CompTIA Network+ PowerCert Certification Course N10-009 2026

Generated using the notes I took on PowerCert Animated Video's CompTIA Network+ Full Certification Course Module by Module. Have been went over by hand, so theres no pointless flashcards.

ping

A command used to troubleshoot networking issues, checking connectivity to a website or server.

tracert

A command that tracks the route taken by packets across an IP network, recording each hop in milliseconds.

nslookup

A command that looks up DNS information and resolves domain names to their corresponding IP addresses.

ARP (Address Resolution Protocol)

A command that is used to resolve IP addresses to MAC (physical) addresses.

netstat

A command that displays current network connections and open ports on a computer.

ipconfig

A command thatdisplays the TCP/IP network configuration, helping to identify issues related to DHCP, DNS, and more.

tcpdump

A command-line packet analyzer that captures and analyzes network traffic.

NMAP

An open-source tool for network analysis and security audits.

LLDP (Link Layer Discovery Protocol) / CDP (Cisco Discovery Protocol)

A Layer 2 protocol that discovers devices on a network, providing information about the devices.

Speed Test

A tool that measures internet connection speed, including download speed, upload speed, and lag.

Cable Tester

A device used to confirm continuity and cabling arrangement of custom network cables.

Tone Generator / Fox and Hound

Tools used to trace cables and locate breakpoints by sending signals down the cable.

Wi-Fi Analyzer

A tool for analyzing and improving wireless network performance by measuring signal strength.

Visual Fault Locator

A tool that emits a red laser light to identify problems in fiber optic cables.

Network Tap

A device that allows network monitoring by getting in the path of network packets.

show command

A Cisco command tool to display various network settings and device configurations.

show mac-address-table

A Cisco command tool that shows the MAC address table from a device on a Cisco switch.

show route

A Cisco command tool that displays the routing table of a network device such as a router.

show interface

A Cisco command tool that displays information about network interfaces, their status, and speed.

show config

A Cisco command tool thats used to display the current configuration of a network device.

show arp

A Cisco command tool that displays the ARP cache on a device.

show vlan

A Cisco command tool that shows information about the configured VLANs on a switch.

show power

A Cisco command tool that displays information related to the power consumption of a device.

Congestion

Occurs when a shared resource is at capacity.

Contention

Occurs when too many devices access the same resource.

Bottlenecking

A point on a network where data flow is hindered, causing a data traffic jam.

Bandwidth

The maximum amount of data that can be sent over a network connection in a given time.

Latency / Lag

The time it takes for a network to respond to a user's action, measured in milliseconds.

Packet Loss

Occurs when one or more data packets do not arrive at their destination during transmission.

Jitter

The variation in time when data packets arrive at their destination.

Channel Overlap

Occurs when multiple wireless networks in the same area cause interference and slow speeds.

Signal Degradation

Happens when a wireless signal weakens and becomes corrupted during transmission.

Client Disassociation

Occurs when the user gets unexpectedly disconnected from the Wi-Fi signal.

Insufficient Wireless Coverage

Can occur due to router placement, obstacles, interference, or old technology.

Roaming Misconfiguration

Occurs when wireless access points are not configured correctly.

Device Hardening

The practice of securing a network or device by decreasing the chances of an attack and increasing defenses against cyber threats.

Network Access Control (NAC)

A security method that allows only authorized users and devices to access resources on a network, enforcing policies such as posture checks.

Access Control List (ACL)

A security feature used on a firewall that contains a list of rules about what can access the network.

IP Filtering

With regards to a ACL, this is a method that can allow or block specific IP addresses from accessing the network.

URL Filtering

With regards to a ACL, this is a method that can allow or block specific website URLs from being accessed.

Content Filtering

With regards to a ACL, this is a method that can block harmful content from being accessed on the network.

Trusted Zone

A network zone with high security that requires authorization for resource access.

Untrusted Zone

A network zone with low security and increased risk, typically represented by the internet.

Screened Subnet / Demilitarized Zone (DMZ)

A separate subnet before the firewall that improves security by housing public servers, while more secure resources remain behind the firewall.

Distributed Denial of Service (DDOS)

A cyber-attack on a specific server or network, intended to disrupt its normal operation.

VLAN Hopping

An attack where a hacker attempts to access VLANs they are not authorized to access.

MAC Flooding

An attack that overwhelms a switch by flooding its MAC address table with fraudulent entries.

ARP Spoofing

An attack where a device impersonates another device to intercept and steal data.

DNS Poisoning / DNS Spoofing

An attack that changes DNS data to redirect users to harmful websites.

Rogue DHCP Server

An unauthorized DHCP server that can interfere with network security and duplicate IP addresses.

Rogue AP

A malicious wireless access point placed on a secure network to steal user data.

Evil Twin Attack

An attack where a rogue AP broadcasts the same SSID as a legitimate AP.

Dumpster Diving

An attack that involves retrieving discarded items to find sensitive information.

Shoulder Surfing

Obtaining personal information by watching someone enter credentials.

Phishing

A type of internet fraud where criminals impersonate a legitimate entity to steal private information.

Malware

Malicious software intended to damage or exploit systems; includes viruses, trojans, worms, ransomware, and spyware.

Tailgating

A physical security breach where someone follows an authorized person into a secure area.

Domain Name System (DNS)

A system that resolves domain names to IP addresses.

Root Server

With regards to DNS, this is the server that accepts a domain name and forwards it to the best domain server.

Authoritative Name Server

With regards to DNS, this is the Server responsible for knowing everything about a domain.

Type A Record

DNS record type that resolves domain names to IPv4 addresses.

Time To Live (TTL)

A value that indicates how long a DNS record is valid until the next update.

Type AAAA Record

DNS record type that resolves domain names to IPv6 addresses.

Canonical Name (CNAME) Record

DNS record type that resolves a domain or subdomain to another domain name.

Mail Exchange (MX) Record

DNS record type used to specify the email server responsible for receiving email for a domain.

Name Server (NS) Record

DNS record type that provides the name of the authoritative name server within a domain.

Pointer Record (PTR)

DNS record type that resolves IP addresses to domain names, used for email verification.

Text Record (TXT)

DNS record type used to store miscellaneous information about a domain, often for spam prevention.

DNSSEC (Domain Name System Security Extensions)

A set of cryptographic protocols that add digital signatures to DNS records to secure them.

DNS over HTTPS (DoH)

A protocol that encrypts DNS queries using HTTPS for privacy.

DNS over TLS (DoT)

A protocol that improves privacy against main-in-the-middle attacks by encrypting DNS queries and preventing eavesdropping.

Forward Zone

A DNS Zone that resolves domain names to IP addresses.

Reverse Zone

A DNS Zone that resolves IP addresses to domain names.

Network Time Protocol (NTP)

Internet standard used to synchronize clocks of computers with a master clock.

Network Time Security

Enhancement of NTP to ensure secure communication for time synchronization.

Domain Server

With regards to DNS, this is the server that stores DNS records and responds to queries.

Virtual Private Network (VPN)

Establishes a secure and reliable network connection over an unsecure network such as the internet.

Site-to-site VPN

Connects two offices in different geographical locations to share data over the internet.

Client-to-site VPN

Securely connects a single computer to a remote network.

Full Tunneling

All data is sent through the VPN, providing high performance but adding latency.

Split Tunneling

A portion of the data is sent through the VPN while other traffic bypasses it, offering speed but less security.

Clientless VPN

Allows users to connect to a remote network without installing specific software.

Secure Shell (SSH)

Command-line interface for safely accessing and managing network devices.

Graphical User Interface (GUI)

User-friendly interface for connecting and managing network settings.

Application Programming Interface (API)

Links software applications for seamless data exchange.

Console Connection

Physical connection using a serial cable for direct command line access.

Jump Box / Jump Host / Jump Server

Computer that allows secure access to other servers or networks in a limited security zone.

In-Band Management

Uses the same network infrastructure for network management through SSH.

Out-Of-Band Management

Network management through a direct connection to the device using its console port.

Spanning Tree Protocol (STP)

A network protocol designed to prevent broadcast loops in Ethernet networks by blocking certain ports on switches.

Broadcast Storm

A condition caused by broadcast loops that occurs when multiple switches continually send broadcast frames, rendering the network inoperable.

Bridge Protocol Data Units (BPDU)

Messages exchanged by switches containing information about the bridge ID and the topology of the network.

Root Bridge

The switch with the lowest Bridge Protocol Data Unit (BPDU) that serves as the central point of the spanning tree.

Root Port

The port on a non-root switch that forwards traffic towards the root bridge and is determined by the lowest path cost.

Bridge ID (BID)

An identifier comprising a priority number, VLAN ID, and MAC address, used to establish the root bridge.

Designated Port

The port on a network switch that has the best path to the root bridge and is responsible for forwarding traffic towards that bridge. It is designated for the specific network segment.

Encryption

Method to make data unreadable by scrambling it using encryption algorithms.

Public Key Infrastructure (PKI)

A system that ensures users are who they claim to be, using digital certificates and public key cryptography.

Certificate Authority (CA)

A part of PKI. An entity that issues digital certificates and whose certificates are trusted by default by browsers and systems.

Self-Assigned Certificates

A part of PKI. Certificates that are not automatically trusted, requiring manual acceptance by the user.