You can see it againUnder pressure people bring back shapes and positions long after the wording has gone.
Picture superiority · Shepard 1967, Standing 1973
DELL TECHNOLOGIESDell Networking Foundations
The Dell Networking Foundations certification validates your ability to perform basic installation, configuration, maintenance, and troubleshooting of Dell Technologies networking products. It is designed for technical professionals who work with Dell networking solutions in pre-sales, implementation, or support roles. Earning this credential demonstrates that you understand core networking concepts and can apply them to real-world Dell environments.
Exam formatProctored exam
DeliveryPearson VUE
Free questions479
Content last reviewed 30 July 2026 · Up to date
The certification
What Dell Networking Foundations 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.
7domains
23objectives
129concepts
What it is
What this certification is
What it validates, who it is written for, and the experience it assumes.
About this certification
The Dell Networking Foundations certification validates the skills required to perform basic-level tasks in installing, configuring, maintaining, and troubleshooting Dell Technologies networking products. It covers essential networking concepts, Ethernet technologies, IP networking, networking services, security essentials, network operations, and automation. This certification is ideal for professionals who work with Dell networking solutions in roles such as pre-sales engineering, implementation, or technical support.
By earning this credential, you demonstrate a solid understanding of how to deploy and manage Dell switches and related networking components. The certification confirms your ability to configure VLANs, STP, LAG, and other key features, as well as your familiarity with IPv4 and IPv6 addressing, routing fundamentals, and network security measures. It also introduces you to automation concepts like Smart Fabric Services, preparing you for more advanced Dell networking certifications.
Who it’s for
This certification is designed for technical professionals who work with Dell Technologies networking products in roles such as Associate Sales Engineers, Cloud Architects, Cloud Consultants, Implementation Specialists, Infrastructure Administrators, Pre-Sales Engineers, Solution Architects, Storage Administrators, Systems Engineers, Technical Consultants, and Technical Support representatives. It is also suitable for DevOps Engineers, Data Protection Consultants, and Cloud Integration Managers who need a foundational understanding of Dell networking to support their broader responsibilities. The certification is ideal for those who are new to Dell networking or who want to formalize their basic knowledge and skills.
Recommended experience
Dell recommends completing recommended training and reviewing the exam topics before taking the exam. While no specific experience is mandated, familiarity with basic networking concepts and Dell networking products is beneficial. Understanding of basic networking concepts such as switches, routers, and cabling; Familiarity with Ethernet technologies including VLANs, STP, and LAG; Knowledge of IP addressing (IPv4 and IPv6) and routing fundamentals; Basic experience with network security concepts and configuration; Awareness of network operations tasks such as file transfers, OS upgrades, and SNMP monitoring
The syllabus
What you’ll learn
Every domain and objective Dell Technologies measures, with the weight they carry on the exam.
The official Dell Technologies exam outline · checked 30 July 2026 · See the source
Networking Essentials
- Explain the purpose and function of network devices such as switches and routers
- Distinguish between interface and cabling options
- Describe the steps and settings used for the initial configuration of a switch
Ethernet Technologies
- Describe how Ethernet addressing and framing operates
- Describe the operation and behavior of LLDP, VLANs, STP, and LAG
- Identify the commands to configure and verify LLDP, VLANs, STP, and LAG
- Describe common storage networking features and benefits
IP Networking
- Identify the differences between private and public IP addressing
- Describe the properties of IPv4 addressing
- Describe the IPv6 address format and types of IPv6 address
- Explain the forwarding logic used by Layer 3 capable devices
- Identify the differences between static and dynamic routing
Network Services
- Identify the commands to configure and verify the operation of DHCP
- Describe the operation and behavior of the NTP service
- Identify the commands to configure and verify the operation of NTP
Security Essentials
- Describe the options for securing access to a network switch
- Identify the commands used to configure local authentication
- Describe the use and configuration of ACLs
Network Operations
- Identify the commands to transfer files to/from switches
- Identify common connectivity problems and their solutions
- Outline the recommended steps during a switch OS upgrade
- Identify the commands to enable a switch for SNMP monitoring
Automation
- Explain the role and advantages of using Smart Fabric Services
On the day
The exam itself
Everything Dell Technologies publishes about sitting it, and nothing we inferred.
Prerequisites
No mandatory prerequisites — this certification has no required predecessor exam or credential.
CertificationDell Networking Foundations
Exam formatProctored exam
DeliveryPearson VUE
LanguagesEnglish, French
After you pass
Where this credential goes next
The path Dell Technologies lays out, how the credential is kept, and where to book.
Step-by-step path to Dell Networking Foundations
Credential earnedDell Networking Foundations Certification Lifecycle status
This certification is currently active and available. Dell Technologies maintains this certification to validate current skills and industry relevance.
Exam status: ActiveMaintained by Dell Technologies
Exam registration
Register for the exam through Pearson VUE, Dell Technologies’s authorized testing partner.
Schedule your examVisit the official Dell Technologies 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 Dell Networking Foundations exam relate to other Dell networking certifications?
The Dell Networking Foundations certification is an entry-level credential in the Dell Proven Professional program. It serves as a foundation for more advanced networking certifications such as Networking Design, PowerSwitch Data Center Deploy, and PowerSwitch Campus Deploy.
Do I need to earn a lower-level Dell certification before taking the D-NWG-FN-23 exam?
No. Dell Technologies does not require any prerequisite certifications for the Dell Networking Foundations exam. It can be taken directly.
How do I schedule, reschedule, or cancel the D-NWG-FN-23 exam?
You can schedule, reschedule, or cancel your exam through Pearson VUE. Rescheduling or cancellation must be done at least 24 hours before the appointment to avoid a same-day forfeit fee.
What are the retake policies for the Dell Networking Foundations exam?
If you do not pass on your first attempt, you must wait 7 days to retake. After a second failed attempt, you must wait at least 14 days between each additional attempt. If you need to retake an exam you have already passed to fulfill a certification track requirement, you may do so after 3 months.
Is there a hands-on or lab component in the D-NWG-FN-23 exam?
The exam is a proctored exam administered through Pearson testing centers or OnVUE. The official materials do not indicate a separate hands-on lab component; the exam is computer-based and scored immediately.
How soon will I receive my exam results?
All exams are computer scored immediately upon completion, and candidates receive a provisional score report. The final score is transmitted to your CertTracker account within 72 hours after statistical analysis is conducted.
What job roles does the Dell Networking Foundations certification map to?
The certification is designed for roles such as Associate Sales Engineers, Cloud Architects, Cloud Consultants, Implementation Specialists, Infrastructure Administrators, Pre-Sales Engineers, Solution Architects, Storage Administrators, Systems Engineers, Technical Consultants, and Technical Support representatives.
Can I recertify by passing a different Dell exam?
Dell Technologies certifications must be renewed periodically. Specific recertification options, such as passing a higher-level exam, are not detailed in the provided sources.
Are there testing accommodations available for candidates with disabilities?
Yes, Dell Technologies and Pearson VUE provide testing accommodations. You can request an accommodation through Pearson VUE's test accommodations process.
Information freshness · Content last reviewed on 2026-07-30 Up to date
Practice free questions 479 questions, free, no account needed.
The curriculum
The whole exam, mapped and written
Every domain, every objective, and every concept Dell Technologies measures — each one written out.
7domains
23objectives
129concepts
105free 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 Dell Technologies exam outline · checked 30 July 2026 · See the source
1Networking Essentials71 questions
2Ethernet Technologies88 questions
Describe how Ethernet addressing and framing operates4 concepts · 3 pagesOpen →Describe the operation and behavior of LLDP, VLANs, STP, and LAG8 concepts · 6 pagesOpen →Identify the commands to configure and verify LLDP, VLANs, STP, and LAG8 concepts · 3 pagesOpen →Describe common storage networking features and benefits7 concepts · 6 pagesOpen →
3IP Networking124 questions
Identify the differences between private and public IP addressing6 concepts · 4 pagesOpen →Describe the properties of IPv4 addressing9 concepts · 7 pagesOpen →Describe the IPv6 address format and types of IPv6 address5 concepts · 5 pagesOpen →Explain the forwarding logic used by Layer 3 capable devices9 concepts · 6 pagesOpen →Identify the differences between static and dynamic routing7 concepts · 6 pagesOpen →
4Network Services41 questions
5Security Essentials68 questions
6Network Operations68 questions
Identify the commands to transfer files to/from switches4 concepts · 4 pagesOpen →Identify common connectivity problems and their solutions3 concepts · 2 pagesOpen →Outline the recommended steps during a switch OS upgrade6 concepts · 6 pagesOpen →Identify the commands to enable a switch for SNMP monitoring3 concepts · 4 pagesOpen →
7Automation19 questions
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.
Explain the purpose and function of network devices such as switches and routers5 pagesOpen →
Free in front of it
23 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
479 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.
479questions
105pages
23objectives
Freealways
Start anywhereExplain the purpose and function of network devices such as switches and routers 23 questions · 5 pages
Browse by domain
Every objective, and every page range, is a link — so you can pick up exactly where you left off.
1Networking Essentials71 questions
2Ethernet Technologies88 questions
3IP Networking124 questions
4Network Services41 questions
5Security Essentials68 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.
129concepts
479free 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 Dell Technologies
Where the exam is defined, scheduled and scored.
3official links
129concepts mapped
The source
Dell Technologies’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 Dell Technologies outline already has questions here
We build from the official skills outline, not from a summary of it — 23 objectives, 129 concepts written under them, and free questions against every one. When Dell Technologies changes the outline, this page changes with it.
23objectives on the outline→129concepts written→479free 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.