Network Fundamentals
20%Network components, topology, cabling, interface behavior, IP addressing, wireless principles, and virtualization basics.
CertVectorCCNA study guide
A six-week path from subnetting basics to 200-301 readiness.
CCNA rewards practical network reasoning: can you read a topology, predict forwarding behavior, spot a VLAN or routing mistake, and choose the operational fix? Use this plan with CertVector drills.
200-301 domain weights
Network Access
20%VLANs, trunking, EtherChannel, spanning tree, wireless architectures, access ports, and discovery protocols.
IP Connectivity
25%Routing tables, static routes, OSPF fundamentals, first-hop redundancy, forwarding decisions, and IPv4/IPv6 troubleshooting.
IP Services
10%NAT, NTP, DHCP, DNS, SNMP, syslog, QoS, TFTP/FTP, and device management services.
Security Fundamentals
15%Device access control, ACLs, wireless security, DHCP snooping, port security, VPN concepts, and basic threat mitigation.
Automation and Programmability
10%Controller-based networking, APIs, JSON, REST, configuration management, and automation-driven operations.
Weekly progression
Keep the loop concrete: answer, read the rationale, identify the command/concept gap, then retry the same domain.
Week 1
Network fundamentals and subnetting
Review devices, traffic paths, interface behavior, IPv4 subnetting, IPv6 basics, and how to read simple topology requirements.
Week 2
Switching and network access
Practice VLANs, trunks, access ports, STP symptoms, EtherChannel choices, wireless roles, and basic access-layer troubleshooting.
Week 3
IP connectivity
Work through routing tables, longest-prefix match, static routes, default routes, OSPF fundamentals, and first-hop redundancy concepts.
Week 4
IP services and operations
Study NAT, DHCP, DNS, NTP, syslog, SNMP, QoS basics, file transfer services, and device management workflows.
Week 5
Security and automation
Practice ACLs, port security, secure management, wireless security, DHCP snooping concepts, APIs, JSON, and controller-based networking.
Week 6
Timed readiness
Run mixed drills, review misses by domain, then complete timed checkpoints to identify whether gaps are conceptual, calculation-based, or troubleshooting-based.
Use the plan inside the product
Start with mixed CCNA drills, then filter by switching, routing, security, or automation when the missed-review queue shows a pattern.