Comprehensive Cisco CCST Networking 100-150 guide covering network concepts, addressing, media, infrastructure, diagnostics, support workflow, and security basics.
This Cisco Certified Support Technician Networking guide is for candidates preparing for the 100-150 CCST Networking exam and for help desk or entry network technicians who need a practical foundation before CCNA.
CCST Networking is not a deep routing-and-switching exam. It tests whether you can recognize how networks operate, identify the right device or media, reason about IP addressing, follow a network diagram, run basic diagnostics, document a support case, and apply foundational security.
I verified these Cisco CCST Networking facts on May 24, 2026.
| Item | Current Cisco signal |
|---|---|
| Exam | 100-150 CCST Networking |
| Certification | Cisco Certified Support Technician Networking |
| Duration | 50 minutes |
| Price | 125 USD |
| Languages listed | English, Arabic, Chinese, Spanish, French, Japanese, Portuguese |
| Role fit | Entry-level network technician, help desk technician, IT support specialist, networking student, intern |
| Positioning | Entry networking certification and first step toward CCNA |
This guide follows Cisco’s current exam page and official CCST Networking training objectives. Use the chapters in this order:
| Chapter | What you should be able to do |
|---|---|
| Standards and Concepts | Explain network building blocks, network types, bandwidth, throughput, applications, protocols, and cloud/on-premises differences. |
| Addressing and Subnet Formats | Recognize IPv4, IPv6, prefixes, subnet formats, public/private addressing, NAT, ARP, DNS, DHCP, and gateway behavior. |
| Endpoints and Media Types | Identify endpoints, cables, connectors, Wi-Fi, cellular, wired access, interference, and basic host connectivity checks. |
| Infrastructure | Interpret network diagrams, connect cables, identify ports, status lights, switching/routing basics, and Cisco device access methods. |
| Diagnosing Problems | Use troubleshooting methodology, ticketing, documentation, information gathering, packet capture, diagnostic commands, and show commands. |
| Security Basics | Explain firewall filtering, foundational security concepts, wireless security, and safe support behavior. |
flowchart LR
S["Symptom or task"] --> L["Layer or path"]
L --> A["Addressing / media / device"]
A --> E["Evidence command or observation"]
E --> D["Documented support action"]
Strong answers start with the user symptom or technician task, then narrow the layer: physical link, wireless association, IP configuration, gateway, DNS, route, port, firewall, or application behavior. Weak answers jump to reconfiguring devices before checking cables, status lights, addressing, or evidence.
| Your background | Start here |
|---|---|
| No networking experience | Standards and Concepts then Endpoints and Media Types |
| Help desk or desktop support | Addressing and Subnet Formats then Diagnosing Problems |
| Network+ candidate moving toward Cisco | Infrastructure then Security Basics |
| Future CCNA candidate | Complete this guide, then move to the CCNA guide |
| Weak pattern | Better CCST instinct |
|---|---|
| guessing the problem from one symptom | gather interface, addressing, link, DNS, gateway, and application evidence |
| treating bandwidth and throughput as identical | bandwidth is capacity; throughput is actual delivered rate |
| confusing public/private addresses | identify whether the address is routable on the public internet or internal-only |
| ignoring documentation | ticket notes, topology, steps tried, command output, and escalation details matter |
| jumping into advanced CCNA design | CCST focuses on foundational support tasks and basic network operation |