CompTIA A+
A+ is the starting point for a career in IT. The performance-based exams certify foundational IT skills across a variety of devices and operating systems.
Learn more Example questions
Click a career path and your experience level, and we'll show you the CompTIA certifications you need to get there!
Network Specialists analyze, troubleshoot and evaluate computer network problems. More advanced IT pros may be responsible for building and designing communication networks as well. They play an important role in maintaining an organization’s network and keeping them safe and secure through both hardware configuration and end-user training. Network specialists and administrators are responsible for day-to-day operations and network architects and engineers design and build local area networks (LANs), wide area networks (WANs), and Intranets. Depending on the size of the company, these roles may be combined.
| Experience Level | Beginner | Intermediate | Advanced |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual salary range* | $49,560 – $80,600 | $62,970 – $102,720 | $80,600 – $130,830 |
| Job Postings* | 21160 | 48110 | 26010 |
| Number of certificates available at each level | 5 CompTIA A+ CompTIA Network+ CompTIA Security+ Microsoft Cisco | 11 CompTIA Server+ CompTIA Linux+ CompTIA Project+ CompTIA Cloud Essentials+ Microsoft Cisco Redhat VMWare AWS IBM | 8 CompTIA Cloud+ Microsoft Cisco Redhat VMWare AWS IBM |
| Experience Level | Beginner | Intermediate | Advanced |
|---|
Annual salary range*
$49,560 – $80,600
Job Postings*
Number of certificates available at each level
CompTIA A+
CompTIA Network+
CompTIA Security+
Microsoft
Cisco
*CompTIA | Lightcast | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Note: Many employers don't specify any years of experience in job postings.
Certifications like CompTIA Network+ are recommended to succeed as a Network Professional. Adding CompTIA Linux+ and Server+ will also help you begin your career in this field.
A+ is the starting point for a career in IT. The performance-based exams certify foundational IT skills across a variety of devices and operating systems.
Learn more Example questionsThe table below lists the domains measured by the full examination and the extent to which they are represented.
Domain and percentage of examination
Core 1 (220-1001)
| 1.0 Mobile Devices | 14% |
| 2.0 Networking | 20% |
| 3.0 Hardware | 27% |
| 4.0 Virtualization and Cloud Computing | 12% |
| 5.0 Hardware and Network Troubleshooting | 27% |
| Total | 100% |
Core 2 (220-1002)
| 1.0 Operating Systems | 27% |
| 2.0 Security | 24% |
| 3.0 Software Troubleshooting | 26% |
| 4.0 Operational Procedures | 23% |
| Total | 100% |
Example Questions
You have been frequenting a local coffee shop with your Android tablet. While you are there, you use the free WiFi connection. With concern over the security of your browsing, you decide to take action. Which technology would address your concern the best?
A. VPN B. Antivirus C. Private IP D. WPA2You need to configure a SOHO (Small Office Home Office) network to be easily discovered by guest users. Which feature should be configured?
A. DNS (Domain Name System) B. DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) C. SSID (Service Set Identifier) D. MAC (Media Access Control) FilteringAn ordinary office environment needs computers that have multiple user account settings where each user is allocated private data storage. What type of workstations would you build for this environment?
A. Build a virtualization workstation. B. Build a thin client. C. Build a thick client. D. Build a CAM workstation.A support ticket has been assigned to you stating that the Engineers are complaining that their Computer Aided Design (CAD) application is displaying poorly. What do you do to upgrade these PCs and solve this problem?
A. Install more RAM. B. Install higher-end video cards. C. Install faster CPUs. D. Install Solid State Drives (SSDs).You need to setup a few virtual workstations for a network test lab. You have a computer to use as the host machine, however, it does not have an operating system installed. What is the easiest and quickest solution to configure the host system?
A. Install a type-2 hypervisor on the host machine and then install the guest operating systems. B. Install one of the guest operating systems to act as both the host and a guest operating system. C. Install a type-1 hypervisor on the host machine and then install the guest operating systems. D. Install Microsoft Virtual PC as it is free, and then install the guest operating systems.How can you fix a touchpad that is too sensitive, causing a ghost cursor and jumping about when typing?
A. Turn NumLock off on the external keyboard. B. Configure the input options. C. Replace the touchpad. D. Revert to an older driver version.
Network+ certifies the essential skills needed to confidently design, configure, manage and troubleshoot wired and wireless networks.
Learn more Example questionsThe table below lists the domains measured by the full examination and the extent to which they are represented.
Domain and percentage of examination
| 1.0 Networking Concepts | 23% |
| 2.0 Infrastructure | 18% |
| 3.0 Network Operations | 17% |
| 4.0 Network Security | 20% |
| 5.0 Network Troubleshooting and Tools | 22% |
| Total | 100% |
Example Questions
An office workstation receives an Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4) address from a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server. The IP lease includes the default gateway address which is the address of the office's layer 3 switch. A network administrator confirmed network connectivity by pinging the gateway. At what layer of the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) are these two devices communicating with each other when using the ping command?
A. Layer 3 - Network B. Layer 2 - Data Link C. Layer 6 - Presentation D. Layer 7 - ApplicationA manager informs a support technician that users spend too much time using company computers for personal reasons. Which of the following can the technician implement to address the issue?
A. UTM appliance B. Layer 7 firewall C. Content filter D. Smart jackA network consultant is doing IT contingency planning and is trying to identify likely points of failure for the network. Which of the following would the consultant identify as Single Points of Failure in need of upgrades for added redundancy? (Select all that apply)
A. There is a lack of a load balancing device. B. A backup power generator is available on-site. C. There is a single power supply for a critical server. D. The main server is set up for full backup operations.An employee uses a key fob that contains a chip with a digital certificate and authenticates a person through a reader. Which of the following types of authentication factors does this describe?
A. Something you know B. Something you have C. Something you are D. Something you doA network administrator purchased new network switches from a vendor. Upon receiving and installing them, what should the admin do to harden the device to ensure secure device configuration of the switches? (Select all that apply)
A. Change default usernames and passwords. B. Remove vendor-installed backdoors. C. Disable or close unused ports and services. D. Implement a common prevalent password.A user installs a financial software package that requires cloud access. For some reason, the application fails to connect to the cloud server. What caused this issue?
A. Duplicate IP (Internet Protocol) address B. Incorrect host-based firewall settings C. Incorrect time D. Unresponsive service
Security+ provides a global benchmark for best practices in IT network and operational security, one of the fastest-growing fields in IT.
Learn more Example questionsThe table below lists the domains measured by the full examination and the extent to which they are represented.
Domain and percentage of examination
| 1.0 Threats, Attacks and Vulnerabilities | 21% |
| 2.0 Technologies and Tools | 22% |
| 3.0 Architecture and Design | 15% |
| 4.0 Identity and Access Management | 16% |
| 5.0 Risk Management | 14% |
| 6.0 Cryptography and PKI | 12% |
| Total | 100% |
Example Questions
An attacker impersonates a member of the cleaning crew for a company's building, and requests an employee to hold the door open while the impersonator brings in a cleaning cart. The employee fell victim to what type of attack?
A. A lunchtime attack B. Shoulder surfing C. Piggy backing D. Dumpster divingThe DMZ (demilitarized zone) has a new virtual firewall server. A user reported that Internet websites are viewable, but no longer has a connection to an FTP (file transfer protocol) site. Which of the following is most likely the cause of the disconnection?
A. The user does not have access to the FTP site. B. A network cable disconnected from the server. C. The Firewall implicitly denied access to the FTP site. D. The ACL still requires setting up.A user has multiple documents to review, regarding a device from an authorized government vendor, with approval to use the documents. While attempting to send the documents to a personal email, to review later at home, the email returned with a message saying it failed to send. What is most likely the cause of this? (Select two)
A. Based on policy, the employee cannot use personal email. B. The DLP system flagged an incident. C. The antivirus software flagged the documents. D. The attachment file size is too large.After exploiting a vulnerability during testing, an administrator released a Security Update as a patch for Microsoft Internet Explorer. How should the administrator proceed in applying the patch?
A. Apply the patch directly to production. B. Apply the Security Update to the staging environment and test the system functionality. C. Wait for the quarterly update before patching the vulnerability. D. Apply the patch to the sandbox environment and test functionality.Fingerprint scanning is one of the most straightforward methods of biometric identification. Which of these concerns are most pertinent to the use of this technology?(Select two)
A. Ease of spoofing B. Surfaces must be clean and dry C. Revocability of credentials D. High expense of installationKey strength is based on length and randomness. One way to strengthen a key is to add a nonce or an Initialization Vector (IV). The same is true for passwords, which can be strengthened by adding a salt to a hashed password value. Evaluate the following to identify the statements that are true about nonces, IVs, and salts.(Select two)
A. The value of a nonce is hidden. B. A salt could be a counter value. C. Use of a salt ensures identical plaintexts produce different ciphertexts. D. Use of an initialization vector ensures identical plaintexts produce different ciphertexts.CompTIA certifications establish a baseline foundation of skills that you can build upon with other vendor or technology-specific certifications.
Assess skills in using Microsoft technologies, including Azure, Dynamics 365, Microsoft 365 and Power Platform. Within each technology or role-based grouping, certifications are awarded across four levels:
Fundamental
Associate
Expert
Specialty
Validate networking and other skills using Cisco equipment and technologies. Cisco organizes their certifications across five levels:
Entry (CCT)
Associate (CCNA)
Professional (CCNP)
Expert (CCIE)
Specialist (CCS)
CompTIA offers everything you need to prepare for your certification exam. Explore training developed by CompTIA with options that fit various learning styles and timelines. Whether you prefer self-study or classroom training, CompTIA has you covered.
