Clarke Moyer CompTIA Network+ Certification Passing Guide
🎓 WGU Degree Program Context
Clarke obtained this certification as part of completing his BS-IT (Bachelor of Science in Information Technology) at Western Governors University (WGU). WGU's IT degree program integrates industry certification preparation directly into the curriculum — students can earn both the degree and the certifications simultaneously. This is why Clarke holds multiple foundational certifications from the same 2008–2009 period. If you're considering WGU, the built-in cert prep is a significant part of the value.
⚠️ A Note From Clarke: I no longer recommend pursuing CompTIA certifications as a primary certification track. If your goal is DoD 8570/NICE compliance or a career in cybersecurity, go directly to the CISSP track — it carries significantly more weight and longevity. CompTIA certs are accepted as DoD 8570 baseline qualifiers but the CISSP supersedes them. See the CISSP Passing Guide to start there instead. This guide remains here for those already committed to the CompTIA path.
📋 Active CE Renewal
Clarke actively maintains this certification through CompTIA's Continuing Education (CE) program — which is why you'll see the "ce" suffix (e.g., Network+ce) in his credentials. While Clarke no longer recommends this as a starting path, he keeps it current as part of his professional maintenance discipline. An active CE certification requires ongoing education and renewal — it's not a one-time achievement left to expire.
BLUF: To pass the Network+, do 4 things
- Create a public contest with another person — compete to finish before they do. The accountability accelerates everything.
- Go audio-first: get the audiobook version and study while walking, driving, or doing household tasks. Passive absorption adds up.
- Practice tests are the core. Buy the book primarily for access to the digital test bank — that’s the real product.
- Don’t over-study. Run all questions once, rerun wrong ones until zero, then restart with a real-test mix until you hit 90%+. Test at 80% — the re-take voucher is your safety net.
I passed the CompTIA Network+ in October 2008 — just weeks before earning my Security+. Network+ was actually my second CompTIA cert, right after A+. The networking fundamentals you build here carry forward through everything: Security+, CISSP, and beyond.
Obtained: October 8, 2008 | License: COMP001007606759
Study Method
1. Create Competition
Find someone — a colleague, study buddy, anyone — and make it a race. Announce it publicly if possible. The social pressure of a competition is more powerful than any study schedule. Even if you lose the race, you both pass. That happened to me with the CISSP and it still worked.
2. Audio First
Network+ covers a lot of vocabulary — protocols, ports, topologies, OSI layers. This is exactly the kind of material that benefits from repeated audio exposure. Listen while commuting, walking, doing dishes. By the time you sit down to practice tests, the terminology will already feel familiar.
3. Practice Tests Are the Core
Buy the study guide primarily for the digital test prep access that comes with it. The book is secondary — the online test bank is what you’re really purchasing. Spend your hours there.
4. Don’t Over-Study
Run all questions once. Rerun the ones you got wrong until you score zero wrong. Then switch to a real-test mix (random questions, timed) and keep going until you consistently hit 90%+. Schedule your test when you hit 80% — you have a re-take if needed. Over-studying wastes time and increases anxiety without improving your score.
Books / Materials
Mike Meyers CompTIA Network+ Guide ← Must Buy
Mike Meyers is arguably the most recognized name in Network+ prep. Comprehensive coverage with online test access included. The practice tests are the real reason to buy it.
Mike Meyers CompTIA Network+ Study Guide ↗
CompTIA Network+ Audiobook / Audio Study Guide
For the audio-first method. Network+ has a large vocabulary load — ports, protocols, subnetting, topologies. Repeated passive listening while commuting or exercising accelerates retention.
CompTIA Network+ Audiobook Study Guide ↗
Test Strategy
The Network+ N10-009 exam is 90 questions, maximum 90 minutes, passing score of 720 (on a 100–900 scale). It includes multiple choice and performance-based questions. Like Security+, flag PBQs and return to them at the end — don’t let them consume time upfront.
Network+ satisfies DoD 8570 IAT Level I and is a solid stepping stone. But if you’re planning to go further in cybersecurity or DoD work, treat it as a foundation — not a destination. CISSP is where the real career leverage is.
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