CCNA Exam Tips (2026): 7 Mistakes That Fail People on the 200-301
Chapters
- The Short Answer
- CCNA Facts in One Minute
- Mistake 1: Studying the Wrong Version
- Mistake 2: Reading Instead of Labbing
- Mistake 3: Subnetting Trap, the Block Size
- Mistake 4: Subnetting Trap, Counting and VLSM
- Mistake 5: Wildcard Masks and ACL Order
- Mistake 6: Route Selection Order
- Mistake 7: Misreading the Question
- A Two-Week Plan
- Spot the Trap, Part One
- Spot the Trap, Part Two
- Recap
Audio from the Open Exam Hub video of the same name; the video shows the numbers and practice questions on screen.
Seven avoidable mistakes on the Cisco CCNA 200-301 exam, with two subnetting traps worked out step by step, a two-week study plan and seven original practice questions, each built around a trap. The mistakes: studying the wrong version (your test date decides the blueprint), reading instead of labbing (Cisco's exam tutorial shows multiple-answer, drag-and-drop and hands-on lab items), the usable-hosts and block-size trap (2^n minus 2, finding the network of 10.4.77.130/21), the subnet-counting and VLSM trap (dot zero is the first subnet; allocate the largest subnet first), wildcard masks and ACL order (wildcard is the inverse mask, first match wins, implicit deny, ip access-group), route selection order (longest prefix, then administrative distance, then metric; OSPF uses cost, not hops) and misreading the question (how many answers, which command mode, no published question count so pace by time). As of October 2026, per Cisco: CCNA 200-301 is 120 minutes and US$300 per attempt, online with a remote proctor or at a Pearson VUE test center; Cisco does not publish a question count, a fixed passing score or a pass rate, and your score report shows section scores and the passing score for your exam. Version 1.1 (six topic areas, IP Connectivity 25%, Network Fundamentals 20%, Network Access 20%, Security Fundamentals 15%, IP Services 10%, Automation and Programmability 10%) is available through February 2, 2027; version 2.0 starts February 3, 2027 with five areas and more troubleshooting. Retake wait: 5 calendar days; the certification is valid 3 years. The two-week plan and the lab and pacing suggestions are our own, not Cisco's. Practice questions are original, not from the real exam. Independent guide, not affiliated with Cisco.
Full guide
Video: CCNA Practice Test 1, 75 questions
Video: CCNA Exam Explained (2026): format, topics, cost
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Open Exam Hub: free exam prep
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Chapters
0:00 The Short Answer
0:45 CCNA Facts in One Minute
1:30 Mistake 1: Studying the Wrong Version
2:16 Mistake 2: Reading Instead of Labbing
2:54 Mistake 3: Subnetting Trap, the Block Size
3:37 Mistake 4: Subnetting Trap, Counting and VLSM
4:27 Mistake 5: Wildcard Masks and ACL Order
5:08 Mistake 6: Route Selection Order
5:48 Mistake 7: Misreading the Question
6:28 A Two-Week Plan
7:02 Spot the Trap, Part One
9:11 Spot the Trap, Part Two
10:54 Recap
Exam facts are from the official Cisco pages as of 2026-10-25. Fees and rules can change, so confirm on the official site before you enroll. Open Exam Hub is an independent study resource, not affiliated with Cisco. Practice questions are not from a real exam. Narration is an AI-generated voice.
Music
"Fresh Air" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
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"Reminiscing" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
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"Friday Morning" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
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"Carefree" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
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Sound effects: Kenney (kenney.nl), CC0.
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