You can see it againUnder pressure people bring back shapes and positions long after the wording has gone.
Picture superiority · Shepard 1967, Standing 1973
CISCOCisco Certified Support Technician (CCST) Networking
The Cisco Certified Support Technician (CCST) Networking certification validates entry-level networking skills and knowledge, covering how networks operate, including the devices, media, and protocols that enable network communications. It is designed for individuals starting their IT careers, preparing them for roles like network support technician or help desk technician. Earning this certification also serves as a first step toward the CCNA certification, providing a solid foundation for further advancement.
Exam formatMultiple choice and multiple response
Duration50 minutes
DeliveryPearson VUE
Free questions894
Content last reviewed 30 July 2026 · Up to date
The certification
What 100-150 proves, and what it asks of you
What this certification covers, who it is written for, and what the exam itself looks like on the day.
6domains
25objectives
159concepts
US $125exam fee
What it is
What this certification is
What it validates, who it is written for, and the experience it assumes.
About this certification
The Cisco Certified Support Technician (CCST) Networking certification validates an individual's skills and knowledge of entry-level networking concepts and topics. It demonstrates foundational knowledge and skills needed to show how networks operate, including the devices, media, and protocols that enable network communications. This certification is an excellent starting point for those new to networking, providing a strong foundation for a career in IT.
The CCST Networking certification is also a first step toward CCNA certification, making it a strategic choice for individuals planning to advance their networking careers. By earning this credential, you prove your ability to understand basic networking principles, perform basic troubleshooting, and apply help desk best practices, setting the stage for more advanced certifications and roles.
Who it’s for
This certification is for individuals who are new to networking and want to launch their IT careers. It is ideal for those seeking entry-level roles such as network support technician, entry-level help desk technician, or IT support specialist. The certification validates the foundational skills needed to support and troubleshoot basic network issues. If you are looking to build a career in IT and want a credential that demonstrates your understanding of how networks operate, the CCST Networking certification is a great starting point. It is also suitable for professionals in adjacent fields who need a solid understanding of networking fundamentals.
Recommended experience
No formal prerequisites are required, but Cisco recommends completing the Network Technician career path through Cisco Networking Academy, which prepares candidates for the CCST Networking certification and entry-level networking roles. Basic understanding of computer networks and how they operate; Familiarity with networking devices, media, and protocols; Interest in pursuing a career as a network support technician or IT support specialist
The syllabus
What you’ll learn
Every domain and objective Cisco measures, with the weight they carry on the exam.
The official Cisco exam outline · checked 30 July 2026 · See the source
Standards and Concepts
- 1.1. Identify the fundamental conceptual building blocks of networks.
- 1.2. Differentiate between bandwidth and throughput.
- 1.3. Differentiate between LAN, WAN, MAN, CAN, PAN, and WLAN.
- 1.4. Compare and contrast cloud and on-premises applications and services.
- 1.5. Describe common network applications and protocols.
Addressing and Subnet Formats
- 2.1. Compare and contrast private addresses and public addresses.
- 2.2. Identify IPv4 addresses and subnet formats.
- 2.3. Identify IPv6 addresses and prefix formats.
Endpoints and Media Types
- 3.1. Identify cables and connectors commonly used in local area networks.
- 3.2. Differentiate between Wi-Fi, cellular, and wired network technologies.
- 3.3. Describe endpoint devices.
- 3.4. Demonstrate how to set up and check network connectivity on Windows, Linux, Mac OS, Android, and Apple iOS.
Infrastructure
- 4.1. Identify the status lights on a Cisco device when given instruction by an engineer.
- 4.2. Use a network diagram provided by an engineer to attach the appropriate cables.
- 4.3. Identify the various ports on network devices.
- 4.4. Explain basic routing concepts.
- 4.5. Explain basic switching concepts.
Diagnosing Problems
- 5.1. Demonstrate effective troubleshooting methodologies and help desk best practices, including ticketing, documentation, and information gathering.
- 5.2. Perform a packet capture with Wireshark and save it to a file.
- 5.3. Run basic diagnostic commands and interpret the results.
- 5.4. Differentiate between different ways to access and collect data about network devices.
- 5.5. Run basic show commands on a Cisco network device.
Security
- 6.1. Describe how firewalls operate to filter traffic.
- 6.2. Describe foundational security concepts.
- 6.3. Configure basic wireless security on a home router (WPAx).
On the day
The exam itself
Everything Cisco publishes about sitting it, and nothing we inferred.
Prerequisites
No mandatory prerequisites — this certification has no required predecessor exam or credential.
Exam code100-150
CertificationCisco Certified Support Technician (CCST) Networking
Exam formatMultiple choice and multiple response
Duration50 minutes
DeliveryPearson VUE
LanguagesEnglish, Arabic, Chinese, Spanish, French, Japanese, Portuguese
PricingUS $125
After you pass
Where this credential goes next
The path Cisco lays out, how the credential is kept, and where to book.
Step-by-step path to Cisco Certified Support Technician (CCST) Networking
Credential earnedCisco Certified Support Technician (CCST) Networking Certification Renewal and maintenance
Cisco certifications are valid for three years. To maintain the CCST Networking certification, you must recertify before the expiration date by passing a qualifying exam or earning Continuing Education (CE) credits. Stay current with the latest technologies and maintain your certification.
Learn more about renewal requirements Lifecycle status
This certification is currently active and available. Cisco maintains this certification to validate current skills and industry relevance.
Exam status: ActiveMaintained by Cisco
Exam registration
Register for the exam through Pearson VUE, Cisco’s authorized testing partner.
Schedule your examVisit the official Cisco certification page for exam policies and requirements.
View the official pageYour coach
And when you are serious, your coach Pip takes over
Your coach in the app reads what you have answered with the book closed and tells you one thing to do tonight. It will not count an answer you gave with the page open, and it will tell you when you are not ready.
See how the coach worksBefore you book
Questions people ask
How does the CCST Networking exam relate to the CCNA certification?
The CCST Networking exam is a first step toward CCNA certification. Passing the 100-150 exam demonstrates foundational networking knowledge that prepares you for the more advanced CCNA exam (200-301).
Do I need to earn the CCST Networking certification before attempting CCNA?
No, the CCST Networking certification is not a prerequisite for CCNA. However, it is recommended as a stepping stone for those new to networking to build foundational skills before pursuing CCNA.
How do I schedule the CCST Networking exam?
You can schedule the exam through the Cisco Certification Tracking System. First, create a Cisco account, log in to the tracking system, complete your profile, and then schedule your exam with Pearson VUE.
What are the online proctoring requirements for the CCST Networking exam?
For online proctored exams, you must have a reliable internet connection, a webcam, and a quiet, private room. You will be monitored by a proctor throughout the exam. Specific technical requirements are provided by Pearson VUE.
What is the retake policy if I fail the CCST Networking exam?
For most Cisco exams, you must wait 5 calendar days after the day of your first attempt before retaking the same exam. This waiting period applies to subsequent attempts as well.
Are there any hands-on labs or practical components in the CCST Networking exam?
The CCST Networking exam is a written exam that tests theoretical knowledge and conceptual understanding. It does not include a hands-on lab component.
What job roles does the CCST Networking certification prepare me for?
The certification prepares you for entry-level roles such as network support technician, entry-level help desk technician, or IT support specialist.
Can I recertify the CCST Networking certification by passing a higher-level Cisco exam?
Yes, passing a higher-level Cisco certification exam, such as CCNA, will automatically recertify your CCST Networking certification.
Is the CCST Networking exam available in multiple languages?
Yes, the exam is available in English, Arabic, Chinese, Spanish, French, Japanese, and Portuguese.
Information freshness · Content last reviewed on 2026-07-30 Up to date
Practice free questions 894 questions, free, no account needed.
The curriculum
The whole exam, mapped and written
Every domain, every objective, and every concept Cisco measures — each one written out.
6domains
25objectives
159concepts
189free pages
The domains, and what sits inside them
Every objective below is a page you can open and practise now, without an account.
The official Cisco exam outline · checked 30 July 2026 · See the source
1Standards and Concepts196 questions
1.1. Identify the fundamental conceptual building blocks of networks.6 concepts · 7 pagesOpen →1.2. Differentiate between bandwidth and throughput.5 concepts · 9 pagesOpen →1.3. Differentiate between LAN, WAN, MAN, CAN, PAN, and WLAN.4 concepts · 6 pagesOpen →1.4. Compare and contrast cloud and on-premises applications and services.8 concepts · 10 pagesOpen →1.5. Describe common network applications and protocols.10 concepts · 10 pagesOpen →
2Addressing and Subnet Formats99 questions
3Endpoints and Media Types144 questions
3.1. Identify cables and connectors commonly used in local area networks.7 concepts · 6 pagesOpen →3.2. Differentiate between Wi-Fi, cellular, and wired network technologies.8 concepts · 8 pagesOpen →3.3. Describe endpoint devices.6 concepts · 6 pagesOpen →3.4. Demonstrate how to set up and check network connectivity on Windows, Linux, Mac OS, Android, and Apple iOS.11 concepts · 10 pagesOpen →
4Infrastructure158 questions
4.1. Identify the status lights on a Cisco device when given instruction by an engineer.3 concepts · 6 pagesOpen →4.2. Use a network diagram provided by an engineer to attach the appropriate cables.6 concepts · 8 pagesOpen →4.3. Identify the various ports on network devices.7 concepts · 8 pagesOpen →4.4. Explain basic routing concepts.3 concepts · 4 pagesOpen →4.5. Explain basic switching concepts.3 concepts · 7 pagesOpen →
5Diagnosing Problems185 questions
5.1. Demonstrate effective troubleshooting methodologies and help desk best practices, including ticketing, documentation, and information gathering.7 concepts · 10 pagesOpen →5.2. Perform a packet capture with Wireshark and save it to a file.4 concepts · 8 pagesOpen →5.3. Run basic diagnostic commands and interpret the results.9 concepts · 8 pagesOpen →5.4. Differentiate between different ways to access and collect data about network devices.7 concepts · 8 pagesOpen →5.5. Run basic show commands on a Cisco network device.13 concepts · 6 pagesOpen →
Not a table of contents
Every line on this map already opens
In front of every objective the practice pages are already there, free and without an account. This is one objective, opened.
1.1. Identify the fundamental conceptual building blocks of networks.7 pagesOpen →
Free in front of it
34 questions on this objective, five to a page. Every range above is a real page, open now, with no account.
Reading the map is not the same as knowing the ground
The curriculum tells you what is on the exam. Proving you know it is a different job — and it is the one the closed-book run does.
Free questions
894 questions. No account, no card.
The whole bank is open. 5 questions to a page, every answer explained, and a discussion thread on each one.
894questions
189pages
25objectives
Freealways
Start anywhere1.1. Identify the fundamental conceptual building blocks of networks. 34 questions · 7 pages
Browse by domain
Every objective, and every page range, is a link — so you can pick up exactly where you left off.
1Standards and Concepts196 questions
2Addressing and Subnet Formats99 questions
3Endpoints and Media Types144 questions
4Infrastructure158 questions
5Diagnosing Problems185 questions
What a practice page gives you
1Five to a page
Short enough to finish, long enough to matter.
2Every answer explained
Not only which one is right — why the others are wrong.
3A discussion on each
Ask, answer, and vote. Every question has its own thread.
A question, and the idea behind it
Every question comes from a concept
These are not trivia. Each one is written against a concept in the book, so when you get one wrong there is somewhere to go and find out why.
The visual book
See it once. Carry it into the exam.
The pages shown here come from our AI-900 book — an example of how each concept is written in plain language and, where the idea needs one, drawn as a full page you can take in at a glance.
159concepts
894free questions
Why a picture, and not another paragraph
Three reasons, and each one is a real finding rather than a slogan.
You can see it againThe whole idea at onceWhere it starts, what happens in the middle, what comes out, and the mistake to avoid.
Multimedia principle · MayerThe look-alikes sit togetherThe pairs the exam tests are drawn side by side, so the difference is seen, not told.
Dual coding · PaivioWhat one page is made of
You are never asked to read a poster here — only to see how one is built. After that, every other page is legible at a glance.
1A numbered strip on top
The idea as a sequence, followed with a finger before a word is read.
2Panels for the parts
What it is, how the machine learns it, when it is the right tool.
3The trap, framed
The distinction the exam tests, given its own box instead of buried in prose.
4One line at the bottom
The sentence to carry into the exam room.
Open book, on purpose
Answer it with the picture beside you
This is the part that teaches. The illustration and the written explanation stay where they are while you work, so a scenario stops being a memory test and becomes something you can simply look at.
It teaches · it does not count
A smartphone uses AI to unlock when the owner looks at the camera. Which AI capability is being used?
AImage classification
BFacial recognition
COptical character recognition
DObject detection
Look at the five steps. Detect finds a face, align straightens it, encode turns it into numbers, search compares it with a stored face, and decide answers one question: is this the same person? Classification would only say “a face”. Detection would only draw a box. Neither decides whose.
Then the page shuts, and it starts counting
The same questions come back with the book closed — that run is the one that counts. After it, your coach picks one thing for tonight, sized to the time you have, and brings pages back before you lose them.
Testing effect · Roediger & Karpicke 2006 · spacing effect · Cepeda et al. 2006
Official resources
Straight from Cisco
Where the exam is defined, scheduled and scored.
4official links
159concepts mapped
The source
Cisco’s own pages
We link to them rather than repeat them, so nothing here goes stale behind them.
Checked against the source
Every objective on the official Cisco outline already has questions here
We build from the official skills outline, not from a summary of it — 25 objectives, 159 concepts written under them, and free questions against every one. When Cisco changes the outline, this page changes with it.
25objectives on the outline→159concepts written→894free questions
An official page tells you what will be asked. It cannot tell you what you will get right.
That is the only question worth answering the night before, and no link answers it. You answer it by taking the questions with the book closed, and seeing what comes back.