Level 1 · Absolute Beginner

Cisco Certified Support Technician (CCST Networking · 100-150)

The entry point to the IT industry. No prerequisites, no experience required — this cert proves you understand how networks actually work and can support them on day one of a help desk or IT support job. It's also the perfect on-ramp to the CCNA.

# Syllabus — Every Topic, Checkable

The six official exam domains of CCST Networking (100-150). Tick topics as you master them — progress is saved in your browser.

My CCST progress0 / 0
1. Standards and Concepts ≈25%
2. Addressing and Subnet Formats ≈15%
3. Endpoints and Media Types ≈15%
4. Infrastructure ≈15%
5. Diagnosing Problems ≈20%
6. Security ≈10%

# Hands-On Labs

Every lab is built in Packet Tracer and committed to this repo. Each one maps to a real ticket you'd handle in an actual IT support job.

LAB 01 — Build a Small Office Network

1 router, 1 switch, 4 PCs, 1 printer. Cable everything, assign static IPs, verify connectivity with ping.

Real-world case: A 5-person startup just moved into an office and you're the one setting up their network from boxes of gear.
Packet TracerSOHO setup

LAB 02 — DHCP vs Static: Fix the 169.254 Machine

Configure DHCP on a router, then deliberately break it. Diagnose the APIPA (169.254.x.x) address on a client and restore service.

Real-world case: "I can't get on the internet" — user's laptop shows 169.254.12.7. This exact ticket happens weekly in every company.
Packet TraceripconfigHelp desk ticket

LAB 03 — DNS Troubleshooting

Set up a DNS server, point clients at it, then break resolution. Use nslookup and ping-by-IP-vs-name to prove "the internet is down" is actually DNS.

Real-world case: Websites won't load by name but ping 8.8.8.8 works — the classic "it's always DNS" diagnosis.
Packet TracernslookupOutage triage

LAB 04 — Wireless Home/Office Setup

Configure a wireless router: SSID, WPA2/WPA3, channel selection, guest network. Connect laptops and phones; test 2.4 vs 5 GHz behavior.

Real-world case: Office Wi-Fi crawls every afternoon — you discover the AP is on a congested 2.4 GHz channel overlapping the café next door.
Packet TracerWi-Fi complaint

LAB 05 — The Troubleshooting Gauntlet

A pre-broken topology with 5 planted faults: wrong subnet mask, bad cable, wrong default gateway, DNS misconfig, disabled port. Find and fix all five, documenting each like a ticket.

Real-world case: Monday morning after an office move — multiple users down for different reasons. Triage order matters.
Packet Tracerping / tracerouteMulti-fault triage

LAB 06 — First Packet Capture

On your real machine: capture your own traffic in Wireshark, identify a DNS query, a TCP three-way handshake, and an HTTPS session.

Real-world case: Proving to a vendor that their app — not your network — is dropping the connection, with a capture as evidence.
WiresharkVendor dispute

# Tools & Simulators for This Level

Cisco Packet Tracer

Your main lab environment for CCST. Free via Cisco Networking Academy. The official "Networking Essentials" course on NetAcad pairs perfectly with this exam.

Free

Wireshark

Start early — even seeing one TCP handshake makes the OSI model click.

Free

Your Own Home Network

Log into your home router. Find the DHCP pool, the WAN IP, the Wi-Fi channel. The cheapest lab you own.

Free

Command Line (CMD/Terminal)

Drill ping, tracert, ipconfig /all, nslookup, arp -a on your real machine until they're reflexes.

Free
Study plan: 4–6 weeks at ~1 hour/day. Week 1–2: Standards & Addressing. Week 3: Endpoints & Infrastructure. Week 4: Diagnostics (do the labs!). Week 5: Security + practice exams. Week 6: review and sit the exam.

# Growth Check — After This Level

Skills I Now Own

  • Build a small network from scratch — router, switch, Wi-Fi, DHCP, DNS — and document it.
  • Diagnose connectivity faults (APIPA, DNS, gateway misconfiguration) with ping, traceroute and nslookup.
  • Read live traffic in Wireshark — DNS queries, TCP handshakes — instead of guessing.

Self-Check Before the Exam

  • Can I explain the DHCP DORA process without notes?
  • Given a PC showing 169.254.x.x, do I instantly know what happened and what to check?
  • Can I walk through "websites don't load" step by step, picking the right command at each stage?
  • Can I place any problem on the OSI model and say which layer to test first?

My Next Growth Step

  • Redo Lab 05 (the troubleshooting gauntlet) from scratch, faster and with cleaner notes.
  • Start daily subnetting drills early — it's the muscle CCNA will demand most.
  • Explain one concept (DNS, DHCP, or the OSI model) to a friend — teaching is my final self-test.
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