What is the hardest topic to study for NET+?

Here's poll mainly to see on which topics we should focus in our practice exams and TechNotes.

Johan

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I would say the OSI model for me. Specifically, trying to remember all the services and protocols within each layer. Was a little tricky and def took me more time to work on that area than any other requirement for the NET+

bellboy

i found the osi hard to understand at the start, as some of my study guides delve straight into it. as you learn more about other areas of networking and how they relate to the osi rather than what is covered in the osi chapter(s), you will help to understand it more.

Webmaster

I'm working on an OSI TechNote and an OSI quiz as well, here's the first part of the quiz: OSI quiz it doesn't have explanations yet (hardly needed either), but I'm sure this first part of the quiz will be useful to memorize some of the facts you need to know for the Network+ exam.

[Edit] I've expanded the quiz with some new quesitons and explanations, still... more will follow

[Another edit:] the OSI model TechNote for the Network+ exam can be accessed here

henrock2

i would have to say just basic troubleshooting for those who havent been around to see deal with things like switches and hubs. I mean yeah its all basic knowledge sometimes but if u dont know stuff like which is the difference btween what techniques to use if servers go down, or hub lights are blinking what do you check. But all in all protocols where the hardest for me before i started taking cisco i was kind of %^^&& brained from them.

goldenbuddha

For me its the OSI Layers, not the layers themselves persay, but how protocols and everything else works with and in particular layers...

Wyldstar

I disliked the WAN technologies part of the exam. It's probably because that's the part I'm least familiar with, and most of the study materials don't go very far in depth about how things like Frame Relay, ATM and things like that work. I just never got to know enough about those technologies to feel comfortable being tested on them.

- WS

JDMurray

Being a software developer who has written quite a bit of sotware down to layer 3 I don't find the OSI layer material very difficult at all. What I do have problems with is remembering all of the statistical info for technologies that I don't work with, such as fiber optics, fibre channel, and FDDI. Will I ever remember the diff between 1000Base-FX and -LX? One day I hope to.

Oh yeah--remembering all of the command line arguments for the network tools that run in the command window. Normall I only have to remember -? or /? and that pulls me through

KingK

To me memorizing which physical layer standards used what technology was hard. Also memorixng all the different protocols within the various suites like AppleTalk and IPX/SPX.

spanishmoon

Most of my background is in Windows and Unix. I'm sure that if I had studied the Novell and Mac stuff I would have had a higher score.

netcom2000

I'm fine with the OSI layers, even got 28 out of the 30 questions on this site, I think I need to brush up on netstat and nbstat and the various switches they use.

DamienM

I dont think the OSI Model is at all difficult. I have been working in a networked environment for some time now. I think some of the support questions can be quite abstract. I mean real life scenarios are not as cut and thrust or as simple as 4 possible alternatives.

midstoveilan

As a student of Networking technologies for the past couple years (in a formal setting) the common things were drilled into me. OSI model...What is Bandwidth...What is Throughput...What does TCP/IP do...What functions on port XXX...and then there were protocols. Even in that formal setting it was extremely difficult to grasp the differences between PPP and ATM or Frame Relay and L2TP...FDDI and the standard topologies wasn't ever an issue because they're all fairly self explanatory. But when we had protocol after protocol beat into us an opaque image was drawn and until actually starting to study for the N+ did I realize..."Hey RIP is a WAN protocol..." DUH! so there you have it.

Raul Duke

The OSI layer is easy I think. I'm having more problems with network-troubleshooting.. for example if you get an exhibit (picture) over a network- and then you need to determine where the fault lies. Hate that stuff.

chrish2004

I just passed the exam today, and I knew the OSI and all the associated protocols, like the back of my hand. Hey I never noticed that before, I have thumbs!, cool!

Actually, there is some indepth troubleshooting, understanding the formulas to follow in determining wherein lies a problem. It is actually testing ones ability to timly solve issues which arise, and I would recomend studying network topology, OSI(like the back of your hand, including things like RIP,HTTPS, etc...), and your ports. A solid understanding of troubleshooting flowchart procedures will greatly benefit you!

God Bless!
Chris
A+, Network+

crucial

ill have to go with the protocols

Zraxniah

Subnets and VLANs were the hardest for me... was not covered very well by the class I took, and I'm glad i learned it on my own, cause I needed it

TattooMatt

When I took my A+ exam I had no understanding of the OSI model at all. It blew my mind because I didn't really understand how different technologies and protocols related to it. I read a few networking books and it started to gel as I commited more of it to memory. Once I started learning about subnetting and studying for the Network+ exam it just clicked.

My biggest problem now is remembering all of the switches for the command line. I got used to using /? :P

maltec

Novell NetWare and Protocol stacks ie TCP IP IPX/SPX NetBEUI and Apple Talk

Mikey B

Zraxniah wrote:

Subnets and VLANs were the hardest for me... was not covered very well by the class I took, and I'm glad i learned it on my own, cause I needed it

I have to agree here, subnetting was a real pain. I've worked with all the OSes and have done plenty of cabling and infrastructure over the years, so everything outside of subnetting was a cakewalk.

jsteimel

spanishmoon wrote:

Most of my background is in Windows and Unix. I'm sure that if I had studied the Novell and Mac stuff I would have had a higher score.

I'm MCSE and can tell you that you scored the best you could have with your background, unless your in the field it's not easy. I've been around computers for 18 years and if I didn't have a chance to be around networking in general I would do horrible too. Going for my N+ test next week. Also A+ here and I'm in a program to get as many certifications as I can in 16 months. So as I get them I will update the boards and share any info I can. Good luck to all.

reloaded

For those of you who said OSI model is the hardest...If you read a lot of networking books/IT theory, the OSI model will become second nature. When I first learned about OSI, I was confused beyond belief. Now, TCP/IP and OSI are the easiest things ever.

kilmike

ill go for the Protocols.. OSI layers too...

Legacy User

I would have picked OSI, but after stumbling across this forum this morning about, oh, 1am Eastern, while "cramming" for the network+, I said, oh, I should make sure I'm strong on the OSI model.
So in about an hour's time this early AM, I got a lot stronger... because of what I saw here... and guess what? I passed the cert this morning!

I've been in the IT field for over 7 years now, and this is my first cert. I'm moving onto Cisco next.

Thanks for your help guys.

And what I'd say really is the hardest thing to study for the network+ now is, the things you don't use [yet] - i.e., AppleTalk (who cares about Apple??

), and I don't currently deal with FDDI (but I've studied it). Nah, what gets me are the little confusing ones...

netcom2000

I cant understand what the fuss is all about when pertaining to the OSI reference model, just remember the order of the layers from A-P or the opposite P-A, then look at each individual layer and how it deals with data across a networked environment. The OSI model provides an easier solution to programmers and such, without the need to struggle through the model, when looking at the 7 layer OSI one can determine at which layer the problem rresides.

For example, if a router is creating problems on an Internetwork, or default gateway, then one can determine that the network layer (3) of the OSI model is affected.

RZetlin

There needs to be more information on the Mac X OS networking applications and network rights setup.

SpyWeb

Well, my exam was a pain in the neck.
I got 2 topology questions
And the rest were scenario question about Unix, Linux, Mac OS server and Novell.
I thought I was prepared for the Windows and all, when I saw the questions about Unix, Linux... what the heck ?
Passed... I guess I Guessed it Right.

crap I forgot my old pwd

The things that kinda bothered me when I took this were the different parts in an ATM packet and the Novell stuff since I never use Novell.

Vogon Poet

Comments show that it depends what you're used to.

I found that OSI model and where protocols fit into it can be learned best with a chart. You can use a spreadsheet to list the layers in order vertically, list the OS's across the top, and then fill in where the protocols go. Look at this every day for at least a week, then start filling in a blank version from memory. You will pick it up in no time.

Unfortunately, my study materials had little on VLAN's. I had to search web sites. My biggest problem was interconnecting OS's. What can I say? Most of my experience is with Microsoft products.

Also, does it seem that some of the questions were beyond the scope of what Net+ should be? I had a question about Kerberos that I thought was more appropriate for an MCSA exam.

Daniel333

Novell, MacOS, Fiber Optic (all the measurements and things, hard to memorize), encryption stuff and I suppose memorizing every switch on the tcp/ip command line.

Tcat

N10-003 does not have a bunch of command line switch questions on Any O/S. This I am sure of.