How to Pass the CCNA: 200-301 v1.1 or v2.0 in 2026?

Last updated September 2026

The CCNA is still one exam, 200-301, but it’s about to change. Cisco announced CCNA v2.0 on May 20, 2026, its first major blueprint change since 2019. The current v1.1 exam runs through February 2, 2027, and v2.0 starts on February 3, 2027, with more troubleshooting, hands-on Ansible and AI-assisted network operations (Cisco, Cisco). This guide first went up in 2019 and has been rewritten from scratch for 2026.

CCNA proves you can build, run and troubleshoot a small-to-medium enterprise network: switching and VLANs, addressing and subnetting, OSPF, wireless basics, DHCP, DNS and NAT, security fundamentals and the basics of automation. It’s the standard for anyone heading into network engineering, and it’s one of the best things a security person can have on their résumé, because it means you actually understand how traffic moves.

v1.1 or v2.0? Your test date decides

• Testing before February 3, 2027: Take v1.1. Cisco says there’s no reason to change gears if you’re already studying for it, and most books and courses cover it.
• Starting from scratch in late 2026: If you can be ready by January, v1.1 has the most mature study material. If you’ll need longer, study for v2.0 and use Cisco’s new free Cisco U. material as it appears.
• Either way: Both versions earn the same CCNA certification, valid for three years.

v1.1 domains (through February 2, 2027)

v2.0 domains (from February 3, 2027)

Weights and topics come from Cisco’s v1.1 and v2.0 exam topics. The v2.0 exam says you may have to evaluate output and recommendations from agentic AI and digital network assistants. The domain descriptions above are summaries; download the official topic lists before you study.

If you remember the old CCNA

If you remember CCNA Routing and Switching, CCNA Security, CCNA Cloud and the two-exam CCENT route, those are gone. Cisco replaced all of them with a single CCNA and a single exam, 200-301, in 2020. You earn the certification by passing that one exam, and there are no prerequisites.

Who should take the CCNA

• Aspiring network engineers and network administrators
• Help desk and desktop support staff ready to move into networking
• Security analysts and engineers who need real networking depth
• Systems and cloud administrators who manage connectivity

Cisco has no formal prerequisites. Many candidates take CompTIA A+ or Network+ first, but plenty start with CCNA and a good lab.

200-301 exam facts

Sources: Cisco’s 200-301 exam page, exam price list, CCNA certification page, v1.1 exam topics, v2.0 exam topics and recertification policy. Price note: Cisco’s CCNA certification page shows US$400, while its 200-301 exam page, exam price list and Learning Network topic pages all show US$300 (checked September 26, 2026). Confirm the price at checkout with Pearson VUE.

Where CCNA candidates get stuck

• Subnetting speed. Addressing shows up everywhere on the exam. If you can’t do it in your head quickly, every other topic gets slower.
• Configure and verify. Performance-based questions make you type commands and check the result. Recognizing the right command in a list isn’t the same skill.
• Reading show output. Most troubleshooting comes down to spotting the one wrong line in a routing table or interface status.
• Shortcuts. “Brain dump” sites that claim to have real exam questions violate Cisco’s exam rules and can get your certifications revoked. They also don’t teach you to run a network.

Twelve weeks, half of it in the lab

Figure eight to ten hours a week, and spend at least half of it in Packet Tracer or another lab. The exam makes you configure and verify, not just recall.

• Weeks 1 to 2: fundamentals. The OSI and TCP/IP models, Ethernet, cabling, TCP and UDP. Start Packet Tracer on day one.
• Weeks 3 to 4: subnetting and IPv6. Practice subnetting daily until you can do it in your head in under a minute. It shows up across the whole exam.
• Weeks 5 to 6: switching. VLANs, trunks, spanning tree, EtherChannel, and the Layer 2 security features. Build and break a multi-switch topology.
• Weeks 7 to 8: routing. Static routes, the routing table, OSPF and first hop redundancy. Troubleshoot deliberately misconfigured labs.
• Week 9: services. DHCP, DNS, NAT, NTP, SNMP and syslog. Configure each one and verify it with show commands.
• Week 10: security and wireless. ACLs, device hardening, AAA, VPN concepts and wireless LAN configuration.
• Week 11: automation. Controller-based networking, REST APIs and JSON. For v2.0, add Ansible basics and the AI operations topics.
• Week 12: practice. Timed practice exams from reputable providers and lab drills. Book the exam when you pass consistently.

What the CCNA costs

• Exam: US$300 plus tax on Cisco’s exam page and price list. If you fail, you must wait five calendar days before retaking and pay again.
• Lab: Cisco Packet Tracer is free through Cisco’s Networking Academy, and Cisco Modeling Labs has a free tier. Used Cisco switches and routers are an option if you want physical gear.
• Training: Cisco U. has a CCNA learning path and practice exam, and Cisco Learning Partners run instructor-led classes. Books and video courses are the cheaper route.
• Recertification: Every three years with 30 CE credits or by passing a qualifying exam.

What hiring managers see in a CCNA

For network roles, it’s the standard entry credential; it tells a hiring manager you can be trusted with a switch config. BLS reports May 2025 median pay of $76,220 for computer network support specialists and $99,130 for network and computer systems administrators (BLS). Network architects, the senior end of the path, had a median of $134,050 (BLS).

For security roles, it’s a quiet advantage. Information security analysts had a median pay of $129,180 in May 2025 (BLS), and many strong analysts started in networking.

CCNA or Network+, A+ and Security+?

• CCNA vs Network+: Network+ is vendor-neutral and more conceptual. CCNA goes deeper and makes you configure Cisco devices. If you want to be a network engineer, CCNA carries more weight; Network+ is a good first step or a fit for general IT roles.
• CCNA vs CompTIA A+: A+ is broad IT support. Many people take A+ first and then CCNA when they know they want networking.
• CCNA vs Security+: Security+ is the entry security certification. CCNA plus Security+ is a strong combination for network security and SOC roles.
• Moving toward security: After CCNA, security-minded engineers often add Security+, then CySA+ or a GIAC certification such as GSEC.

Planning what comes after CCNA? The certification roadmap covers networking-to-security paths.

Best Cybersecurity Certifications in 2026 has the broader ranking. And lab every day, even for 20 minutes; subnetting, VLANs and OSPF only become second nature after you’ve fixed your own mistakes dozens of times.

Routers and VPN gateways are attackers’ favorite targets. Know when yours are. The CyberExperts Daily Brief tracks network-device vulnerabilities and the rest of the week’s security news in five minutes, weekday mornings. Get tomorrow’s brief.

CCNA FAQ

Sources

• Cisco, CCNA certification: cisco.com
• Cisco, 200-301 CCNA exam: cisco.com
• Cisco, Certification exams and pricing: cisco.com
• Cisco Learning Network, CCNA v1.1 exam topics: learningnetwork.cisco.com
• Cisco Learning Network, CCNA v2.0 exam topics: learningnetwork.cisco.com
• Cisco, 200-301 CCNA v2.0 exam topics (PDF): learningcontent.cisco.com
• Cisco blog, Major updates to CCNA, CCIE and more (May 20, 2026): blogs.cisco.com
• Cisco, Recertification policy: cisco.com
• BLS, Computer support specialists: bls.gov
• BLS, Computer network architects: bls.gov
• BLS, Information security analysts: bls.gov

Donald Korinchak, MBA, PMP, CISSP, SecurityX, ITILv3

Donald Korinchak is a Cybersecurity Professional in the Washington DC area. Donald holds an MBA from the University of Pittsburgh Katz School of Business. Donald is considered a thought leader in business, leadership, and cybersecurity issues.