500 scenario-based practice questions covering all 5 Network+ domains — concepts, implementation, operations, security, and troubleshooting. Mapped to the official exam blueprint.
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The CompTIA Network+ (N10-009) is a professional-level CompTIA certification. The exam has 90 questions, runs 90 minutes, costs $369, and requires a passing score of 720/900. CertSharp provides 500 exam-style N10-009 practice questions — 30 free with no credit card — each with a detailed explanation.
Study guides teach concepts. We prepare you for the actual N10-009 exam.
1
Troubleshooting scenarios mirror real exam performance-based questions — not just definition recall, since Troubleshooting is the single largest domain at 24%
2
Every explanation connects theory to practice: why a subnet mask breaks a network, not just what it is
3
Question mix weighted to match the actual N10-009 blueprint, including the lighter 14% Network Security domain
4
Updated for N10-009 — cloud networking, Zero Trust, and Wi-Fi 6/6E included
Free Sample Questions
N10-009 Practice Questions (Free Sample)
Real N10-009 exam-style questions from our 500-question CompTIA Network+ bank, each with the correct answer and a detailed explanation.
Question 1 — N10-009
A network administrator receives reports that users in one VLAN can access resources in another VLAN without going through the firewall. Which device configuration is most likely causing this?
A
The access switch has been configured with a native VLAN mismatch
B
The router-on-a-stick configuration is missing a subinterface
C
The Layer 3 switch has inter-VLAN routing enabled without ACLs
D
The DHCP server is assigning IPs from the wrong scope
Correct answer: C — Explanation
When a Layer 3 switch handles inter-VLAN routing, traffic flows directly between VLANs at line speed — bypassing an external firewall. Without ACLs on the SVIs, all VLAN-to-VLAN traffic is unrestricted. A native VLAN mismatch causes trunk link problems. A missing subinterface blocks routing. DHCP scope issues affect IP assignment, not routing policy.
Question 2Networking ConceptsEasy
Which IEEE 802.11 standard operates exclusively in the 5 GHz band, uses MU-MIMO, and offers theoretical speeds up to 1.3 Gbps?
A
802.11b (Wi-Fi 1), 2.4 GHz band, maximum 11 Mbps
B
802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5), 5 GHz with MU-MIMO up to 1.3 Gbps
C
802.11n (Wi-Fi 4), dual-band with MIMO up to 600 Mbps
D
802.11g (Wi-Fi 3), 2.4 GHz band, maximum 54 Mbps
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: B — 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5), 5 GHz with MU-MIMO up to 1.3 Gbps
802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5) operates exclusively in the 5 GHz band, uses wider channels (up to 160 MHz) and MU-MIMO to achieve theoretical throughput up to 1.3 Gbps per stream. 802.11n (choice C) is dual-band and uses MIMO but not MU-MIMO, and tops out at 600 Mbps. 802.11b (choice A) and 802.11g (choice D) are 2.4 GHz standards with far lower maximum speeds.
Question 3Network TroubleshootingMedium
A network administrator is troubleshooting a user who cannot access the internet. The user has an IP address of 169.254.45.12. What is the most likely cause?
A
DHCP server is unreachable
B
Duplicate IP address on the network
C
Incorrect default gateway
D
DNS server failure
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: A — DHCP server is unreachable
The 169.254.x.x address is APIPA, automatically assigned when a DHCP server cannot be contacted.
Question 4Networking ConceptsMedium
Which of the following is a characteristic of a storage area network (SAN)?
A
File-level access shared over Ethernet using NFS or SMB protocols
B
Block-level storage access, typically over Fibre Channel or iSCSI
C
Directly attached storage connected exclusively to a single host
D
File sharing using the SMB/CIFS protocol across a LAN segment
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: B — Block-level storage access, typically over Fibre Channel or iSCSI
A SAN provides block-level storage access, presenting logical disks (LUNs) to servers as if locally attached, typically transported over Fibre Channel or iSCSI. NAS (choice A) provides file-level access over Ethernet using NFS or SMB. Direct-attached storage (choice C) connects directly to a single host and is not shared across a network. SMB/CIFS (choice D) is a file-sharing protocol used by NAS and Windows file servers, not a SAN transport.
Question 5Network TroubleshootingMedium
A network administrator notices high latency and packet loss on a WAN link. After checking, the link utilization is at 98% during peak hours. What is the most likely issue?
A
Duplex mismatch
B
Broadcast storm
C
Bandwidth congestion
D
Jitter from interference
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: C — Bandwidth congestion
High utilization near 100% causes queue drops and increased latency due to congestion. Upgrade bandwidth or implement QoS.
Question 6Networking ConceptsHard
What is the purpose of DHCP Option 82 (Relay Agent Information)?
A
Identify the client's physical port and VLAN for IP assignment policies
B
Specify the primary and secondary DNS server addresses for clients
C
Set the default gateway and router option for DHCP clients
D
Enable per-client DHCP authentication using shared secret keys
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: A — Identify the client's physical port and VLAN for IP assignment policies
DHCP Option 82 (Relay Agent Information) allows a DHCP relay agent to insert circuit-ID and remote-ID sub-options into DHCP requests, identifying the physical port and VLAN from which the request originated. The DHCP server can use this information to assign specific IP ranges or enforce policies based on location. Specifying DNS servers (choice B) is done with Option 6. Setting the default gateway (choice C) is done with Option 3. DHCP authentication (choice D) is a separate mechanism (RFC 3118) and is not the function of Option 82.
Question 7Networking ConceptsEasy
A network administrator is configuring a new firewall rule to allow internal users to access a public web server on HTTPS. Which port should be allowed?
A
TCP 80 (standard HTTP unencrypted web traffic)
B
TCP 443 (standard HTTPS encrypted web traffic)
C
TCP 8080 (common alternate HTTP or proxy port)
D
TCP 8443 (common alternate HTTPS port for web applications)
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: B — TCP 443 (standard HTTPS encrypted web traffic)
Standard HTTPS uses TCP port 443. TCP 80 (choice A) is unencrypted HTTP. TCP 8080 (choice C) is a common alternate HTTP or proxy port, not standard HTTPS. TCP 8443 (choice D) is a common alternate HTTPS port used by some web applications but is not the standard well-known port for HTTPS. Note: QUIC (HTTP/3) uses UDP 443 in modern deployments, but standard HTTPS per N10-009 objectives is TCP 443.
Question 8Networking ConceptsMedium
Which of the following is an example of east-west traffic in a data center?
A
Traffic between a web server and a database server within the same data center
B
Traffic from a client on the internet to a web server
C
Traffic from a branch office to headquarters
D
Traffic from a user to a cloud storage service
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: A — Traffic between a web server and a database server within the same data center
East-west traffic flows between servers within the same data center. North-south traffic enters or leaves the data center.
Question 9Networking ConceptsHard
A network administrator wants to make an autonomous system's route appear less preferred to external BGP peers by advertising an artificially longer path. Which technique accomplishes this?
A
Local Preference to set outbound path priority within the local AS
B
AS Path prepending to append extra AS hops in route advertisements
C
MED (Multi-Exit Discriminator) to hint preferred entry points to peers
D
Weight attribute to prefer a specific outbound path on one router
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: B — AS Path prepending to append extra AS hops in route advertisements
AS Path prepending adds extra copies of the local AS number to the AS_PATH attribute in BGP UPDATE messages, making the route appear longer and therefore less preferred by neighboring ASes using the default BGP best-path selection. Local Preference (choice A) influences outbound path selection within the local AS and is not advertised externally. MED (choice C) is advertised to external peers to suggest which entry point they should use to reach your AS, but does not lengthen the AS_PATH. Weight (choice D) is a local-router-only attribute that affects outbound path selection on a single device and is not propagated in BGP updates.
Question 10Networking ConceptsEasy
What is the primary purpose of a firewall in a network?
A
Filter traffic based on IP addresses and ports
B
Translate private IP addresses to public IPs using NAT
C
Assign IP addresses dynamically to hosts via DHCP
D
Encrypt data in transit between two endpoints
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: A — Filter traffic based on IP addresses and ports
A firewall monitors and controls incoming and outgoing network traffic based on predetermined security rules, typically filtering by IP address, port, and protocol. NAT (choice B) translates addressing but does not control traffic by policy. DHCP (choice C) dynamically assigns IP addresses. Encryption (choice D) is performed by protocols such as IPsec or TLS, not by the firewall's primary filtering function.
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Everything you need to know about CompTIA Network+
What is the CompTIA Network+ N10-009 exam?
N10-009 is the current CompTIA Network+ exam. It validates vendor-neutral networking covering concepts, implementation, operations, security, and troubleshooting. Cost: $369, up to 90 questions, passing score 720/900.
How hard is CompTIA Network+?
Network+ is intermediate-level. Candidates with networking experience or A+ foundation typically pass in 4-6 weeks. Troubleshooting and security are most challenging — they require application of concepts, not just memorization.
Is Network+ worth getting in 2026?
Yes. Network+ is one of the most respected vendor-neutral networking credentials and is required for many IT roles. It is DoD 8570 compliant for government and defense positions.
What is new in Network+ N10-009 vs N10-008?
N10-009 adds greater emphasis on cloud networking, Zero Trust architecture, modern wireless standards (Wi-Fi 6/6E), and network automation. Domain weights have been adjusted to reflect current enterprise priorities.
Do I need A+ before Network+?
CompTIA recommends A+ first but it is not required. If you have real-world networking experience or a strong self-study background in TCP/IP and subnetting, you can prepare for Network+ directly.
What topics are on Network+ N10-009?
Key topics: TCP/IP fundamentals, subnetting and CIDR, routing protocols (OSPF, BGP), VLANs and STP, wireless networking, network security (firewalls, IDS/IPS, Zero Trust), cloud networking, troubleshooting methodology, and network monitoring.
How many questions on Network+?
The N10-009 exam has up to 90 questions including multiple-choice, multiple-select, and performance-based questions. Time limit: 90 minutes. Passing score: 720/900.
How long to study for CompTIA Network+?
Most candidates study 4-8 weeks. Focus on subnetting (practice until automatic), troubleshooting methodology, and the network security domain — these have the most impact on your score.
Is there a free N10-009 practice test?
Yes. CertSharp offers a free N10-009 practice test for the CompTIA Network+ exam: 30 questions per session with detailed explanations, no credit card required. The full 500-question N10-009 bank, including timed exam mode, is $11.99 one-time with lifetime access.