CompTIA Network+ 2009 Certification Distance Learning CourseIT106

Course Info

Distance Learning Support

At Start Learning we pride ourselves on our friendly and supportive tutors. Your tutor support will start as soon as you receive your course and will be valid for 12 months. All our tutors are　highly qualified with extensive experience in supporting distance learning students. You contact your tutor via email and they are responsible for marking assignments answering your questions and guiding you through the course to ensure you are ready for your examinations.

Entry Requirements

It is recommended for CompTIA Network+ (2009 Edition) candidates to have the following: CompTIA A+ certification or equivalent knowledge, though CompTIA A+ certification is not required.

At Start Learning we believe that everyone should　have the opportunity to expand their knowledge and study further, so we try to keep our entry requirements to a minimum.

Recommended Hours of Study

We recommended you spend approximately 110 hours of your time studying for the CompTIA Network + Certification. The pace of study is completely up to you. To give an example, if you dedicate 2 hours a week to the course it would take you a year to complete but if you could spare 4 hours a week you could complete it in six months.

Course Contents

To find our more about how our IT course are taught click here: IT Course Information

Section 1: Network Technologies

Unit 1 - Explain the function of common networking protocols: TCP - FTP - UDT - TCP/IP suite - DHCP - TFTP - DNS - HTTP(S) - ARP - SIP (VoIP) - RTP (VoIP) - SSH - POP3 - NTP - IMAP4 - Telnet - SMTP - SNMP2/3 - ICMP - IGMP - TLP

Unit 2 - Identify commonly used TCP and UDP default ports: TCP ports - FTP – 20, 21 - SSH – 22 - TELNET – 23 - SMTP – 25 - DNS – 53 - HTTP – 80 - POP3 – 110 - NTP – 123 - IMAP4 – 143 - HTTPS – 443 - UDP ports - TFTP – 69 - DNS – 53 -BOOTPS/DHCP – 67 - SNMP – 161

Unit 3 - Identify the following address formats: IPv6 - IPv4 - MAC addressing

Unit 4 - Given a scenario, evaluate the proper use of the following addressing technologies and addressing schemes: Addressing Technologies - Subnetting - Classful vs. classless (e.g. CIDR, Supernetting) - NAT - PAT - SNAT - Public vs. private - DHCP (static, dynamic APIPA) - Addressing schemes - Unicast - Multicast -Broadcast

Unit 5 - Identify common IPv4 and IPv6 routing protocols: Link state - OSPF - IS-IS - Distance vector - RIP - RIPv2 - BGP - Hybrid - EIGRP

Unit 6: Explain the purpose and properties of routing:  IGP vs. EGP - Static vs. dynamic - Next hop - Understanding routing tables and how they pertain to path selection - Explain convergence (steady state)

Unit 7 - Compare the characteristics of wireless communication standards: 802.11 a/b/g/n - Speeds - Distance - Channels - Frequency - Authentication and encryption - WPA - WEP - RADIUS - TKIP

Section 2: Network Media and Topologies

Unit 1 - Categorize standard cable types and their properties: CAT3, CAT5, CAT5e, CAT6 - STP, UTP - Multimode fiber, single-mode fiber - Coaxial - RG-59 - RG-6 - Serial - Plenum vs. Non-plenum - Properties - Transmission speeds - Distance - Duplex -Noise immunity (security, EMI) - Frequency

Unit 2 - Identify common connector types: RJ-11 - RJ-45 - BNC - SC - ST - LC - RS-232

Unit 3 - Identify common physical network topologies: Star - Mesh - Bus -Ring - Point to point - Point to multipoint - Hybrid

Unit 4 - Given a scenario, differentiate and implement appropriate wiring standards: 568A - 568B - Straight vs. cross-over - Rollover - Loopback

Unit 5 - Categorize WAN technology types and properties: Type - Frame relay - E1/T1 - ADSL -SDSL -VDSL -Cable modem - Satellite - E3/T3 - OC-x - Wireless - ATM - SONET - MPLS - ISDN BRI - ISDN PRI -POTS - PSTN - Properties -Circuit switch - Packet switch - Speed - Transmission media - Distance

Unit 6 - Categorize LAN technology types and properties: Types: Ethernet - 10BaseT - 100BaseTX - 100BaseFX - 1000BaseT - 1000BaseX - 10GBaseSR - 10GBaseLR - 10GBaseER - 10GBaseSW - 10GBaseLW - 10GBaseEW - 10GBaseT - Properties - CSMA/CD - Broadcast - Collision - Bonding - Speed - Distance

Unit 7 - Explain common logical network topologies and their characteristics: Peer to peer - Client/server - VPN - VLAN

Unit 8 - Install components of wiring distribution: Vertical and horizontal cross connects - Patch panels - 66 block - MDFs - IDFs - 25 pair - 100 pair - 110 block - Demarc - Demarc extension - Smart jack - Verify wiring installation - Verify wiring termination

Section 3: Network Devices

Unit 1 - Install, configure and differentiate between common network devices: Hub - Repeater - Modem - NIC - Media converters - Bridge - Wireless access point - Basic router -Basic firewall - Basic DHCP server

Unit 2 - Identify the functions of specialized network devices: Multilayer switch - Content switch - IDS/IPS - Load balancer - Multifunction network devices - DNS server - Bandwidth shaper - Proxy server - CSU/DSU

Unit 3 - Explain the advanced features of a switch: PoE - Spanning tree - VLAN - Trunking - Port mirroring - Port authentication

Unit 4 - Implement a basic wireless network: Install client - Access point placement - Install access point - Configure appropriate encryption - Configure channels and frequencies - Set ESSID and beacon - Verify installation

Section 4: Network Management

Unit 1 - Explain the function of each layer of the OSI model: Layer 1 – physical - Layer 2 – data link - Layer 3 – network - Layer 4 – transport - Layer 5 – session - Layer 6 – presentation - Layer 7 – application

Unit 2 - Identify types of configuration management documentation: Wiring schematics - Physical and logical network diagrams - Baselines - Policies, procedures and configurations - Regulations

Unit 3 - Given a scenario, evaluate the network based on configuration management documentation:  Compare wiring schematics, physical and logical network diagrams, baselines, policies and procedures and configurations to network devices and infrastructure - Update wiring schematics, physical and logical network diagrams, configurations and job logs as neede

Unit 4 - Conduct network monitoring to identify performance and connectivity issues using the following: Network monitoring utilities (e.g. packet sniffers, connectivity software, load testing, throughput testers) -System logs, history logs, event logs

Unit 5 - Explain different methods and rationales for network performance optimization: Methods - QoS - Traffic shaping - Load balancing - High availability - Caching engines - Fault tolerance - Reasons - Latency sensitivity - High bandwidth applications - VoIP  - Video applications - Uptim

Unit 6 - Given a scenario, implement the following network troubleshooting methodology: Information gathering – identify symptoms and problems - identify the affected areas of the network - Determine if anything has changed - Establish the most probable cause - Determine if escalation is necessary - Create an action plan and solution identifying potential effects - Implement and test the solution - Identify the results and effects of the solution - Document the solution and the entire process

Unit 7 - Given a scenario, troubleshoot common connectivity issues and select an appropriate solution: Physical issues - Cross talk - Near End crosstalk - Attenuation - Collisions - Shorts - Open - Impedance mismatch (echo) - Interference - Logical issues - Port speed - Port duplex mismatch - Incorrect VLAN - Incorrect IP address - Wrong gateway - Wrong DNS - Wrong subnet mask - Issues that should be identified but escalated - Switching loop - Routing loop - Route problems - Proxy arp - Broadcast storms - Wireless Issues - Interference (bleed, environmental factors) - Incorrect encryption - Incorrect channel - Incorrect frequency - ESSID mismatch - Standard mismatch (802.11 a/b/g/n) - Distance - Bounce - Incorrect antenna placement

Section 5: Network Tools

Unit 1 - Given a scenario, select the appropriate command line interface tool and interpret the output to verify functionality: Traceroute - Ipconfig - Ifconfig - Ping - Arp ping - Arp - Nslookup - Hostname - Dig - Mtr - Route - Nbtstat - Netstat

Unit 2 - Explain the purpose of network scanners: Packet sniffers - Intrusion detection software - Intrusion prevention software - Port scanners

Unit 3 -  Given a scenario, utilize the appropriate hardware tools: Cable testers - Protocol analyzer - Certifiers - TDR -Multimeter - Toner probe - Butt set - Punch down tool - Cable stripper - Snips - Voltage event recorder - Temperature monitor

Section 6: Network Security

Unit 1 - Explain the function of hardware and software security devices: Network based firewall: Host based firewall - IDS - IPS - VPN concentrator

Unit 2 - Explain common features of a firewall: Application layer vs. network layer - Stateful vs. stateless - Scanning services - Content filtering - Signature identification - Zones

Unit 3 - Explain the methods of network access security: Filtering - ACL - MAC filtering - IP filtering - Tunneling and encryption - SSL VPN - VPN - L2TP - PPTP - IPSEC - Remote access - RAS - RDP - PPPoE - PPP - VNC - ICA

Unit 4 - Explain methods of user authentication: PKI - Kerberos - AAA - RADIUS - TACACS+ - Network access control - 802.1x - CHAP - MS-CHAP - EAP

Unit 5 - Explain issues that affect device security: Physical security - Restricting local and remote access - Secure methods vs. unsecure methods - SSH, HTTPS, SNMPv3, SFTP, SCP - TELNET, HTTP, FTP, RSH, RCP, SNMPv1/2

Unit 6 - Identify common security threats and mitigation techniques: Security threats - DoS - Viruses - Worms - Attackers - Man in the middle - Smurf - Rogue access points - Social engineering (phishing) - Mitigation techniques - Policies and procedures - User training - Patches and updates

Qualification

Qualifications

Upon successful completion of this course, and the exams have been passed, you will gain a CompTIA Network+ 2009 certificate

The table below lists the domains measured by this examination and the extent to which they are represented. CompTIA Network+ (2009 Edition) exams are based on these objectives.

Domain % of Examination
1.0 Network Technologies 20%
2.0 Network Media and Topologies 20%
3.0 Network Devices 17%
4.0 Network Management 20%
5.0 Network Tools 12%
6.0 Network Security 11%
Total 100%
**Note: The bulleted lists below each objective are not exhaustive lists. Even though they are not included in this document, other examples of technologies, processes or tasks pertaining to each objective may also be included on the exam.

You would need to take exams N10-004

Language of Course

English

Examination Centre

Exams are taken at your local Prometric Testing centre. Please click here to view a list and map - Prometic Testing Centres

FAQ's

Q: How much do the exams cost?
A: They are usually about £70 but you can find the exact cost and book your test on the Prometric Website http://www.2test.com

Q: How is the course taught?
A: You can find out more about how our distance learning courses are taught here: IT Course Teaching

Q: How long do I have to complete the course?
A: No Timescale has been allocated. You can study when you want and where you want. If we update the course, the information will either be posted on our supporting website or sent to you free of charge.

Q: What happens if I’ve paid for the course but find it unsuitable?
A: Not a problem. If you return it within seven days as per the terms and conditions on our web site www.start-learning.co.uk.

Q: What do I receive once I order the course?
A: We will send you ALL the course materials. You can start your studies straight away.

Q: Which exams do I take?
A: You would need to take exams N10-004