CompTIA Network+ (N10-009) Exam Objectives: The Full Domain Breakdown
The N10-009 exam objectives across five weighted domains, plus a study-hour budget most guides skip. Networking Concepts and Troubleshooting are 47% of the exam.
The CompTIA Network+ N10-009 exam objectives are published as a domain list with percentage weightings, and most guides reprint that list and stop. The problem is that a list of five domains does not tell you how to spend your study time, and the weightings are lopsided enough that treating them evenly is a mistake. Two of the five domains carry nearly half the exam between them. If you study all five as equals, you are shortchanging the parts that decide your pass.
This breakdown gives you the current N10-009 domain weightings, what each domain actually covers, and the thing the PDF-heavy competitors leave out: a study-hour budget mapped to those weightings. The one number to anchor on: Networking Concepts and Troubleshooting are 47 percent of the exam, per CompTIA.
Quick takeaways
- N10-009 is the current Network+ version (V9), launched June 20, 2024, per CompTIA. The prior N10-008 English exam retired in December 2024.
- The exam is a maximum of 90 questions in 90 minutes, mixing multiple-choice and performance-based questions (PBQs), with a passing score of 720 on a 100-to-900 scale.
- There are five weighted domains. Networking Concepts (23 percent) and Network Troubleshooting (24 percent) together are 47 percent of the exam.
- Network Security dropped the most from the old version (19 to 14 percent); Network Operations gained the most (16 to 19 percent).
- Budget study time to the weightings, not evenly. Front-load Concepts and Troubleshooting.
- PrepClubs is independent prep material and is not affiliated with or endorsed by CompTIA.
What the N10-009 exam actually is
Before the objectives, get the format exact, because it shapes how you practice. Per CompTIA's official Network+ page:
| Attribute | N10-009 |
|---|---|
| Number of questions | Maximum of 90 |
| Time limit | 90 minutes |
| Question types | Multiple-choice and performance-based (PBQs) |
| Passing score | 720 (on a scale of 100 to 900) |
| Launch date | June 20, 2024 |
| Recommended experience | CompTIA A+ plus 9 to 12 months of networking experience |
Two details matter for practice. First, the passing mark is a scaled score, not a percentage, so there is no clean "you need X of 90 correct." Practice to a comfortable margin above 720 on full-length sets. Second, the PBQs are interactive tasks (configure a device, place components in a topology, match protocols to ports) rather than pick-one questions, and they appear early. A bank that is nothing but multiple-choice under-prepares you for the format you actually meet.
The five N10-009 domains and their weightings
Here are the current Network+ domains and their exact percentage weightings from CompTIA's N10-009 objectives. Use CompTIA's official domain names: Domain 1 is "Networking Concepts" (some competitors paraphrase it as "Networking Fundamentals," but the official title is Concepts), and Domain 2 is "Network Implementation" (singular).
| # | N10-009 domain | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| 1.0 | Networking Concepts | 23% |
| 2.0 | Network Implementation | 20% |
| 3.0 | Network Operations | 19% |
| 4.0 | Network Security | 14% |
| 5.0 | Network Troubleshooting | 24% |
The percentages sum to 100 and the distribution is deliberately uneven. Troubleshooting is the single heaviest domain at 24 percent, Concepts is close behind at 23 percent, and Security is the lightest at 14 percent. That last one surprises people, because "network security" sounds central, but on Network+ it is the smallest slice. Save the heavier security focus for Security+.
What each domain covers
- Domain 1, Networking Concepts (23%). The OSI model, network topologies and types, ports and protocols, IP addressing and subnetting, cloud concepts, and modern additions like SDN, SD-WAN, VXLAN, zero trust, and infrastructure as code. This is the conceptual foundation, and subnetting speed lives here.
- Domain 2, Network Implementation (20%). Routing and switching technologies, wireless standards, and physically or logically building out a network. The hands-on "deploy it" domain.
- Domain 3, Network Operations (19%). Documentation, monitoring, high availability, disaster recovery, and organizational processes. This domain grew in N10-009, so do not treat it as an afterthought.
- Domain 4, Network Security (14%). Security concepts, common attacks, and hardening. Real but the lightest domain; N10-009 trimmed it from the old 19 percent.
- Domain 5, Network Troubleshooting (24%). The methodology and tools for diagnosing cabling, connectivity, wireless, and performance problems. The heaviest domain, and heavily PBQ-relevant.
Where to spend your study time
Now the part the objectives PDF cannot give you. A weighting is a study instruction if you read it as one. Here is a defensible study-hour budget for N10-009.
| Domain | Exam weight | Suggested share of study hours |
|---|---|---|
| Domain 5 (Troubleshooting) | 24% | ~24% |
| Domain 1 (Networking Concepts) | 23% | ~25% |
| Domain 2 (Implementation) | 20% | ~20% |
| Domain 3 (Operations) | 19% | ~19% |
| Domain 4 (Security) | 14% | ~12% |
Two deliberate tweaks. First, give Domain 1 a hair more than its 23 percent because subnetting and the OSI model underpin questions across every other domain; time there pays off everywhere. Second, do not over-invest in Domain 4, the lightest at 14 percent, especially if Security+ is your next cert; a deep security dive is better saved for that exam. The core instruction: with Concepts and Troubleshooting at 47 percent combined, nearly half your hours belong there.
What changed from N10-008
If you are studying from older material, know what moved. The weight shifts from N10-008 to N10-009 were: Networking Concepts 24 to 23, Implementation 19 to 20, Operations 16 to 19, Security 19 to 14, and Troubleshooting 22 to 24. Security dropped the most and Operations gained the most. N10-009 also added modern topics such as SDN, SD-WAN, zero trust, VXLAN, and infrastructure as code. If your study guide predates mid-2024, verify it covers these, or you will study to a retired blueprint.
FAQ
What are the Network+ exam objectives?
They are CompTIA's official list of what the N10-009 exam tests, organized into five weighted domains: Networking Concepts (23 percent), Network Implementation (20 percent), Network Operations (19 percent), Network Security (14 percent), and Network Troubleshooting (24 percent). CompTIA publishes the full objectives with sub-objectives for each domain.
How many domains are on the Network+ N10-009 exam?
Five: Networking Concepts, Network Implementation, Network Operations, Network Security, and Network Troubleshooting. Their weightings are uneven, with Troubleshooting (24 percent) and Concepts (23 percent) the heaviest and Security (14 percent) the lightest.
How many questions are on the Network+ exam, and what is the passing score?
A maximum of 90 questions in 90 minutes, mixing multiple-choice and performance-based questions, with a passing score of 720 on a 100-to-900 scale, per CompTIA. The passing score is scaled, not a raw percentage.
What is the difference between N10-008 and N10-009?
N10-009 is the current version (launched June 2024); N10-008 English retired in December 2024. The domains were reweighted (Security dropped from 19 to 14 percent, Operations rose from 16 to 19 percent) and new topics were added, including SDN, SD-WAN, zero trust, VXLAN, and infrastructure as code.
Which Network+ domain is the most important?
By weight, Troubleshooting (24 percent) and Networking Concepts (23 percent) are the most important, together making up 47 percent of the exam. Network Security is the lightest at 14 percent. Budget your study time to match, and front-load the two heavy domains.
Do I need A+ before Network+?
CompTIA recommends holding A+ and having roughly 9 to 12 months of hands-on networking experience before Network+. It is a recommendation, not a hard prerequisite, but the exam assumes that baseline, which is why the standard advice is to take A+ first.
Related on PrepClubs
- CompTIA Network+ Practice Test (N10-009): Drilling the Five Domains to a Pass
- CompTIA Security+ Exam Objectives (SY0-701): The Full Domain Breakdown
- The CompTIA Trifecta (A+, Network+, Security+): Order, Timeline, and Cost
Network+ rewards the candidate who spends practice time where the exam puts its points: Troubleshooting, Networking Concepts, and fast subnetting. Reprinting the objectives list will not do that for you; weighting your study to match the domains will. PrepClubs' Network+ track is built for exactly that: full-length N10-009 practice tests with PBQ-style tasks and written rationales, per-domain breakdowns so you know exactly where to drill, and a free diagnostic to place you first. It is a one-time purchase with 30 days of access, not a subscription. If you prepare with PrepClubs and do not pass your real test, we extend your access at no extra cost. No fine print. PrepClubs has helped more than 1,600 students prepare for cognitive and certification assessments. Start with the free Network+ diagnostic.
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