Review: CompTIA Network+ Study Guide, 6th Edition
If you’re planning to tackle the CompTIA Network+ certification (N10-009), chances are you’ve already come across the name Todd Lammle. A long-established authority in the networking and certification world, Lammle, along with co-author Jon Buhagiar, returns with the sixth edition of the CompTIA Network+ Study Guide.
About the authors
Todd Lammle is a world-renowned author, speaker, trainer, and consultant. He is the bestselling author of numerous titles, and has over 900,000 copies of his books in print.
Jon Buhagiar is a Supervisor of Network Operations at Pittsburgh Technical Institute. In addition to teaching, he has been creating course content for almost 20 years.
Inside the book
This Sybex title is more than just an exam-prep book, it’s a detailed, structured roadmap for professionals seeking foundational networking knowledge that’s both vendor-neutral and certification-aligned.
The guide is organized into 21 chapters that map directly to the five exam domains outlined by CompTIA: Networking Concepts, Network Implementation, Network Operations, Network Security, and Network Troubleshooting. Chapters range from the basics of the OSI model and physical media, all the way through to modern concepts like zero trust architecture and cloud infrastructure. This alignment with the official objectives makes it easy to track your progress as you prepare.
The book offers a layered approach to learning. Each chapter starts with a summary of exam objectives and ends with a combination of review questions, written labs, and bullet points of takeaways you’re expected to know cold. The tone is straightforward, friendly, and often peppered with practical advice.
The writing style helps, too. It’s conversational and occasionally humorous, which is refreshing in a genre that often veers into dense or dry territory. Lammle’s long experience in the field shines through, especially in the real-world examples. He frequently links conceptual content to common networking scenarios you’d encounter on the job, helping bridge the gap between “passing the test” and “being a capable technician.”
One standout feature is the hands-on orientation. For every theoretical concept, you’ll find a written lab that encourages you to try it out or diagram it. These aren’t long-form projects, but they’re well-scoped to reinforce the learning without overwhelming you. For those new to network troubleshooting, this methodical repetition is gold.
The book also includes access to Sybex’s online interactive learning tools, including flashcards, two practice exams, and additional review questions. These resources are excellent supplements, particularly the flashcards, which are ideal for quick daily refreshers or last-minute cramming. The integration of online tools with the printed material is seamless and helps different types of learners—whether you prefer reading, testing, or hands-on practice.
One caveat: this isn’t a crash course. It’s comprehensive and requires a serious investment of time. The authors emphasize that certification is like training for a marathon: You can’t cram and expect to succeed. That’s probably sound advice, especially given how broad the N10-009 exam is compared to previous versions.
If there’s a minor shortfall, it’s that the book occasionally assumes access to lab gear or virtual environments. While most exercises can be adapted or simulated with free tools, complete newcomers without lab access might need to do a little extra setup to follow along fully.
Who is it for?
CompTIA Network+ Study Guide is more than just an exam-prep book, it’s a detailed, structured roadmap for professionals seeking foundational networking knowledge that’s both vendor-neutral and certification-aligned.
Whether you’re an early-career IT professional, a self-taught technician looking to validate your skills, or someone making a career pivot into networking, this book delivers what it promises—solid preparation for the Network+ exam and a foundation for what comes next.