2. Study Resources I Used

📖 Courses & Books:

Network+ Crash Course by Kevin Wallace – My main study guide, which gave me a structured approach to the exam.
Professor Messer’s Network+ Course (Speed-Watched on the Last Couple Days) – By that point, I already knew the material well, so I watched it at 2x speed to validate my knowledge and reinforce key points.

📝 Practice Tests:

Craig Zecker’s Practice Tests – These were a huge help in familiarizing myself with the question format and improving my time management.
Other Free Practice Exams – I took a mix of free online tests to get exposure to different question styles.

🖥 Hands-On Labs & Tools:

Wireshark & Packet Tracer – Helped reinforce networking concepts and troubleshooting skills.

Exam-Day Strategy & Experience

The exam had 80 questions, including 6 PBQs (performance-based questions) at the beginning. I knew PBQs could be time-consuming, so I skipped all of them at first and went straight to the multiple-choice questions. By the time I finished those, I had about 50 minutes left to tackle the PBQs.

Out of the 6 PBQs, I fully completed 4, but the last 2 were partially answered—I ran out of time to complete everything. This strategy worked well for me because it ensured I got through all the multiple-choice questions first, rather than getting stuck on PBQs and running out of time.

PBQ Topics I Encountered

Here are the types of PBQs I faced:

Network Diagram Placement: One question required placing specific devices in a network diagram, ensuring proper connectivity and meeting specific requirements.
Routing Table Analysis: Another PBQ focused on interpreting routing tables and making appropriate changes.
Device Command Usage: Another question required using standard networking commands like show interfaces, show vlan, and similar commands for troubleshooting and analyzing to write a report.
VLAN Tagging & Network Segmentation: One PBQ asked about VLAN tagging across different network segments, where devices like VoIP phones, printers, and servers needed to be correctly assigned to their respective VLANs.

If you’re preparing, make sure you understand these concepts well—especially VLANs and troubleshooting using command-line tools.

What Helped Me Succeed

Skipping PBQs at first was a smart move. It allowed me to get through the easier multiple-choice questions quickly and come back to PBQs with plenty of time left.
Practice tests were key. Craig Zecker’s practice exams helped me get familiar with the question format and identify my weak areas. My experience was that the practice questions I solved were harder than the actual exam.
Speed-watching Professor Messer’s course helped validate my knowledge. Since I already knew the material, this was a great last-minute review.
Understanding, not just memorizing. Some exam questions were worded in ways that tested comprehension rather than rote memorization.

What’s Next?

Now that I’ve passed Network+, I’m looking at Security+ next. Eventually, I want to move deeper into cybersecurity, possibly with CEH or OSCP.

If you’re studying for Network+, I hope this helps! Feel free to reach out if you have any questions.