CompTIA Network+

Strong learning-value: covers OSI, TCP/IP, routing, switching, troubleshooting from the ground up. Recommended bridge between A+ and Sec+. Cisco engineers sometimes still take it for the broader vendor-neutral context.

$369 fee. CCNA covers similar networking depth with vendor-specific value (Cisco). For pure networking careers, CCNA is generally preferred over Net+ once you're past A+.

Required prerequisite for Sec+ for many learners. Helpdesk → NOC progression often goes A+ → Net+ → Sec+. Mike Meyers + Jason Dion practice tests the standard combo.

PBQs are the difficulty spike — subnetting, port matching, troubleshooting flowcharts. Strongly recommend a hands-on lab (Packet Tracer or GNS3) instead of pure book study.

For DevOps / SRE roles, networking knowledge is needed but Net+ is often considered too broad and surface-level. Targeted resources (Computer Networking by Kurose & Ross, Beej's networking guide) often more efficient.