You have probably heard that Network+ is “optional.” A skippable middle step. Some Reddit thread told you to save your money and jump straight from A+ to Security+, because Security+ has no formal prerequisite and it is the one that shows up on job postings. So now you are staring at a roughly $350 voucher, a few weeks of study time, and a genuine question: is Network+ worth it, or is it a waste I can skip?
I want to give you a straight answer, not an affiliate pitch dressed up as advice. The honest version is nuanced. For some people Network+ is one of the best value certs in IT. For others it really is a detour they can skip without much loss. The trick is knowing which one you are before you spend the money. So let me walk through both cases, the practitioner reason the networking layer matters more than the cert badge, and a decision framework you can actually use.
The Short Answer
Here it is up front, no scrolling required.
Network+ is worth it if you are aiming at an infrastructure or networking role, or if your networking knowledge is shaky and you know it. Skip it and go A+ to Security+ if you are clearly security-focused, you already understand networking reasonably well, and your budget is tight.
That is the whole decision in two sentences. Everything below is just helping you figure out which sentence is yours.
The cert is optional. Understanding how packets actually move is not. That distinction is the entire article.
Where Network+ Actually Sits (The Middle of the Trifecta)
CompTIA has a well-known ladder people call the “trifecta”: A+ at the bottom, Network+ in the middle, Security+ at the top of that entry cluster. A+ is foundational hardware and support. Network+ is the networking layer. Security+ is entry-level security and the one employers name most often, partly because it sits on the DoD 8570 baseline for a lot of government-adjacent roles.
Network+ itself is a single exam, current code N10-009. That single-exam detail matters more than it sounds: A+ makes you sit two separate exams, so Network+ is actually a lighter lift to complete than the cert below it. The exam is up to 90 questions in 90 minutes, includes performance-based questions (the simulation-style ones, not just multiple choice), and you pass at 720 out of 900.
The role it maps to is not a mystery. Network+ points at network administrator, network support technician, and junior network engineer work. It is also treated as foundational for security roles, because you cannot secure a network you do not understand. That last point is the whole tension in the “should I skip it” debate, so let me take both sides seriously.
The Honest Case for Taking It
If your target is infrastructure, networking, or systems, Network+ is not a detour. It is the road. The topics it covers, subnetting, routing, switching, common ports and protocols, network topologies, troubleshooting methodology, are the daily vocabulary of those jobs. Passing it signals to a hiring manager that you can speak that language at an entry level.
There is a second, quieter reason it is worth it: Security+ quietly assumes you already know this stuff. When Security+ talks about segmentation, firewalls, VPNs, or network-based attacks, it is building on a networking foundation it does not stop to teach you. Network+ is where that foundation gets built. Skip the foundation and the security material sits on sand.
So the case for taking it is simple. If you want an infrastructure role, it is directly relevant. If you want a security role but your networking is thin, it is the cheaper, calmer place to fix that gap before an exam and a job start punishing you for it.
Skipping Network+ does not skip the networking. It just moves the networking to a harder place to learn it: the Security+ exam room, and then your first real job.
The Honest Case for Skipping It (Straight to Security+)
Now the other side, because it is real and I am not going to pretend otherwise.
Security+ has no formal prerequisite. CompTIA recommends Network+ first, but recommends is not requires. Nothing stops you from going A+ to Security+ and never touching Network+. Plenty of people do exactly that, pass, and get hired.
Two things make this a legitimate choice rather than a shortcut people regret. First, money and time: that is one fewer roughly-$350 voucher and a few fewer weeks of study, which is not nothing when you are breaking in on a budget. Second, the DoD angle: Security+ is on the DoD 8570 (now 8140) baseline, and Network+ is not carried the same way. If your target is a government or defense-adjacent role, Security+ is the one that unlocks the door, and Network+ does not carry that specific weight. So for a security-focused candidate who already gets networking, skipping straight to the cert that employers name and the DoD lists is a rational move, not a lazy one.
The catch is the “who already gets networking” clause. That is doing a lot of work in that sentence, and most beginners overestimate where they land on it.
Why the Networking Layer Matters Even If You Skip the Cert
Here is where I will be honest about my own lens, because it shapes this section.
I am a builder, not a certified network engineer. But in 2022 and 2023 I delivered vendor webinars on network performance and firewall-as-a-service, sometimes solo, sometimes alongside a regional channel manager. Preparing and presenting that material meant I had to actually explain, out loud, to working IT people, why network behavior sits underneath everything security does. Latency, throughput, where a firewall lives in the path, how traffic gets inspected without falling over. You cannot hand-wave that in front of an audience that runs this stuff for a living.
What it taught me is the part beginners miss: security is not a layer that floats on top of networking. It is woven through it. A firewall rule is a networking decision. A VPN is a networking construct. Segmentation, zero-trust, intrusion detection, all of it is you making choices about how packets move. If you do not understand how packets move, you are memorizing security vocabulary you cannot actually reason about.
So even if you decide to skip the Network+ cert, do not skip the networking knowledge. Learn subnetting until it is boring. Understand the common ports and what lives on them. Know how DNS, DHCP, NAT, and routing actually behave. You can absolutely learn that without paying for the exam. What you cannot do is fake it, because the job will find the gap faster than the exam will.
How to Decide, By Your Situation
Enough principle. Here is the framework, sorted by who you actually are.
| Your situation | My honest call |
|---|---|
| Target is network admin, NOC, junior network engineer, sysadmin | Take Network+. It is directly on the path, not a detour. |
| Target is security, networking already solid, budget tight | Skip it. Go A+ to Security+ and put the money toward Security+ prep. |
| Target is security, but networking is shaky or self-taught with gaps | Take Network+ first. It is the cheaper place to close the gap than the Security+ exam room. |
| Target is government or defense-adjacent role | Prioritize Security+ (it is on the DoD baseline). Network+ optional unless the job asks. |
| Total beginner, unsure of direction yet | Network+ is a low-regret middle rung. It keeps both infra and security doors open. |
Whether Network+ is worth it comes down to two things: your target role, and how solid your networking already is. Budget is the tie-breaker, not the deciding factor. If you find yourself reaching for “budget” first, be honest about whether it is really budget or just the appeal of skipping a step.
What It Costs, Honestly
The voucher runs around $350 at list price, though CompTIA runs discounts, bundles, and student pricing often enough that you should never assume you are paying full sticker. Add study materials and practice on top of that. It is a real cost, and I am not going to wave it away, because for a lot of people breaking into IT, $350 is a meaningful decision, not pocket change.
The way to think about it is not “can I afford it” but “does this cert move me toward the specific job I want.” If yes, it is one of the better-value certs in the CompTIA stack because of that single-exam structure. If it is a detour from your real target, the honest answer is that the money is better spent elsewhere.
Where I’m Coming From, and How I’d Prep If You Take It
Quick note on who is talking, so you can weigh this properly.
I am a software engineer by training, out of NUST, and I have spent years building ML and product tools. I have not sat the Network+ exam, and I am not going to pretend I hold it. My security connection is honest and modest: those 2022 to 2023 cybersecurity webinars for a software vendor, GFI Software, covering security directives, email security, network performance, and firewall-as-a-service, plus general marketing work alongside cybersecurity companies. That is practitioner-adjacent, not exam-certified, and I would rather tell you that plainly than dress it up.
Where I do have a real edge is in what these exams actually test, because building practice banks means living inside the objectives, the question styles, and where people trip. That is the work behind PrepClubs. If you decide Network+ is your move, the Network+ practice bank is a one-time payment with 30-day access and a Pass Guarantee, not a subscription. You start with a free 25-question diagnostic to see where you actually stand, then ten full-length practice forms to build exam stamina. And if you are stacking toward security, the Security+ bank is right there for the next rung. These are original practice questions, not the real exam, and we are not affiliated with CompTIA. Try the free diagnostic first, before you spend a rupee.
FAQ
Is Network+ worth it in 2026?
Yes for infrastructure and networking roles, and yes as a foundation if your networking is weak. For a purely security-focused candidate who already understands networking, it is skippable in favor of going straight to Security+.
Should I skip Network+ and go straight to Security+?
You can, since Security+ has no formal prerequisite. It is a reasonable move if you already understand networking and are security-focused. If your networking is shaky, skipping the cert just moves that gap to a harder place to close it.
Is Network+ on the DoD 8570 list?
Not the way Security+ is. Security+ sits on the DoD 8570/8140 baseline for many roles. If a government or defense-adjacent job is your target, prioritize Security+, and treat Network+ as optional unless the posting asks for it.
How much does Network+ cost?
The exam voucher is around $350 at list price, but CompTIA runs discounts, bundles, and student pricing, so treat that as a ceiling rather than a fixed number. Budget for study materials on top.
Is Network+ harder than A+?
Different, not strictly harder. A+ is two exams and broader; Network+ is a single, more focused exam. Many find Network+ conceptually deeper on one topic but lighter to complete because it is one sitting instead of two.
Do I need Network+ for a security job?
You do not need the cert. You do need the knowledge it covers. Security concepts assume networking fluency, so you can skip the exam but you cannot skip understanding how networks actually work.
The honest bottom line: Network+ is worth it when it moves you toward the job you actually want, and skippable when it does not, but the networking knowledge underneath it is never optional.