Examworthyexamworthy.comCisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA 200-301) cheat sheet
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At a glance
Format: Multiple choice, drag-and-drop, and simulation
Domain weight map
Heaviest first - spend your time hereHow this exam thinks
CCNA rewards applying the exact rule - the host count, the election winner, the first-match ACL line - not recalling a definition. The best answer hinges on a precedence rule or a boundary value.
Spot the trap
Tempting wrong answers, and why they failTempting but wrong
OSPF's lower administrative distance than EIGRP means its /16 route is chosen over an EIGRP /24 for the same destination.
Why it fails
Administrative distance only breaks ties between routes to the SAME prefix. With different prefix lengths the longest match is chosen first, so the /16 is never compared by AD against the more specific /24.
IP Connectivity
Tempting but wrong
Is fc00::/7 the prefix a host self-assigns for link-local communication when no router is present?
Why it fails
No. fc00::/7 is the unique local address (ULA) range, which is site-scoped and can be routed between internal subnets. It is not the prefix a host self-assigns for link-local communication, so it is the wrong classification.
Network Fundamentals
Tempting but wrong
A native VLAN only affects which VLAN carries management traffic, so a native-VLAN mismatch never touches the forwarding of user data.
Why it fails
It is tempting because a native-VLAN mismatch does not bring the physical link down. But the mismatch does affect user data: untagged frames leak between the two different native VLANs, bridging them together.
Network Access
Tempting but wrong
Is the coding flaw a threat, because it represents the party with intent and capability to harm the server?
Why it fails
No. A threat is the potential danger or the actor that could cause harm, such as the attacker. The coding flaw is the internal weakness being targeted, not the source of danger, so the term is misapplied.
Security Fundamentals
Tempting but wrong
Is the inside local address the registered public address the router assigns to the inside host before forwarding to the WAN?
Why it fails
No. The inside local address is the private address the host actually uses inside the network, not the registered public address it is translated to. It is the wrong end of the mapping; the translated public address is the inside global.
IP Services
Tempting but wrong
In SDN, does the controller take over physically rewriting frames and pushing packets out egress interfaces at line rate?
Why it fails
Tempting because the controller manages forwarding, but actually moving frames out of interfaces at line rate is a data plane function that stays on each switch. The controller programs the forwarding state; it does not forward the packets itself.
Automation and Programmability
Tempting but wrong
A connected route to 10.0.0.0/8 wins because connected routes have the lowest administrative distance of 0.
Why it fails
A connected route does have AD 0, but administrative distance is not consulted until after longest prefix match. The /8 is the least specific of the matches, so it loses on prefix length before AD is ever considered.
IP Connectivity
Tempting but wrong
Can a host with no router on the segment mint a globally routable 2000::/3 address?
Why it fails
No. 2000::/3 is the global unicast range used for internet-reachable addresses. A host cannot mint a globally routable address without a router advertisement supplying the prefix, so it does not describe the no-router self-configured address.
Network Fundamentals
Key terms
Exam-day rules
- Read the last line of the question first. It tells you whether you are being asked for a configuration, a resulting behaviour, or a fault, so you can read the scenario looking for that.
- On any subnet question, write down the network address, broadcast address, and usable range before looking at the options. Most distractors are off by one because they count the network or broadcast as a usable host.
- Know the administrative-distance defaults and the implicit deny cold. The wrong options are built from believable wrong numbers, so recall removes the trap.
- For routing questions, apply the order strictly: longest prefix match first, then administrative distance, then metric. A more specific route wins even from a less trusted source.
- Watch wildcard masks. Where an ACL or an OSPF network statement needs a wildcard, the subnet mask is the planted distractor.
Revision schedule
- Day 1Map the blueprint and set a date
- Week 1Make subnetting automatic
- Weeks 1-2Lock the switched access layer (Network Access)
- Weeks 2-3Go deep on IP Connectivity
- Weeks 3-4Cover IP Services and Security Fundamentals