Course Syllabus

School of Business and Management

Department of Information Science and Systems

 

CompTIA Network+ Certification Preparation, Section 000

Cyberwarrior Program

 

 

 

 

Instructor:       

Office:                 

Telephone:       

Class:                

Classroom:     

Office Hours:  

 E-mail:               

 

Course Description

This course is a preparation course that will cover all the necessary outcomes to pass the current iteration of the CompTIA Network+ Certification. Network+ prepares candidates to support networks on any platform. It is the only certification that covers the specific skills that network professionals need. CompTIA Network+ will help advance the career development of IT professionals in network administration.

 

 

Prerequisite: None

 

Textbooks and Materials:

 

[Required]: CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks x^th Edition

By Jill West 2022, ISBN: 978-0-357-50813-8

 

CompTIA Labs, E-Books , and Testing Resources.

Course Objectives

The objectives and goals of the course are:

 

• Prepare the student to pass the CompTIA Network+ Certification exam successfully

 

 

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the CompTIA Network+ Certification Preparation, students will be able to:

 

• Understand current Network+ objectives

 

• Understand the details under each of the objectives

 

• Master mock tests in preparation for the CompTIA Network+ ,

 

• Master testing strategies to pass the test

 

 

Course Approach

 

ASSIGNMENTS – There will be reading assignments to prepare for each week’s lectures. There will be assigned videos to watch for reinforcing concepts covered in the lectures

 

Exercises – There will be weekly exams covering each chapter covered that week.

They will not count for a grade but will show progress in preparation for the test. Retaking the tests will be encouraged until a consistent 90% is achieved.

 

ACCESS—Students enrolled in this program who are not part of Morgan State University will be assigned a provisional email and user ID to access the CENGAGE curriculum.

 

Course Policies:

Class attendance will be recorded at the beginning of each class period. The instructor must be informed if class attendance is impossible because of a personal emergency.

 

 

 

* This schedule is aggressive and will require absolute commitment from the student.

Week 1: Introduction to Networking & Network Models

Topics

• Networking Basics (LAN, WAN, MAN, PAN)
• OSI & TCP/IP Models
• Network Topologies (Star, Mesh, Bus, etc.)
• Common Network Devices (Switches, Routers, Firewalls, etc.)
• Ports & Protocols (TCP/UDP, DNS, DHCP, HTTP, FTP, SSH)

Activities

• Diagram OSI & TCP/IP models
• Identify ports/protocols using Wireshark
• Class discussion: How do network devices interact?
• Quiz: OSI Model & Network Topologies

Week 2: Network Infrastructure & Cabling

Topics

• Ethernet Standards (10BaseT, 100BaseT, 1000BaseT)
• Fiber vs. Copper Cabling
• Cable Types & Connectors (RJ-45, ST, SC, LC, etc.)
• Wireless Networking (802.11 Standards, Frequencies, Encryption)
• IP Addressing (IPv4 vs. IPv6, Subnetting, CIDR)

Activities

• Crimp and test Ethernet cables
• Practice subnetting exercises
• Set up and secure a basic Wi-Fi network
• Lab: Configuring IPv4 and IPv6 addresses
• Quiz: Network Cabling & IP Addressing

Week 3: Network Operations & Configuration

Topics

• DHCP, DNS, and NAT
• VLANs & Inter-VLAN Routing
• Network Security Basics (ACLs, MAC Filtering, Firewalls)
• Network Performance Metrics (Throughput, Latency, Jitter, Packet Loss)

Activities

• Configure a DHCP server
• Set up VLANs on a managed switch
• Use Wireshark to analyze network traffic
• Lab: Configure port security on a switch
• Quiz: Network Configuration & Performance

Week 4: Routing & Switching Fundamentals

Topics

• Static vs. Dynamic Routing (RIP, OSPF, BGP)
• Routing Tables & Route Summarization
• Switching Concepts (STP, MAC Address Tables, PoE)
• Network Address Translation (NAT/PAT)

Activities

• Configure static and dynamic routes on a router
• Analyze STP in action using a managed switch
• Lab: Configure and troubleshoot NAT
• Quiz: Routing Protocols & Switching Concepts

Week 5: Wireless Networking & Security

Topics

• Wireless Technologies (802.11 Standards, Frequencies, Bands)
• Wireless Security (WPA2, WPA3, WPS, Enterprise vs. Personal)
• Wireless Site Surveys & Interference Mitigation
• Implementing Wireless Mesh Networks

Activities

• Set up a secure wireless network
• Conduct a Wi-Fi site survey using a Wi-Fi analyzer tool
• Lab: Configure a wireless network with WPA3 security
• Quiz: Wireless Standards & Security

Week 6: Network Security & Threats

Topics

• Network Attacks (DoS, MITM, Phishing, Ransomware)
• Security Devices (Firewalls, IDS/IPS, Proxies, VPNs)
• Authentication Methods (RADIUS, TACACS+, 802.1X)
• Secure Remote Access (VPNs, SSH, RDP)

Activities

• Use a firewall to block traffic based on ACLs
• Identify network attacks using Wireshark
• Lab: Configure a VPN connection
• Quiz: Network Security Threats & Defenses

Week 7: Network Troubleshooting & Tools

Topics

• Network Troubleshooting Methodology
• Common Network Issues (Connectivity, Latency, IP Conflicts)
• Troubleshooting Tools (Ping, Traceroute, Nslookup, Netstat)
• Logging & Monitoring (Syslog, SNMP, SIEM)

Activities

• Troubleshoot a network connectivity issue
• Use command-line tools to diagnose network problems
• Lab: Configure SNMP monitoring on a network
• Quiz: Troubleshooting & Diagnostic Tools

Week 8: Network Management & Review

Topics

• Network Documentation & Policies
• Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery (Backups, Redundancy)
• Exam Review & Practice Questions
• Test-Taking Strategies

Activities

• Develop a network topology diagram
• Simulate a network outage and create a recovery plan
• Practice Exam: 90-minute Network+ Mock Test
• Final Review Session & Q&A

 

Weeks 9-16: Schedule and Prepare for Test