CCNA study guide · 2026

The 6 CCNA domains, explained

6 domains and 53 official domains. IP Connectivity carries the most weight at 25%. Each guide explains what the domain covers, how its questions are framed and where candidates lose marks.

Start with Domain 3 See all domains
Questions
~100–120 (not published by Cisco)
Time
120 minutes
Passing score
Not published by Cisco
Outline
200-301 v1.1, effective 20 August 2024 (current)

Exam blueprint

Bar widths follow the official weights. Weight ranges are drawn at their midpoint.

  1. 1 20%
  2. 2 20%
  3. 3 25%
  4. 4 10%
  5. 5 15%
  6. 6 10%
  1. 1 Network Fundamentals
  2. 2 Network Access
  3. 3 IP Connectivity
  4. 4 IP Services
  5. 5 Security Fundamentals
  6. 6 Automation and Programmability

All 6 domains

53 official domains 130–180 hrs suggested study

  1. Domain 01 20%

    Network Fundamentals

    This domain is the foundation the other five build on. It covers network components and topologies, cabling and interfaces, TCP versus UDP, IPv4 and IPv6 addressing and subnetting, wireless principles, virtualization, and how switches learn and forward frames.

    Inside this domain

    • Explain the role and function of network components
    • Describe characteristics of network topology architectures
    • Compare physical interface and cabling types
    • Identify interface and cable issues (collisions, errors, duplex, speed)
    • and 9 more domains

    Watch for Subnet miscalculation

    Domains
    13
    Questions est.
    20–24
    Study time est.
    25–35 hrs
  2. Domain 02 20%

    Network Access

    This domain is switching, and it is hands-on. It covers VLANs and trunking, EtherChannel, Rapid PVST+ spanning tree, CDP and LLDP discovery, Cisco wireless architectures, and network device management access.

    Inside this domain

    • Configure and verify VLANs spanning multiple switches
    • Configure and verify interswitch connectivity (trunking, 802.1Q, native VLAN)
    • Configure and verify Layer 2 discovery protocols (CDP and LLDP)
    • Configure and verify Layer 2 and Layer 3 EtherChannel (LACP)
    • and 5 more domains

    Watch for Access port for multiple VLANs

    Domains
    9
    Questions est.
    20–24
    Study time est.
    25–35 hrs
  3. Domain 03 25%

    IP Connectivity

    This is the heaviest CCNA domain, where passing is often decided. It covers reading the routing table, how routers forward packets, IPv4 and IPv6 static routing, single-area OSPFv2, and first hop redundancy protocols.

    Inside this domain

    • Interpret the components of a routing table
    • Determine how a router makes a forwarding decision by default
    • Configure and verify IPv4 and IPv6 static routing
    • Configure and verify single-area OSPFv2
    • and 1 more domains

    Watch for AD before prefix match

    Domains
    5
    Questions est.
    25–30
    Study time est.
    30–45 hrs
  4. Domain 04 10%

    IP Services

    This domain covers the services that support a network: NAT, NTP, DHCP and DNS, SNMP and syslog, QoS per-hop behavior, SSH for remote access, and TFTP and FTP.

    Inside this domain

    • Configure and verify inside source NAT using static and pools
    • Configure and verify NTP operating in client and server mode
    • Explain the role of DHCP and DNS within the network
    • Explain the function of SNMP in network operations
    • and 5 more domains

    Watch for Private address reaches internet

    Domains
    9
    Questions est.
    10–12
    Study time est.
    15–20 hrs
  5. Domain 05 15%

    Security Fundamentals

    This domain covers securing the network: key security concepts, device access control and password policy, VPNs, access control lists, Layer 2 security, AAA, and wireless security protocols.

    Inside this domain

    • Define key security concepts (threats, vulnerabilities, exploits, mitigation)
    • Describe security program elements
    • Configure and verify device access control using local passwords
    • Describe security password policy elements
    • and 6 more domains

    Watch for Misordered ACL

    Domains
    10
    Questions est.
    15–18
    Study time est.
    20–25 hrs
  6. Domain 06 10%

    Automation and Programmability

    This is the newest CCNA material, touched most by the v1.1 revision. It covers how automation changes network management, controller-based and software-defined architectures, AI and machine learning in operations, REST APIs, configuration management tools, and JSON.

    Inside this domain

    • Explain how automation impacts network management
    • Compare traditional networks with controller-based networking
    • Describe controller-based, software-defined architectures
    • Explain AI and machine learning in network operations
    • and 3 more domains

    Watch for Southbound to applications

    Domains
    7
    Questions est.
    10–12
    Study time est.
    15–20 hrs

Study the heaviest domains first

Marks follow weight. This order puts the most marks behind you first, across about 130–180 hrs of study.

  1. 3 IP Connectivity 25% · 30–45 hrs
  2. 1 Network Fundamentals 20% · 25–35 hrs
  3. 2 Network Access 20% · 25–35 hrs
  4. 5 Security Fundamentals 15% · 20–25 hrs
  5. 4 IP Services 10% · 15–20 hrs
  6. 6 Automation and Programmability 10% · 15–20 hrs

Try one

Practice questionDomain 3: IP Connectivity

A router has two routes to reach a destination host: an OSPF route for 10.1.0.0/16 and a static route for 10.1.1.0/24. The destination host is 10.1.1.50. Which route does the router use to forward the packet, and why?

One trap from every domain

The answer that looks right, and the clue that gives it away.

  • Domain 1

    Subnet miscalculation

    Clue The question gives an address and a mask or prefix.

  • Domain 2

    Access port for multiple VLANs

    Clue Multiple VLANs must cross a single interswitch link.

  • Domain 3

    AD before prefix match

    Clue Candidate routes have different prefix lengths.

  • Domain 4

    Private address reaches internet

    Clue Internal hosts must access the public internet.

  • Domain 5

    Misordered ACL

    Clue A permitted host is unexpectedly blocked by an ACL.

  • Domain 6

    Southbound to applications

    Clue The communication is between applications and the controller versus the controller and devices.

Other Networking certifications

Study guides for exams that overlap with CCNA.

Practise what you read

CCNA domains: common questions

How many domains are in the CCNA exam?

CCNA has 6 domains with 53 official domains between them: Network Fundamentals, Network Access, IP Connectivity, IP Services, Security Fundamentals and Automation and Programmability.

Which CCNA domain carries the most weight?

IP Connectivity is the heaviest at 25%, followed by Network Fundamentals (20%). The lightest is Automation and Programmability (10%). Weights come from Cisco's official outline.

What is the CCNA exam format?

Questions: ~100–120 (not published by Cisco). Time allowed: 120 minutes. Passing score: Not published by Cisco.

How long should I study for CCNA?

Our planning estimate is 130–180 hrs across all domains, split by weight. It is an editorial estimate, not an official figure, so adjust it to your experience and to how you score on practice questions.

Where should I start?

Start with IP Connectivity, because it carries the most marks, then work down by weight. Use the checklist on each domain page to confirm you can do what the domain asks before moving on.

Which outline is this guide based on?

This guide follows 200-301 v1.1, effective 20 August 2024 (current), published by Cisco. It was last reviewed in October 2026.

Domain names, weights and domains come from Cisco's official outline (200-301 v1.1, effective 20 August 2024 (current)). Question counts and study hours are editorial planning estimates, not official figures. Last reviewed October 2026.