732/900, but still, a win’s a win. 720 to pass.
The stuff I used to study :
N+ Study Guide — Contains 3 books — a study guide, review guide, and review tests. Let’s say you buy this new — close to $90.
Pearson’s Network+ Lab Simulator (Software) $40, because I saw a reddit post claiming it made the PBQ’s almost feel like cheating. I mean, they helped, but cheating? No.
Jason Dion’s Network+ Udemy class — Close to 10 bucks on sale
Jason Dion’s Practice Exams — Close to 10 bucks on sale
So, all in all, I probably spent $150 on this. Ya know, minus the $300 I laid out just to take the blasted test.
My thoughts on the test itself :
Don’t beat yourself up worrying about the OSI model. I can remember a time when every other question was about the OSI model. I’m ancient BTW, and this is the eighth generation of this test. I’m talking about version one and maybe two of the test.
It’s just that, a model. In other words, theory. I might’ve had 3 questions on this, out 80. More like two that I can remember clearly.
Subnetting : Learn about class C subnetting and screw the rest. Yes, learn that 10.0.0.0 is a Class A subnet. Learn that 172.16.0.0 (I think?) is a class B subnet.
I had one question on my test that had like a total of 500 users, and that was expected to double in the two years, and I was asked to future proof the network of a class A subnet.
Subnetting is fairly easy when you realize one thing. Ready? No one uses /31 subnet. It’s like the redheaded step child of networking.
Say you have a question that looks like this :
What would be the subnet for a company that only has 12 hosts on a class C subnet?
I just use one hand, doubling as I go. 2, 4, 8, 16. Well, I know that 16 is greater than 12, and we’re counting hosts on our hand. So we take 32 bits (in a typical IP address) – 4 bits (from our hand) = 28. Anybody wanna guess what our subnet will be? If you guessed anything other than 28, I don’t know what to tell you.
192.168.1.1/28
The trickier part of the question is when it asks you what will be the network/broadcast address for a specific number. Like this :
What is the broadcast address for 192.168.1.129/27?
Here, I just did the same thing. 2, 4, 8, 16, 32. 32 (bits in an IP) – 27 (from the problem) = 5. 5 (that we just calculated) and 5 fingers that we’re holding up are equal. So, that’s correct. Then it’s just a matter of adding it up until we get close. 32 + 32 + 32 + 32 + 32 = 160 – 1 (’cause we don’t wanna be off by 1) = 159.
So, the answer would be 192.168.1.159. It just takes practice, just like it did with your A+ studies.
It becomes fairly simple after that just to double the number, once you start getting up into the thousands though (like say 16,000) I can do it, but usually I just forget about the trailing numbers (16,483 becomes suddenly 16K).
Maybe I’m just strange, but this is the way that I learned subnetting.
At any rate, I wouldn’t say that anything can really prepare you for the hell you’re gonna go through when you take this test. I took each one of Dion’s exams like four or five times. So, I studied my ass off.
At any rate, a win’s a win. I’m gonna go take a nap and have a beer when I wake up.