Prep
How to use this CCNA study guide
This CCNA study guide is built on Cisco's official exam topics for 200-301 CCNA v1.1, the version you can take until February 2, 2027. The topics list every objective the exam can test, grouped into six domains with published weights. Our 12-week plan follows those weights and pairs every week with lab work, because the CCNA tests what you can configure and troubleshoot, not just what you have read.
The CCNA exam lasts 120 minutes and costs USD 300, or you can pay with Cisco Learning Credits. It has no prerequisites. Cisco does not publish the number of questions or a fixed passing score, so be wary of any guide that states them as official facts.
Before you start, decide which version you will sit. That decision changes the plan, so read the v2.0 section below first.
| Week | Domain (weight) | Topics | Lab task |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Network Fundamentals (20%) | Network components, topologies, cabling, TCP vs UDP, IPv4 addressing | Set up your simulator; basic device configuration and passwords |
| 2 | Network Fundamentals (20%) | Subnetting drills, IPv6 addressing, wireless and virtualization basics | Address a small network in IPv4 and IPv6 and verify with ping |
| 3 | Network Access (20%) | VLANs, 802.1Q trunks, inter-VLAN routing, CDP and LLDP | Three VLANs across two switches with router-on-a-stick |
| 4 | Network Access (20%) | EtherChannel, Rapid PVST+, PortFast and BPDU guard, wireless architectures | EtherChannel and spanning tree root selection |
| 5 | IP Connectivity (25%) | Routing table components, longest prefix match, administrative distance | Static and default routes between three routers |
| 6 | IP Connectivity (25%) | Single-area OSPFv2: neighbors, DR and BDR, router ID | OSPF across three routers; change priorities and observe DR election |
| 7 | IP Connectivity (25%) | IPv6 static routes, floating static routes, first hop redundancy | Floating static backup path; shut the primary link and verify failover |
| 8 | IP Services (10%) | Static NAT, NAT pools and PAT, DHCP client and relay, DNS, NTP, SNMP, syslog, QoS basics, SSH | PAT to one public address; DHCP with ip helper-address |
| 9 | Security Fundamentals (15%) | Security concepts, passwords, AAA, VPN types, standard and extended ACLs | Standard and extended ACLs placed correctly |
| 10 | Security Fundamentals (15%) | Port security, DHCP snooping, dynamic ARP inspection, wireless security | Port security with shutdown violation mode |
| 11 | Automation and Programmability (10%) | Controller-based networking, REST APIs, JSON, configuration management tools | Read and write JSON; map CRUD to HTTP methods |
| 12 | All domains | Two full timed practice exams, review weak objectives, daily subnetting | Rebuild your three hardest labs from scratch |
CCNA v1.1 domains and weights
| Domain | Weight | Core topics |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Network Fundamentals | 20% | Components, topologies, cabling, TCP and UDP, IPv4 subnetting, IPv6, wireless basics |
| 2. Network Access | 20% | VLANs, trunks, EtherChannel, spanning tree, wireless architectures |
| 3. IP Connectivity | 25% | Routing tables, static routes, OSPF, first hop redundancy |
| 4. IP Services | 10% | NAT, NTP, DHCP, DNS, SNMP, syslog, QoS basics, SSH |
| 5. Security Fundamentals | 15% | Security concepts, passwords, VPNs, ACLs, port security, DHCP snooping, wireless security |
| 6. Automation and Programmability | 10% | Controller-based networking, REST APIs, JSON, configuration management tools |
IP Connectivity is the single biggest domain, and subnetting from Network Fundamentals runs through almost everything else. Those two are where the plan spends the most time.
The 12-week CCNA study plan
The table at the top of this page is the full CCNA study plan. It assumes about 10 hours a week: roughly half reading or video, half lab. Each week has the same rhythm:
- Learn the week's objectives from your study guide.
- Lab every configuration you read about, from a blank device, until you can do it without notes.
- Break and fix: change one setting, watch what fails, and find it again with show commands.
- Test with a short quiz on the week's domain, and review every wrong answer against the exam topics.
Do ten minutes of subnetting practice every day from week 1 to the exam, even in weeks about other topics. Speed on subnetting saves time across the whole exam.
If you already work with networks, you can compress weeks 1 to 4 and finish in about eight weeks. If you are new to IT, stretch each block by half and plan for about 18 weeks, which fits the three-to-six-month range many beginners need.
Lab practice: what to build
Lab work is the part most candidates underestimate. You have three options:
- A network simulator such as Cisco Packet Tracer. It covers most CCNA switching and routing topics and runs on a normal laptop.
- An emulator that runs real Cisco operating system images. It behaves more like real equipment but needs more setup and computing power.
- Used hardware: a couple of second-hand switches and routers. It teaches cabling and console access, but takes space and money.
A simulator is enough for most people. Whatever you choose, build these labs from scratch at least twice:
- Two switches with three VLANs, an 802.1Q trunk and router-on-a-stick inter-VLAN routing.
- EtherChannel between two switches, then verify spanning tree root and port roles.
- Three routers with single-area OSPF, then a floating static route as a backup path.
- DHCP on a router with a relay (ip helper-address) for a remote VLAN, plus PAT to one public address.
- Standard and extended ACLs, port security with a violation mode, and SSH-only management access.
- Dual-stack IPv4 and IPv6 addressing with IPv6 static routes.
For each lab, practise reading show command output, such as the routing table, interface status and spanning tree, because many questions ask you to interpret output rather than type commands.
Subnetting: the skill that decides the exam
Cisco's v1.1 topics ask you to configure and verify IPv4 addressing and subnetting and IPv6 addressing. In practice, subnetting also appears inside routing, ACL and NAT questions, so a slow subnetting method costs time across the whole exam.
Aim for these targets by week 4:
- Given a host count, pick the smallest prefix that fits. For example, 50 hosts needs a /26, which gives 62 usable addresses.
- Given an address and prefix, find the network address, broadcast address and usable range in under a minute, without a calculator.
- Recognise IPv6 address types (global unicast, unique local, link local, multicast) and shorten or expand IPv6 addresses correctly.
- Work out the wildcard mask for an ACL or OSPF network statement from a subnet mask.
Use a simple method, such as the block-size or magic-number approach, and practise it the same way every day. Consistency matters more than which method you choose.
Study materials and exam-day habits
You need fewer resources than most forums suggest:
- The official exam topics for your version, printed out and ticked off as you go.
- One comprehensive study guide written for the exact version you will sit.
- A lab environment, as described above.
- Practice exams that explain why each option is right or wrong.
In the last two weeks, take full practice exams in one sitting at the same time of day as your booked exam. Track not just your score but how many minutes you had left. If you regularly run out of time, practise faster subnetting and quicker reading of show command output before you book.
How hard is CCNA?
The CCNA is an associate-level exam, but it is broad. Three things make it hard:
- Hands-on depth. Subnetting, routing and switching need real practice. Candidates who only read theory usually struggle.
- Time pressure. You have 120 minutes, and Cisco does not tell you in advance how many questions to expect.
- Breadth. Beyond routing and switching you need wireless, security, IP services and automation basics such as REST APIs and JSON.
Cisco does not publish pass rates or a fixed passing score, and we do not quote unofficial ones. A better signal of readiness is whether you can finish timed practice exams of about two hours with time to spare and explain every answer. Our free CCNA practice test is a quick way to check. If you are deciding between this and a vendor-neutral exam, see CCNA vs Network+.
CCNA v2.0: should you wait?
Cisco has published exam topics for 200-301 CCNA v2.0. In a July 2026 post on its learning blog, Cisco states that the last day of testing for v1.1 is February 2, 2027, and that v2.0 goes live on February 3, 2027. The exam code stays 200-301.
The v2.0 exam topics use five domains instead of six:
- Network Infrastructure and Connectivity: 25%
- Switching and Network Access: 25%
- IP Routing: 20%
- Network Services and Security: 20%
- AI, and Network Operations and Management: 10%
Cisco's v2.0 topics also say you may be asked to evaluate output and recommendations from agentic AI and digital network assistants for operations and troubleshooting.
Our recommendation, as of November 7, 2026:
- Already well into v1.1 study: book a v1.1 date before February 2, 2027. Twelve weeks from today runs right up to that deadline, so book early and leave room for a retake.
- Just starting: plan around v2.0. The core skills, such as subnetting, VLANs, OSPF and ACLs, carry over, so use this plan for the foundations and then map your later weeks to the v2.0 topics.
Either way you earn the same CCNA, valid for three years. You can renew by passing the current CCNA exam or a higher-level Cisco exam, or by earning 30 Continuing Education credits.