I Passed Network+: Laying the Foundation for a Career in Pentesting

I recently passed the CompTIA Network+ exam — and while it wasn’t the hardest thing I’ve done, it was an important step. Not just for the certification itself, but for what it represents: a solid foundation in understanding how networks function.

If you're aiming to break into cybersecurity — especially offensive security — this stuff matters. It’s not just about running tools or capturing flags. It’s about knowing how systems communicate, where they fail, and how those weaknesses can be turned into entry points.

That’s the direction I’m headed in: penetration testing, and eventually red teaming. Network+ was the first intentional move in that direction.

Why Network+?

The goal isn’t to collect certs. It’s to understand the systems we’re trying to secure — or in my case, ethically break into.

Network+ taught me to think differently about infrastructure. How data flows, how routing and switching actually work, and what happens when configurations aren’t set up right. It gave me context for the vulnerabilities I’ll be targeting later.

Without that foundation, everything else would feel like guessing, and I'm not here to guess.

How I Studied

I kept my study process straightforward:

Jason Dion’s course on Udemy covered everything in a way that actually stuck
I took multiple practice exams, not just to pass — but to find out where I was weak
I stayed consistent and made sure I actually understood the material before moving on

I wasn’t trying to rush through it. I treated it like something I’d eventually need to rely on — because I will.

Exam Experience

The test itself was solid. Some questions were designed to throw you off, but if you’ve put in the time, you’ll see through them.

I finished with time left, reviewed my marked questions, and walked out knowing I’d passed.

What's Next

This is just the beginning of the roadmap:

🔐 Studying for Security+
💻 Lab time on Hack The Box
📚 Diving into the OWASP Top 10
🎯 Long-term goal: OSCP and working as a junior penetration tester

I’m taking it one step at a time — but every step is intentional. I want to break into systems the right way, for the right reasons. And I want to earn that by understanding how things work at a deeper level.

Final Thought

Network+ isn’t the end goal. But it’s a strong starting point.

If you're working toward something similar, here's what I'd say: learn the fundamentals. Don’t skip steps. Don’t memorize — understand.

The more you invest in the basics, the stronger you’ll be when things actually get complex.

✍️ Author:

Michael
Aspiring penetration tester. Focused on building a deep understanding of systems, one layer at a time. Currently studying for Security+, sharpening skills in Hack The Box, and laying the groundwork for OSCP.

From Fundamentals to Exploits: My Network+ Milestone