Days 1–2: Learn
Read the assigned lessons, annotate diagrams, and explain the packet behavior aloud without copying definitions.
A structured route from baseline to exam readiness.
Built for an early-career administrator with roughly two years of experience. Plan for 12–16 focused hours each week. Progress is based on demonstrated mastery—not simply reaching Sunday.
12 weeks 12–16 hours weekly 80%+ mastery gates 2 full exams
Use the same repeatable learning cycle every week.
Days 3–4: Build
Recreate the configuration in Packet Tracer. Verify each layer before adding the next feature.
Day 5: Break
Inject faults deliberately. Predict the symptoms, gather evidence, repair the cause, and record what proved it.
Day 6: Retrieve
Answer mixed questions without notes. Review why every wrong option is wrong—not only why the answer is right.
Day 7: Recover
Use light flashcard recall or rest. If the mastery gate was missed, use this as a targeted catch-up day.
Twelve weeks, each ending with proof.
Baseline & Network Components
Objectives: Diagnostic exam; 1.1–1.4
Know and explain
- Routers, Layer 2/3 switches, firewalls, APs, controllers, endpoints, servers and PoE
- Two-tier, three-tier, spine-leaf, WAN, SOHO and cloud designs
- Copper, fiber and interface/cabling failures
Hands-on proof
Build a small Packet Tracer LAN. Identify every component, then break cabling, speed, duplex and interface state assumptions.
Question target: 75 mixed questions
Advance when: Explain the packet path and score at least 80% on the Week 1 check.
Transport & Addressing
Objectives: 1.5–1.10
Know and explain
- TCP versus UDP behavior and port selection
- IPv4 subnetting, private space and address roles
- IPv6 notation, scope, address types and client addressing
Hands-on proof
Create a dual-stack LAN. Calculate every subnet by hand, configure endpoints, and prove IPv4/IPv6 reachability.
Question target: 100 questions + daily subnetting
Advance when: Complete 20 subnet problems at 90% accuracy without notes.
Wireless, Virtualization & Domain 1
Objectives: 1.11–1.13 + checkpoint
Know and explain
- 802.11 channels, RF behavior, encryption and AP modes
- Server, network and container virtualization
- MAC learning, flooding and frame forwarding
Hands-on proof
Trace frames through a switched network, then change one variable and predict the new forwarding behavior.
Question target: Domain 1 checkpoint
Advance when: Score 80% or higher and remediate every missed objective before continuing.
VLANs, Trunks & EtherChannel
Objectives: 2.1–2.4
Know and explain
- Access and voice VLANs
- 802.1Q trunks, native VLAN and allowed lists
- CDP/LLDP and LACP EtherChannel
Hands-on proof
Build a multi-switch VLAN topology. Verify trunks, neighbor discovery and a two-link LACP port-channel.
Question target: 90 questions
Advance when: Repair a VLAN/trunk fault using show-command evidence, not configuration guessing.
STP & Wireless Access
Objectives: 2.5–2.9 + checkpoint
Know and explain
- Root election, port roles, costs and states
- PortFast, BPDU Guard, Root Guard and Loop Guard
- Wireless architecture, access, management and security
Hands-on proof
Create redundant Layer 2 links. Predict the blocked port, change the root, and safely test an edge-port protection.
Question target: Domain 2 checkpoint
Advance when: Score 80% and explain why each STP port received its role.
Routing Decisions & Static Routes
Objectives: 3.1–3.3
Know and explain
- Longest-prefix match, administrative distance and metric
- IPv4/IPv6 static, default, host and floating routes
- Route-table codes, next hops and recursive lookup
Hands-on proof
Route between three IPv4/IPv6 networks using static and floating routes; fail the primary path and verify recovery.
Question target: 100 routing questions
Advance when: Select routes correctly in 18 of 20 route-table scenarios.
OSPF & First-Hop Redundancy
Objectives: 3.4–3.5 + checkpoint
Know and explain
- Single-area OSPF neighbors, router ID, DR/BDR and cost
- Passive interfaces and default-route advertisement
- FHRP purpose and virtual gateway behavior
Hands-on proof
Form an OSPF adjacency, inject three faults one at a time, and prove the cause using neighbor and interface output.
Question target: Domain 3 checkpoint
Advance when: Score 80% and diagnose adjacency failures without reading the answer choices first.
IP Services
Objectives: 4.1–4.9 + checkpoint
Know and explain
- NAT/PAT, DHCP, relay, DNS and NTP
- SNMP, syslog, QoS, SSH and file transfer
- Verification and failure isolation for each service
Hands-on proof
Create a branch-services lab with DHCP relay, PAT, NTP, syslog and SSH. Capture evidence for every service.
Question target: Domain 4 checkpoint
Advance when: Score 80% and match each service failure to the correct verification command.
Security Foundations
Objectives: 5.1–5.6
Know and explain
- Threats, vulnerabilities, exploits and mitigation
- AAA, password policy, VPNs and secure management
- Standard and extended ACL design
Hands-on proof
Harden device management and implement an ACL from written business requirements. Prove permitted and denied flows.
Question target: 90 questions
Advance when: Translate five security requirements into correctly ordered ACL entries.
Layer 2 & Wireless Security
Objectives: 5.7–5.10 + checkpoint
Know and explain
- Port security, DHCP snooping and dynamic ARP inspection
- BPDU Guard and control-plane protections
- WPA2/WPA3, 802.1X and wireless authentication
Hands-on proof
Harden an access switch, trigger a controlled violation, and identify exactly which protection acted and why.
Question target: Domain 5 checkpoint
Advance when: Score 80% and explain dependencies such as DAI using DHCP snooping bindings.
Automation & Programmability
Objectives: 6.1–6.7 + checkpoint
Know and explain
- Controller-based networking and overlays
- REST APIs, HTTP methods, response codes and JSON
- Ansible, Terraform, AI/ML and configuration management
Hands-on proof
Read nested JSON, map an API request to intent and state, and compare a CLI workflow with a controller workflow.
Question target: Domain 6 checkpoint
Advance when: Score 80% and interpret an unfamiliar JSON response without guessing from keywords.
Integration, Exams & Remediation
Objectives: All domains
Know and explain
- Interleaved review based on weakness data
- End-to-end troubleshooting across multiple layers
- Time management and exam decision discipline
Hands-on proof
Complete one capstone network and both 110-question, 120-minute simulated exams under authentic conditions.
Question target: Exam A + remediation + Exam B
Advance when: Do not schedule the real exam until scores and domain results are consistently at or above target.
Protect the plan from false confidence.
Use closed-note checks
Recognition is easier than recall. If you need the lesson open, the skill is not exam-ready yet.
Track weaknesses by objective
“Routing” is too broad. Record the exact failure: longest-prefix choice, OSPF adjacency, static-route syntax, or something else.
Remediate before retesting
Explain the rule, rebuild the scenario, and answer new questions. Repeating the same question can measure memory instead of mastery.
Simulate honestly
Use one question at a time, no backtracking, no notes, and the full 120-minute timer for each 110-question exam.
Adjust scope, not the mastery standard.
Use the next Day 7 and the first half of Week 12 as recovery space. Move the exam date if necessary. Do not compress labs, checkpoints, or remediation simply to preserve the calendar.
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