CompTIA Network+ PBQ Practice & Examples (N10-009)
Interactive performance-based questions with instant scoring: drag-and-drop matching, configuration tasks and command-output analysis. Below the practice area: the six kinds of Network+ PBQ, a worked example and an exam-day strategy.
How many PBQs are on the Network+ exam?
CompTIA doesn't publish a fixed number. Test-takers commonly report 3–5 PBQs, usually at the start of the exam, and the count varies between exam forms. N10-009 has a maximum of 90 questions in 90 minutes and a passing score of 720 on a 100–900 scale.
Network+ PBQ Examples
3 worked examples, one per question type. 30 Network+ PBQs in total; up to 2 per type are free with no account.
Drag & Drop · Networking Fundamentals
Match Protocols to Default Ports
A network administrator needs to configure firewall rules. Match each protocol to its correct default port number.
Match each item to one of: Port 80 · Port 443 · Port 22 · Port 53 · Port 21 · Port 25
Show answer and explanation
- HTTP → Port 80
- HTTPS → Port 443
- SSH → Port 22
- DNS → Port 53
- FTP → Port 21
- SMTP → Port 25
HTTP uses port 80 for unencrypted web traffic. HTTPS uses port 443 for encrypted web traffic. SSH uses port 22 for secure remote access. DNS uses port 53 for name resolution. FTP uses port 21 for file transfer control. SMTP uses port 25 for email transmission.
Configuration · Network Implementation
VLAN Configuration on a Managed Switch
You are configuring VLANs on a Layer 2 managed switch. The company needs three separate broadcast domains: Sales (VLAN 10), Engineering (VLAN 20), and Management (VLAN 99). Configure the switch ports correctly.
Layer 2 switch with 24 ports. Ports 1-8 go to Sales, ports 9-16 go to Engineering, ports 17-20 go to Management workstations, and port 24 is the uplink to the router.
- VLAN for Ports 1-8 (Sales): VLAN 1 / VLAN 10 / VLAN 20 / VLAN 99
- VLAN for Ports 9-16 (Engineering): VLAN 1 / VLAN 10 / VLAN 20 / VLAN 99
- VLAN for Ports 17-20 (Management): VLAN 1 / VLAN 10 / VLAN 20 / VLAN 99
- Port mode for workstation ports (1-20): Access / Trunk / Hybrid / Dynamic
- Port mode for uplink port 24: Access / Trunk / Hybrid / Dynamic
Show answer and explanation
- VLAN for Ports 1-8 (Sales): VLAN 10
- VLAN for Ports 9-16 (Engineering): VLAN 20
- VLAN for Ports 17-20 (Management): VLAN 99
- Port mode for workstation ports (1-20): Access
- Port mode for uplink port 24: Trunk
Workstation ports should be configured as Access ports, each assigned to their respective VLAN. The uplink port connecting to the router must be a Trunk port to carry tagged traffic for all VLANs, enabling inter-VLAN routing (router-on-a-stick). VLAN 1 is the default VLAN and should not be used for production traffic as a best practice.
Command Output Analysis · Network Troubleshooting
Analyze Ping and Traceroute Output
A user reports they cannot access a remote web server. Analyze the following command outputs to identify the issue.
C:\> ping 10.0.50.25
Pinging 10.0.50.25 with 32 bytes of data:
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Ping statistics for 10.0.50.25:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 0, Lost = 4 (100% loss)
C:\> ping 10.0.50.1
Pinging 10.0.50.1 with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 10.0.50.1: bytes=32 time=1ms TTL=64
Reply from 10.0.50.1: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=64
C:\> tracert 10.0.50.25
Tracing route to 10.0.50.25 over a maximum of 30 hops:
1 1 ms 1 ms 1 ms 10.0.50.1
2 * * * Request timed out.
3 * * * Request timed out.- Can the user reach their default gateway? (Yes, gateway responds normally / No, gateway is unreachable / Gateway is intermittently responding / Cannot determine from this output)
- Where is the connectivity failure occurring? (Between the user and the gateway / Between the gateway and the next hop / At the destination server / At the DNS server)
- What is the most likely cause? (DNS resolution failure / Router or routing issue beyond the gateway / Incorrect subnet mask on the user PC / The user NIC is disabled)
Show answer and explanation
- Yes, gateway responds normally
- Between the gateway and the next hop
- Router or routing issue beyond the gateway
The ping to the gateway (10.0.50.1) succeeds, confirming local network connectivity is fine. The ping to the destination (10.0.50.25) fails with 100% loss. The traceroute shows hop 1 (gateway) responds, but hop 2 times out, indicating a routing issue or a down link between the gateway and the next router. This points to a router or routing problem beyond the local gateway.
The 6 kinds of Network+ PBQ
1. Matching
Ports to protocols, devices or protocols to OSI layers, cable and connector types to uses.
How to approach it: Know the common ports cold (20/21, 22, 23, 25, 53, 67/68, 80, 110, 143, 161/162, 389, 443, 3389) so these take a minute, not five.
2. Fix the configuration
A switch, router or wireless setting that breaks connectivity: wrong VLAN, wrong gateway, wrong mask, disabled interface.
How to approach it: Check addressing first (IP, mask, gateway), then VLAN membership, then interface state.
3. Follow the packet
Trace traffic across a topology and find where it stops: missing route, wrong VLAN, blocked port.
How to approach it: Walk it hop by hop from the source; at each hop ask "does this device know where to send it next?"
4. Subnetting
Assign addresses or pick masks for several subnets with different host counts.
How to approach it: Allocate the largest subnet first; usable hosts = 2^(32 − prefix) − 2.
5. Firewall / ACL rules
Order or complete rules so the right traffic is allowed and everything else is denied.
How to approach it: Rules match top-down and stop at the first hit; specific permits go above broad denies, and there's an implicit deny at the end.
6. Tool output
Read ipconfig, ping, tracert/traceroute, nslookup, netstat or show output and identify the fault.
How to approach it: A 169.254.x.x address means no DHCP reply; a traceroute that stops shows where packets die.
Worked example: two VLANs can't talk
Users in VLAN 10 (192.168.10.0/24) can't reach a file server in VLAN 20 (192.168.20.0/24). Both VLANs work internally. A layer 3 switch is supposed to route between them.
- Confirm the symptom is between VLANs, not inside one: hosts in VLAN 10 can ping each other, so access ports and addressing inside the VLAN are fine.
- Check each host's default gateway: VLAN 10 hosts should use the VLAN 10 SVI (192.168.10.1), not an address in another subnet.
- Check the layer 3 switch: is there an SVI for each VLAN, is it up, and is IP routing enabled?
- Check the uplink: if the server hangs off another switch, VLAN 20 must be allowed on the trunk between them.
In this scenario routing was never enabled on the layer 3 switch, so each SVI answered pings but nothing was forwarded between VLANs. Enabling IP routing fixes it. The habit that solves most PBQs: check layer by layer, and change one thing at a time.
Exam-day PBQ strategy
- Flag the PBQs at the start, answer the multiple-choice questions, then come back with the time you have left.
- Read every requirement in the task before touching anything; PBQs often hide one extra condition.
- Use every tab, tool and exhibit offered — the answer is usually in the output you're given.
- Always submit the PBQ before moving on, even if you're unsure. CompTIA doesn't publish how PBQs are scored, but a blank one can't earn anything.
Network+ PBQ Practice: Frequently Asked Questions
What are Network+ PBQs?
Performance-based questions (PBQs) are interactive Network+ tasks. Instead of picking one answer, you match items, complete a configuration, or read tool output and find the fault, to show practical networking skill.
How many PBQs are on the Network+ exam?
CompTIA doesn't publish a fixed number. Test-takers commonly report 3–5 PBQs, usually at the start of the exam, and the count varies between exam forms. N10-009 has a maximum of 90 questions in 90 minutes and a passing score of 720 on a 100–900 scale.
What types of PBQs appear on Network+?
Candidates describe six recurring kinds: matching (ports, protocols, OSI layers, cables), fixing a configuration, following a packet through a topology, subnetting, firewall or ACL rules, and reading tool output such as ipconfig, ping, traceroute or show commands.
Are Network+ PBQs hard?
They feel hard because they test applying knowledge under time pressure rather than recall, and they come first. One PBQ can take 5–10 minutes if you haven't practised the format, which is why many candidates flag them and come back later.
Should I skip PBQs on the Network+ exam?
Many test-takers flag PBQs and return to them after the multiple-choice questions, so quick points are banked first. If you do, leave enough time to come back — and practise PBQs beforehand so you can tackle them confidently.
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