Getting N+ BEFORE A+ adviseable or not?

G.O.A.TG.O.A.T Member Posts: 138
in Network+
Due to wanting to go for the 900 series I plan to wait till they come out. Now Im in a position to get N+ through a college course but Im worried that I lack hardware knowledge.. I could probs build a computer but dont know every single thing about hardware, deffinetly not enough to walk into an A+ exam and pass. Is it essential to get the A+ before the N+?
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  • veritas_libertasveritas_libertas Member Posts: 5,746 ■■■■■■■■■■
    I wouldn't worry about it. You don't HAVE to fully understand how a computer works to take the Network+. I took this path: Net+ --> Security+ --> A+. I only took the A+ because it was required for a WGU course. Otherwise I wouldn't have taken it. I learned some interesting stuff about media, SATA, but that honestly doesn't help me today. If I need to know I go to Google.
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  • GreaterNinjaGreaterNinja Member Posts: 271
    Having A+ knowledge helps but is definitely not necessary to get Network+. I studied A+ because I liked building computers.
    In the end I ended up skipping A+ because Network+ was significantly cheaper. A+ I believe signifies 6 months of industry experience. Network+ 12-24 months experience.
    I argued this to land my first position in Desktop Support (they wanted A+).
    In retrospect, if you go Network+ and like networking, go for CCENT, CCNA, CCNP. It pays a lot better than desktop and helpdesk. :P
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  • G.O.A.TG.O.A.T Member Posts: 138
    @=veritas_libertas
    Thanks man defo thinking of enrolling on the N+ next week!
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  • DoubleNNsDoubleNNs Member Posts: 2,015 ■■■■■□□□□□
    That's what I did - got the Network+ before A+. (I actually did N+, S+, then A+). I don't advise it.

    However, it really all depends on your goals. The problem w/ the N+ is that there's little "employability" ROI attached to it. If you're hoping to get a job after the cert, you should def go A+ 1st. You could then slap that on your resume and begin looking for entry-level jobs right away, w/o even needing to have the Net+ completed yet.

    Nevertheless, I enjoyed the N+ and absolutely hated the A+ when I took it. If you're not banking on the certs giving you an advantage during a job search in the short term, then go w/ whatever order you want.
    Goals for 2018:
    Certs: RHCSA, LFCS: Ubuntu, CNCF CKA, CNCF CKAD | AWS Certified DevOps Engineer, AWS Solutions Architect Pro, AWS Certified Security Specialist, GCP Professional Cloud Architect
    Learn: Terraform, Kubernetes, Prometheus & Golang | Improve: Docker, Python Programming
    To-do | In Progress | Completed
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  • G.O.A.TG.O.A.T Member Posts: 138
    REMOVED UNNECESSARY QUOTED REPLY FROM PREVIOUS POST

    Hmm I think you've made a good point in regards to ROI in regards to N+.
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  • greg9891greg9891 Member Posts: 1,189 ■■■■■■■□□□
    Hey I did the same thing did N+ now studying for security + I may do the A + eventually.
    :
    Upcoming Certs: VCA-DCV 7.0, VCP-DCV 7.0, Oracle Database 1Z0-071, PMP, Server +, CCNP

    Proverbs 6:6-11Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise, Which, having no captain, Overseer or ruler, Provides her supplies in the summer, And gathers her food in the harvest. How long will you slumber, O sluggard?
    When will you rise from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to sleep, So shall your poverty come on you like a prowler And your need like an armed man.
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  • eLZy85eLZy85 Registered Users Posts: 2 ■□□□□□□□□□
    I got the Net+ first thinking it would be more important but I am now working as a NOC Tech and before I got the job they required Net+ and A+ so I went and got the A+ done in less than two weeks. So, while getting the Net+ before is highly doable, some places may want both.
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