Network+ Difficult

Took Network+ today after many weeks of studying. I failed. It's insanely difficult. The practice test on the Comptia site are deceptively simple and not even close to what the real exam is like. The practice test on the Comptia site will ask simple questions like, "what does SMTP do?" But on the real exam, every question will be over 6 sentences long, and the answers are not clear. It's almost like every question is designed to trip you up. With over 86 questions to answer, and each one trying to trip you up; yeah, it sux. There wasn't one simple question that asked something like, "What does port 25 do?"

I would say, only attempt to study for this exam if:

- You've worked in the field for a long time
or
- You have a serious passion for networking
or
- You're a genius

If you're planning on spending a considerable amount of time studying networking, just go for CCNA.

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Comments

Nik 99

Don't be too upset. It's becoming known that the current N+ exam, N10-006 has become messed up and no longer the entry level cert it should be. People who have passed there CCNA's have failed the current N+. Here's the thread discussing it:
http://www.techexams.net/forums/network/119027-current-status-network-exam-unbearably-hard-now-new-update.html

It can be passed without having done any real networking, but you need to study hard and keep at it. Otherwise don't completely just drop it, if your not keen on trying again at least do a CCENT or CCNA instead. don't let all that networking knowledge go to waste.

test5000

Thanks Nik 99, that's a good idea. Maybe I'll look into CCENT. Are the questions more reasonable than Network+? The one's I'm seeing on the web seem really straight forward. That's what I thought Network+ would be like.

scenicroute

That's rough. I'd recommend going the Cisco route as well.

hurricane1091

Network + is good for someone looking to get into networking or server engineering I would say. If you were to go the network route, you could honestly skip it and get most of the knowledge from the CCENT. CCNA > Network+ anyways in terms of value, but you came so far that you owe yourself a second attempt.

tmtex

I took a Net+ class last year (No I haven't taken the test) and the instructors say it was jacked up and unfair

Oliver0822

None of the resources provided prepare you for that test, I hear people talk about how easy the test is but then I notice those people actually took it back in 2007 or earlier. I think it's a weeding out process so that the industry doesn't get saturated and bring down the salary. I'm not a conspiracy theorist by the way.

cdx

Skip the N+ go for CCENT then CCNA. Much better ROI.

NetworkNewb

If your just going for a entry level Networking certification to add to your resume maybe you could try the CCENT like others mentioned. If you looking to increase your networking knowledge I'd probably find the areas I was weak in and try the Net+ again though. Especially since you probably aren't too far off.

Just a heads up too, Microsoft's exam have a lot of long worded questions as well so if your just skipping the Net+ for that reason you should stay away from the Microsoft ones as well. Not afraid to admit I've failed the Microsoft 70-410 exam multiple times.

dialectical

Please don't waste your time with the Network+. I studied very hard for this, passed it with a good score and was proud of it. However, I have never met a single person who was remotely impressed that I took this. It never opened doors for me. While working in desktop, I presented this to the network team and said "Hey would it help me get into your department that I have a Network+?" The resounding answer was "No" and/or "Come back and talk to us after you get you CCENT."

What I personally want is NetworkNewb's CCNA-Sec. I am 0/2 on that one and will give it another shot sometime after the CCNP. I take it as a personal insult that he has it. J/k but holding off on it for now because the main road of R&S is what's recognized in the field and universally respected by all IT disciplines.

sks.geek

I recently took the Net+ and was very disappointed with the exam. The questions are worded in a way to try and trick you instead of actually testing your knowledge (IMO). I found myself very short on time as well. I still have one retake on this test, and I should be fairly prepared for it. However, I thought I was prepared the first time I took it. We will see!

NetworkNewb

dialectical wrote: »

What I personally want is NetworkNewb's CCNA-Sec. I am 0/2 on that one and will give it another shot sometime after the CCNP. I take it as a personal insult that he has it.

I'd trade you the CCNA:Sec for the CASP and Linux+ all day.

Oliver0822

I’m not sure what part of the US you live but where I live which is in South Florida there are a lot of good job offerings that require only A+ and Network +. I think everyone is bashing these Certs because it’s the in thing to do.

cdx

Maybe I should elaborate to help others understand why I stated CCENT/CCNA have better ROI.

1) The big named Comptia certs known to employers right now are Security+ and maybe A+.
2) The big named Networking Certs known to employers right now are CCNA, not Network+.
3) CCENT/CCNA teach you much more in depth networking for hands on knowledge then the Network+. When I finished my Net+ I still had a lot of gray areas in networking I did not understand until I began my CCENT studies.

Therefore, IMO, from my experience, research on certs(a lot), and work experience in the field, CCENT/CCNA will be much better ROI (Return on Investment noob!), will land you a job quicker, will give you hands on training working on cisco router CLI, and the test questions aren't nearly as confusing as the comptia certs.

Now that I got that off my chest, I am going to go cook and chain smoke cigs... Sanji out... (One Piece joke for non-anime nerds)

Nisseki

Skyliinez92 wrote: »

By the way I'm really surprised at some of these comments I'm reading. Not just at skipping this exam but also advising to skip other vendors as it might be too difficult for them? There isn't much motivation in this forum...

I agree. Exams are not suppose to be easy and they're gonna get harder.

Skyliinez92 did you do the 006?

scenicroute

Skyliinez92 wrote: »

By the way I'm really surprised at some of these comments I'm reading. Not just at skipping this exam but also advising to skip other vendors as it might be too difficult for them? There isn't much motivation in this forum...

Well, for most of us, these exams aren't just a ropes course for self-challenge. Yes, they're for learning, but also to advance our careers. If the Net+ difficulty has increased beyond the difficulty of the CCNA (which I've read it has) and the CCNA is more valuable on a resume, then why would people continue to take the Net+? Especially at $300 per exam. Most of us have finite financial resources and we want to get the most for our money.

NetworkNewb

Skyliinez92 wrote: »

By the way I'm really surprised at some of these comments I'm reading. Not just at skipping this exam but also advising to skip other vendors as it might be too difficult for them? There isn't much motivation in this forum...

Guessing you might be referring to my comment about skipping Microsoft exams as well as he Net+. I was being facetious... Just pointing out that other vendors are also hard and if you they are skipping this one they might not have much luck at other tests as well. Apologize if any confusion. I know my sarcastic attitude doesn't always travel over the internets very well.

stryder144

Take my words with a grain of salt: the CompTIA exams are getting more detailed and difficult. A CompTIA representative told a gathering at my work that the Network+ has one of the highest failure rates of the CompTIA exams. They are looking into whether or not it is too difficult. I am sure they will evaluate the exam and come up with a better balance over time.

I have taught numerous individuals who attempted the ICDN1 training and struggled tremendously. And that was for the version two exam, not the current version three. Most of those students took my class (Network+ N10-006) and told me that it filled in several holes in the ICDN1 material for them. Now, our Cisco instructor was an award winning instructor and very successful with coaching his students to realize that they could be successful. So I am sure that the hole filling and aha moments weren't because I was a better instructor or that our material was way above average. I fully believe it has much to do with the objectives of the Network+ exam and how CompTIA expects it to be taught. Crawl-Walk-Run (Network+, CCENT, CCNA).

Just my two bits.

G.O.A.T

One thing I have never been able to truely work out, is the CCENT a beginer cert? Is it less detailed than the N+? As someone who is still learning the fundamentals I am looking at longterm goals and the plan was to go A+ then N+ but not too sure what would be best.. I am more interested in gaining knowledge more than certification tbh. I like in the UK where experience speaks louder and Im alreadly in the industry.

cdx

G.O.A.T wrote: »

One thing I have never been able to truely work out, is the CCENT a beginer cert? Is it less detailed than the N+? As someone who is still learning the fundamentals I am looking at longterm goals and the plan was to go A+ then N+ but not too sure what would be best.. I am more interested in gaining knowledge more than certification tbh. I like in the UK where experience speaks louder and Im alreadly in the industry.

Yes CCENT is entry level. Anyone can learn it, teaches you the foundations of Networking (NET+ material) then dives into the Cisco networking.

cdx

Skyliinez92 wrote: »

@cdx How is he suppose to go straight for the CCENT/CCNA when he is struggling with the Net+? The Net+ is a stepping stone for a lot harder certs like Cisco, so it would be pointless going straight for it. Also Net+ is globally recognised so it will still land him a job.

You are mistaken my friend, CCENT teaches you the foundations of Networking which overlaps the NET+ material. I've taken both. The CBTNugget CCENT videos are hands down amazing in teaching networking with Jeremy Ciora. Filled in a ton of gray areas for me that the Net+ never covered.

ande0255

Sounds like you need to lab more, do some research and get an imagine of exchange or something and spin a Virtual Machine of it up in VirtualBox (free).

You need to put the blood sweat and tears into labbing, reading accounts for like 20% of the learning, the other 80% is getting it to work in a lab environment.

VCP 5 (VMWare), the questions were like 2 paragraphs long and the answers were each 2 questions long, and on a multiple choice THAT is a pain in the ass

GoatTG

Despite the fact that I passed this exam just over a week ago, I will agree. For an entry level exam, it's degree of difficulty far outweighs it's return on investment. I've yet to encounter any employer that would take a Network Plus seriously.

In terms of entry level knowledge however, it is much better than the CCENT. Unless you intend on following Cisco's track, the Network Plus is a much better introduction to the field of Networking as a whole.

volfkhat

Skyliinez92 wrote: »

I did the 005 but I can't imagine it being that much different from the 006.

And there you have.
Maybe it's not more difficult.... or Maybe it is.

GoatTG wrote: »

Despite the fact that I passed this exam just over a week ago, I will agree. For an entry level exam, it's degree of difficulty far outweighs it's return on investment...
In terms of entry level knowledge however, it is much better than the CCENT. Unless you intend on following Cisco's track, the Network Plus is a much better introduction to the field of Networking as a whole.

^100% agreement.
I did the N10-005 and the last version of CCNA.

In terms of the overall curriculum... i found the Net+ to be quite worthwhile.
(i wish that i had known about the cert a decade earlier).

I recommend the Net+ curriculum to anyone (new) who's trying to break into Networking.
(whether or Not the EXAM is worthwhile.... is a different conversation)

Other people here have already said it best:
Net+ is a Mile wide, but only a few inches deep.

The ccna is only a few inches wide, but a mile deep...

Aspiring

ande0255 wrote: »

Sounds like you need to lab more, do some research and get an imagine of exchange or something and spin a Virtual Machine of it up in VirtualBox (free).

You need to put the blood sweat and tears into labbing, reading accounts for like 20% of the learning, the other 80% is getting it to work in a lab environment.

VCP 5 (VMWare), the questions were like 2 paragraphs long and the answers were each 2 questions long, and on a multiple choice THAT is a pain in the ass

I have to agree with this.

I'm a newbie who was running around in circles trying to learn VLANs but after playing around with them on Packet Tracer (while watching the labs on YouTube) I was able to finally understand them .

ande0255

Oh gosh, I typed imagine, my brain is slowly frying like an egg

And it is absolutely amazing how almost any topic is covered in full detail on there if you ever want a resource for just a particular topic. I never knew but I use it for work as well for troubleshooting or setting up systems I'm unfamiliar with (more as a guide than what I configure).

Mopbrothers

I took the N10-006 today and failed with a score of 700. I gave it everything I had. This is my first failure ever in my life for a big exam. I studied very hard, bought and read Mike Meyers Network + book, watched Professor Messer videos, used the CertMaster bundled with the delux package, used exam compass, did flash cards, and still did not pass. This exam is way too difficult for a basic certification. I got 77%! How is that failing? In any class that’s a C+ which is passing. I got my A+ on the first attempt. CompTIA really needs to lower the difficulty on the network + or lower the passing score. There are so many questions with several sentences and choice answers that are extremely detailed! 90 minutes is not enough time to do this! This is not for beginners at all! I feel scarred and winded from failing having put so much energy and devotion into this exam. I have an extra retake, but honestly I’m not sure I’d pass even if I studied more. The exam is just too hard.

boxerboy1168

the test is no joke but quiting is never an option

davec8080

Mopbrothers wrote: »

I took the N10-006 today and failed with a score of 700. I gave it everything I had. This is my first failure ever in my life for a big exam. I studied very hard, bought and read Mike Meyers Network + book, watched Professor Messer videos, used the CertMaster bundled with the delux package, used exam compass, did flash cards, and still did not pass. This exam is way too difficult for a basic certification. I got 77%! How is that failing? In any class that’s a C+ which is passing. I got my A+ on the first attempt. CompTIA really needs to lower the difficulty on the network + or lower the passing score. There are so many questions with several sentences and choice answers that are extremely detailed! 90 minutes is not enough time to do this! This is not for beginners at all! I feel scarred and winded from failing having put so much energy and devotion into this exam. I have an extra retake, but honestly I’m not sure I’d pass even if I studied more. The exam is just too hard.

I know there will be people who disagree with me on this. But it's not just MY opinion. I know many people (myself included) who have all the base CompTIA certs, and ...
In terms of difficulty, the Network+ is the hardest. BY FAR.
Second Hardest is A+902
Third Hardest is A+901
Easiest is Security+

Network+ is not really book-learning or video learning friendly. Much of the exam is practical in nature. Either you have the work experience to muddle through it...or you might never get past Network+ just by reading books and watching videos.
A+ has become much more practical lately, too. (I have multiple A+ Certs, long story I won't get into here....)
Network+ and A+ (the latest versions) are indeed "NO JOKE". The biggest surprise on the latest A+ is that I had to draw upon DOS skills that I learned way back in the ummmm....too long ago to remember the exact date. And when I say DOS skills, I mean just that....not "command line interface" skills. The command line has a small sub-set of DOS commands, as well as a few commands that did not exist in the DOS days. What hit me on the latest A+ round of testing was DOS. The most frustrating part of the latest A+ is that you have to be a laser printer engineer to pass it. Seriously, the level of knowledge they test on laser printers is way more than the average field service tech or systems admin or similar would accumulate in DECADES of work experience.

Is Network+ too hard? That's difficult to say. I passed it easily with a really high score. But I was surprised at how much it made me really THINK. There was little on the test that was related to simple memorization. Maybe 30% of what you need for Network+ could be learned from a book (or even a dozen books). If the test is aimed at entry level network techs, it might be over-reaching just a BIT. I'm pretty sure there are questions deliberately designed to trip you up, also. I found one question on Network+ for which the answer was (logically, and I confirmed this later) "NONE OF THE ABOVE". I was able to logically rule out all four choices given, with near 100% certainty...until I could "google it" later and confirm....there was no way to answer the question correctly. On a side note, there was a similar "error" (deliberate, I believe) on SYO-401. One of the questions required two choices to make a single "correct" response. But the test engine would only allow one selection. And if you answered ONE selection, the then answer was definitely WRONG. I was able to confirm that one by googling later, also.
I don't remember such an error on the A+ exams this time around (901/902), but I did not get perfect scores, so maybe I missed the errors on those exams.

Security+ has a lot to do with management skills, and not necessarily IT management skills. Some think it is the hardest of the base exams, but it is the least technical. Yes, there is overlap between all three exams. But if you have any management experience at all, the you are probably 35% or so ready for Security+ before you even start studying for it.

MANY people I work with have commented that Security+ is easy...or at least it's EASY compared to the other exams that it (ironically) out-ranks. Having passed all three (four tests), I can confirm that. Security+ is a difficult exam. But not in relation to Network+ in particular. If you don't have significant professional network admin skills, Network+ will kick your butt, and it doesn't matter how much you study.

I found it interesting to read that there's some thought that Network+ might be too difficult. I would kinda sorta agree with that. A more obvious "foul" though is the laser printer stuff on the current A+. There's probably engineers at xerox and ricoh who would would have trouble answering the laser printer questions on A+. Questions are worded so that a printer is experiencing multiple issues with rather vague symptoms. Multiple steps required to fix (whatever) and several similar answers that all look logical enough... Grrrrrrrr.....

I've fixed many thousands of laser printer problems in my career. To be an efficient laser printer field tech (when necessary) I did NOT require even 10% of the laser printer knowledge that they expect you to know for A+ now.

Anyway, I didn't stop to think as I was testing Network+ that maybe this is too hard. But I DID note that it was really drawing heavily on my professional experience to work through many of the scenarios presented. I was CHALLENGED, which I really did not expect...

Could I have passed it a year or two into my IT career? Even with lots of book study? I doubt it...

So if someone rather new to IT is saying Network+ is too hard? They might have a valid point.