CompTIA Network+ (N10-009) is a 90-minute exam of up to 90 questions, a mix of multiple-choice and performance-based items, and you need 720 on a 100 to 900 scale to pass. It covers five domains, and troubleshooting carries the most weight at 24%. If you already have A+-level knowledge, a focused eight-week plan built around those weights is a reasonable starting point, and this guide lays one out.
Know the exam
The N10-009 exam at a glance
N10-009 is the current Network+ exam, also called version V9. CompTIA launched it on June 20, 2024, and the English version of the previous exam, N10-008, retired in December 2024. If a book, course or practice test says N10-008, it was written for the old exam.
Network+ N10-009 exam facts
| Exam fact | What CompTIA states |
|---|---|
| Exam code | N10-009 (V9) |
| Questions | Maximum of 90, multiple-choice and performance-based |
| Time | 90 minutes |
| Passing score | 720 on a scale of 100 to 900 |
| Languages | English, German, Japanese, Portuguese and Spanish |
| Recommended experience | CompTIA A+ and 9 to 12 months of hands-on experience in a junior network administrator or network support technician role |
| Launched | June 20, 2024 |
| Expected retirement | Usually three years after launch (CompTIA estimates 2027) |
Two of those rows should shape your plan. The performance-based questions ask you to do things, not only recall them, so reading alone is not enough; build hands-on practice into every week. The retirement estimate matters if you plan a long schedule. CompTIA has not published an exact N10-009 retirement date. It has posted draft objectives for the next version, Network+ V10, without a launch date, and says the drafts may change before launch. Check the exam code on the official Network+ page before you commit to a schedule, and again before you book.
The passing score is easy to misread. 720 is a point on CompTIA’s 100 to 900 scale, not a percentage of questions answered correctly. CompTIA’s exam page does not say how many correct answers reach 720, and this guide does not estimate it. Aim to be solid in every domain rather than chasing a number.
Know the exam
The five domains and what each one weighs
CompTIA splits N10-009 into five domains. The weight tells you roughly what share of the exam each domain represents, which makes it a useful guide to where your study hours should go.
N10-009 domain weights
| Domain | Weight | What it covers, in plain terms |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Networking concepts | 23% | The models, ports, protocols, addressing and network types everything else builds on |
| 2. Network implementation | 20% | Setting up routing, switching, wireless and physical installations |
| 3. Network operations | 19% | Documentation, monitoring, high availability and keeping a network running |
| 4. Network security | 14% | Securing devices and traffic, and recognizing common attacks |
| 5. Network troubleshooting | 24% | Following a method to find and fix cable, connectivity, performance and service problems |
The plain-terms column is EvolveSkill’s summary. Work from CompTIA’s own objectives for the exact list of topics.
N10-009 also added topics that older study material will not cover. CompTIA lists SD-WAN, infrastructure as code, VxLAN, intermediate and main distribution frames, zero trust architecture and SASE/SSE among the changes, along with more on physical installations. Before you choose a book or course, check it covers these; if not, it was probably built for N10-008.
Plan and practice
An 8-week N10-009 study plan
This plan is EvolveSkill guidance, not a CompTIA requirement, and following it does not guarantee a pass. It assumes you have A+-level knowledge and can study most days of the week. Time follows the domain weights roughly, with extra time on the two heaviest domains and a final week kept for review.
Eight weeks, mapped to the domains
| Week | Focus | Domain weight covered | Finish the week able to |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Networking concepts: models, ports and protocols | 23% (part 1) | Explain each OSI layer and name the common ports from memory |
| 2 | Networking concepts: addressing and subnetting | 23% (part 2) | Subnet an IPv4 network on paper without a calculator |
| 3 | Network implementation | 20% | Describe how routing, switching and wireless are set up, including the topics new in N10-009 |
| 4 | Network operations | 19% | Explain monitoring, documentation and high-availability choices |
| 5 | Network security | 14% | Match common attacks to the controls that stop them |
| 6 | Network troubleshooting: the method and the tools | 24% (part 1) | Work through a problem step by step and choose the right tool |
| 7 | Network troubleshooting: practice scenarios | 24% (part 2) | Diagnose cable, connectivity and service issues under time pressure |
| 8 | Full review and timed practice | All | Score consistently well on timed, full-length practice |
Your pace depends on your networking experience, your weekly study time, and whether you can do what the last column says by the end of each week. If you cannot, give that topic a few more days. If that happens more than once in the first three weeks, use the longer plan. Use it too if you are newer to networking or can study only a few days a week. The longer plan keeps the same order and stretches each week of the plan to about a week and a half, roughly twelve weeks in total.
- The mistake
- studying the domains in the order of the objectives and treating them as equal.
- Why it happens
- the objectives document is a list, and lists invite you to start at the top and give each item the same time.
- The fix
- use the weights. Troubleshooting is 24% and security is 14%, so they deserve different amounts of time, and troubleshooting is easier once concepts are solid. Plan by weight, then check your progress against the objectives at the end of each week.
Plan and practice
Study resources, official first
Start with what CompTIA publishes, because it describes the exam you will actually sit.
- The official Network+ certification page. It carries the exam details above, an inline summary of the V9 exam objectives, and a short practice quiz of exam-style questions. Treat it as your source of truth for the exam version and its retirement estimate.
- CompTIA’s CertMaster products. CompTIA offers CertMaster Learn (self-paced lessons), CertMaster Labs (browser-based hands-on practice), CertMaster Practice (an adaptive knowledge assessment) and CertMaster Perform (lessons combined with labs).
- A current third-party book or course, if you want one. Check that it names N10-009 on the cover or course page before you buy. Anything marked N10-008 was written for the retired exam, and material built on the draft V10 objectives targets an exam that has not launched.
This guide does not rank or endorse third-party courses. Whichever you choose, the version check matters more than the brand.
Plan and practice
How to practice for performance-based questions
N10-009 mixes multiple-choice and performance-based questions. CompTIA’s exam page does not say how many of each appear on your exam, so prepare for both.
Prepare with practice that makes you act, not just choose an answer:
- Subnet by hand. Give yourself a network and a number of hosts and work out the ranges on paper. Keep going until you can do it without notes, because Chapter 6 uses that as a readiness signal.
- Use a lab. A browser-based lab such as CertMaster Labs, or a simulator you trust, lets you configure and break things safely.
- Talk through the troubleshooting method. For every practice scenario, say each step out loud before you jump to the fix. A consistent method keeps you from guessing under time pressure.
- Time yourself. You have 90 minutes for up to 90 questions, about a minute each. If a performance-based item takes longer, make up the time on quicker questions.
- The mistake
- using practice tests as the main way to learn.
- Why it happens
- a score feels like progress, and repeating the same question bank pushes the score up quickly.
- The fix
- use practice questions to find gaps, then go back to the material and the lab to close them. If your score rises only on questions you have seen before, you have learned the question bank, not the network.
Book and sit it
Readiness signals: how to know you are ready to book
These checks are EvolveSkill guidance, not a CompTIA requirement. You are probably ready to book when all of them are true:
- You can subnet quickly and accurately without notes.
- You can explain why each of the five domains matters, not just define its terms.
- You can troubleshoot a scenario using a clear, step-by-step method.
- You score consistently well on timed practice that you have not seen before.
- You can explain the newer N10-009 topics, such as SD-WAN and zero trust, in your own words.
Booking is also a cost decision. CompTIA charges the full exam price for every attempt and offers no free retests or retake discounts. In practice, an extra week closing a gap before you book costs no exam fee; a second attempt costs a full one.
If you are at that point, EvolveSkill sells an N10-009 exam voucher (opens in a new tab) for the current V9 exam. Check its stated exam version, expiry and terms on the product page before you buy.
Book and sit it
Exam day
CompTIA exams can be taken online through Pearson VUE’s OnVUE service. However you test, follow the instructions in your Pearson VUE confirmation and reminder emails, because CompTIA points candidates to them for the full list of requirements.
- Bring the right ID. CompTIA asks for one valid, unexpired, government-issued ID with your signature and photo.
- For online exams, prepare your space. At check-in you take four photos of your exam space, so clear the room before your appointment, not during it.
- Manage the clock. With up to 90 questions in 90 minutes, do not let one performance-based item consume your time. If the exam lets you mark items for review, use it and come back.
If you do not pass, CompTIA requires no wait between your first and second attempts. From the third attempt onward you must wait at least 14 calendar days after your last attempt. Every attempt is paid at full price, so work on your weakest domains before you rebook.
After you pass, you renew Network+ on a three-year cycle through CompTIA’s continuing education program, and there are two kinds of path. One qualifying activity can renew it: a CertMaster CE course, another qualifying CompTIA or IT industry certification, or the latest Network+ exam once a newer version exists. Or you can earn 30 continuing education units over the cycle from activities such as approved training or related work experience. Renewal can also involve CE fees, which CompTIA says are due before the certification expires. Pick your path early in the cycle.
Next steps
- Read the official Network+ page and confirm that N10-009 is still the current exam, then check again before you book.
- Pick resources that name N10-009, and use CompTIA’s own first.
- Plan your weeks by domain weight, starting with networking concepts.
- Practice hands-on and on timed questions you have not seen.
- Book only when the readiness signals in Chapter 6 are true.
Still deciding whether Network+ is the right first certification? The comparison of CompTIA A+ and Network+ (opens in a new tab) covers which to take first by background and goal.
Reference
FAQ
How many questions are on the Network+ N10-009 exam?
A maximum of 90, a mix of multiple-choice and performance-based questions, in 90 minutes.
What is the passing score for N10-009?
720, on a scale of 100 to 900. That is not a percentage of questions answered correctly, and CompTIA’s exam page does not say how many correct answers it takes.
What are the N10-009 exam objectives?
They are grouped into five domains: networking concepts (23%), network implementation (20%), network operations (19%), network security (14%) and network troubleshooting (24%). See the domain table for what each covers.
How long should I study for Network+?
CompTIA does not set a study time. As EvolveSkill guidance, plan on about eight weeks if you have A+-level knowledge and about twelve if you are newer to networking. Adjust for your weekly study time and progress. The study plan shows how to divide the time.
Do I need CompTIA A+ before Network+?
CompTIA lists A+ plus 9 to 12 months of hands-on experience as recommended experience, and its exam page does not list a required prerequisite.
What changed from N10-008 to N10-009?
CompTIA added topics including SD-WAN, infrastructure as code, VxLAN, intermediate and main distribution frames, zero trust architecture and SASE/SSE, plus more on physical installations.
Is N10-008 still available?
No. The English version of N10-008 retired in December 2024. N10-009 is the current exam.
When will N10-009 retire?
CompTIA estimates 2027, about three years after launch, but has not published an exact date. It has posted draft objectives for Network+ V10 without a launch date, so check the official page before booking.
How many performance-based questions are on N10-009?
CompTIA’s exam page does not give a number. Prepare for both question types rather than counting on a fixed share.
What happens if I fail Network+?
You can retake it with no wait after a first failure. After a second failure you wait at least 14 calendar days before each further attempt, and every attempt is paid at full price.
How do I keep Network+ current after I pass?
Renew it within CompTIA’s three-year cycle. One qualifying activity can renew it, such as a CertMaster CE course, a qualifying certification or the latest release of the exam. Or you can earn 30 continuing education units from several activities. Renewal can also involve CE fees.
Reference
Sources
All CompTIA facts on this page were checked against the sources below on October 28, 2026.
- CompTIA: Network+ certification page (exam code and version, launch date, retirement estimate, question count and types, duration, passing score, languages, recommended experience, domain weights, objectives summary, practice quiz, CertMaster products).
- CompTIA blog: “The New Network+ (N10-009) Exam: Your Questions Answered”, published December 18, 2024 (N10-008 retirement, topics added in N10-009, CertMaster descriptions).
- CompTIA: Certification retake policy (waiting periods, paid attempts).
- CompTIA: Exam delivery policies (online testing through Pearson VUE OnVUE, ID requirement, check-in photos).
- CompTIA: Continuing education, renewing with work experience (30 CEUs for Network+, three-year renewal cycle).
- CompTIA: Renewal options for your certification (renewal paths available for Network+).
- CompTIA: Renew with a single activity (CertMaster CE, qualifying certifications, latest exam release).
- CompTIA: Learn about continuing education (CE fees).
- CompTIA: Exam objectives under development (draft Network+ V10 objectives).
Not stated on this page, deliberately: the exam price, because prices change and this guide is about preparation, so check the current price where you buy; the number of performance-based questions, the number of correct answers needed to pass, an exact N10-009 retirement date and a V10 launch date, because CompTIA’s exam page does not state them and this article does not estimate them.
Article record
- Dates
- ·
- Sources
9 cited in this guide
- Network+ certification page
- "The New Network+ (N10-009) Exam: Your Questions Answered"
- Certification retake policy
- Exam delivery policies
- Continuing education, renewing with work experience
- Renewal options for your certification
- Renew with a single activity
- Learn about continuing education
- Exam objectives under development
