WGU C172 – Network and Security Foundations –
Western Governors University – Complete Exam
Review and Notes
,Insights from my experience of taking the OA twice:
● The details about the specs of cables are not essential: if you know the basics of which cable is most
likely to be used, you are in a good place. (T1, T3, Coaxial, UTP, Fiber Optic)
● The specific details about 802.11 standards (frequency, ODFM vs DSSS, etc) were never asked on either
OA I took.
● Knowing the names of specific attack names was helpful on a few of the questions (smurf attack,
teardrop, ping of death, bluejacking, etc.)—I would review these before the test.
● Feel comfortable with the CIA triad and the AAA—there are about three question for each topic.
● Know your OSI model—what physical components make up each layer, what protocols are used in each
layer, and what each layer actually does.
● Know your networks: PAN, LAN, MAN, WAN, WLAN, VLAN, etc.
● There are roughly three questions about network commands (ipconfig, ping, etc.) and what they do.
● Understand Firewalls and their uses.
● Know the difference between switches, repeaters, hubs, routers, and modems
When in doubt, use the process of elimination—if you know what an option means, and it doesn’t make sense
in the context, don’t consider it. Most questions I wasn’t sure about, I could wean down to two viable options
because the other options didn’t even make sense. For example, for some OSI questions, a couple of the
options weren’t actual layers on the OSI model.
*** Update 2: A reddit user created a flash card set and quiz that I think is beneficial so I’m adding the link
here. https://quizlet.com/401533092/c172-wgu-complete-v3-flash-cards/
****Update 3 (FunAdministration334) I’ve formatted this to be shorter, for printing purposes. I’ve edited typos
and misinformation, to the best of my ability. Notes are a very personal thing, so please make a copy and alter
it in a way that suits your own learning needs. 1/21/2021
*****Update 4 (8 Feb 2021 geek-girls-r-fun) Updated study guide with info from the cohorts and updates
about the OA from other Redditors. Studied this guide with an experienced IT friend for 12 hours, updated the
study guide for an additional 6 hours and passed the first time. I used this quizlet: OA&PA Study Guide by
kamerasheree. I used the Match feature of quizlet to make the learning more interesting. I did not read the
text aside from Unit 2 for details on Basic Network commands but I did work on a helpdesk about 25 years
ago so I have an idea of how networking & security work. Watched videos by Messer on OSI & Firewalls (links
in guide below). I tried the quizzes recommended in the Course Tips and found OSI Layers, Command-Line
Utilities & Networking Attacks to be relevant. I took the PA twice, once right before the OA. NOTE:
Immediately after taking the OA, I revised this study guide to REMOVE anything that I didn’t see on
the test. Yellow highlights are things I remember being on the OA.
-1-
, Introduction to Networking Concepts (38% of assessment)
Network Devices
Recommended Video: Understanding the OSI Model - CompTIA Network+ N10-007 - 1.2 - Professor Messer IT
Certification Training Courses
Objectives:
● Identify wired networking devices based on function.
● Identify wireless networking devices based on function.
● Identify security networking devices based on function.
Examples
a. The NIC functions at the data link by using a unique MAC address.
b. The router is a network device that is used to connect two or more network segments by
performing OSI layer 3 functions like packet-forwarding.
c. The router is responsible for implementing NAT (network address translation)
d. The file server is used as a shared storage for all member nodes of a LAN.
Notes: There were at least 4 straightforward questions about various OSI Layers. I memorized this table and
wrote it down on my whiteboard before starting the OA.
All People Seem to Need Data Processing. Messer video on OSI.
OSI Layer Unit Physical Component & Function Protocols
7 Application Application software, network applications. HTTP, FTP, SMIP, IMAP, SMTP
Anything you can see with your eyeballs like
web browsers and email.
6 Presentation Data conversion utilities. Protocol SSL, ASCII, JPEG, MIDI, MPEG, GIF,
Conversion, data translation. Data MP3, MP4
encryption/decryption.
5 Session Network Operating System. Establishes, NFS, SQL, PPTP, NetBIOS, PAP, SCP
manages & terminates sessions (tunneling)
4 Transport segments Network Operating System. Ensures Error TCP (segments so no missing
packets), UDP (datagrams for
Free Packets
streaming like games), SCTP
3 Network Packets Router, Layer 3 switches. Provides routing IP, IPX, IPSec, RIP, IPv4, IPv6, ICMP
decisions. NAT, PAT
2 Data Link Frames Switches, NIC, Token Ring, Frame Relay, MAC addresses, ARP, PPP, HDLC,
Bridge. Provides for flow of data. NIC LLC
FUNCTIONS at this layer. Bits pass over Communication at MAC-address
physical layer between devices on a LAN level - forwards packets on Layer 2
(collision domain). devices, like a bridge.
1 Physical Bits 802.11, Repeater, Modem, Bluetooth, DSL, ISDN, physical NICs, twisted
Ethernet, hubs, Network Cabling, Wi-Fi. pair cable, fiber. Questions about
Signals & Media. “medium” refer to cabling.
-2-
Western Governors University – Complete Exam
Review and Notes
,Insights from my experience of taking the OA twice:
● The details about the specs of cables are not essential: if you know the basics of which cable is most
likely to be used, you are in a good place. (T1, T3, Coaxial, UTP, Fiber Optic)
● The specific details about 802.11 standards (frequency, ODFM vs DSSS, etc) were never asked on either
OA I took.
● Knowing the names of specific attack names was helpful on a few of the questions (smurf attack,
teardrop, ping of death, bluejacking, etc.)—I would review these before the test.
● Feel comfortable with the CIA triad and the AAA—there are about three question for each topic.
● Know your OSI model—what physical components make up each layer, what protocols are used in each
layer, and what each layer actually does.
● Know your networks: PAN, LAN, MAN, WAN, WLAN, VLAN, etc.
● There are roughly three questions about network commands (ipconfig, ping, etc.) and what they do.
● Understand Firewalls and their uses.
● Know the difference between switches, repeaters, hubs, routers, and modems
When in doubt, use the process of elimination—if you know what an option means, and it doesn’t make sense
in the context, don’t consider it. Most questions I wasn’t sure about, I could wean down to two viable options
because the other options didn’t even make sense. For example, for some OSI questions, a couple of the
options weren’t actual layers on the OSI model.
*** Update 2: A reddit user created a flash card set and quiz that I think is beneficial so I’m adding the link
here. https://quizlet.com/401533092/c172-wgu-complete-v3-flash-cards/
****Update 3 (FunAdministration334) I’ve formatted this to be shorter, for printing purposes. I’ve edited typos
and misinformation, to the best of my ability. Notes are a very personal thing, so please make a copy and alter
it in a way that suits your own learning needs. 1/21/2021
*****Update 4 (8 Feb 2021 geek-girls-r-fun) Updated study guide with info from the cohorts and updates
about the OA from other Redditors. Studied this guide with an experienced IT friend for 12 hours, updated the
study guide for an additional 6 hours and passed the first time. I used this quizlet: OA&PA Study Guide by
kamerasheree. I used the Match feature of quizlet to make the learning more interesting. I did not read the
text aside from Unit 2 for details on Basic Network commands but I did work on a helpdesk about 25 years
ago so I have an idea of how networking & security work. Watched videos by Messer on OSI & Firewalls (links
in guide below). I tried the quizzes recommended in the Course Tips and found OSI Layers, Command-Line
Utilities & Networking Attacks to be relevant. I took the PA twice, once right before the OA. NOTE:
Immediately after taking the OA, I revised this study guide to REMOVE anything that I didn’t see on
the test. Yellow highlights are things I remember being on the OA.
-1-
, Introduction to Networking Concepts (38% of assessment)
Network Devices
Recommended Video: Understanding the OSI Model - CompTIA Network+ N10-007 - 1.2 - Professor Messer IT
Certification Training Courses
Objectives:
● Identify wired networking devices based on function.
● Identify wireless networking devices based on function.
● Identify security networking devices based on function.
Examples
a. The NIC functions at the data link by using a unique MAC address.
b. The router is a network device that is used to connect two or more network segments by
performing OSI layer 3 functions like packet-forwarding.
c. The router is responsible for implementing NAT (network address translation)
d. The file server is used as a shared storage for all member nodes of a LAN.
Notes: There were at least 4 straightforward questions about various OSI Layers. I memorized this table and
wrote it down on my whiteboard before starting the OA.
All People Seem to Need Data Processing. Messer video on OSI.
OSI Layer Unit Physical Component & Function Protocols
7 Application Application software, network applications. HTTP, FTP, SMIP, IMAP, SMTP
Anything you can see with your eyeballs like
web browsers and email.
6 Presentation Data conversion utilities. Protocol SSL, ASCII, JPEG, MIDI, MPEG, GIF,
Conversion, data translation. Data MP3, MP4
encryption/decryption.
5 Session Network Operating System. Establishes, NFS, SQL, PPTP, NetBIOS, PAP, SCP
manages & terminates sessions (tunneling)
4 Transport segments Network Operating System. Ensures Error TCP (segments so no missing
packets), UDP (datagrams for
Free Packets
streaming like games), SCTP
3 Network Packets Router, Layer 3 switches. Provides routing IP, IPX, IPSec, RIP, IPv4, IPv6, ICMP
decisions. NAT, PAT
2 Data Link Frames Switches, NIC, Token Ring, Frame Relay, MAC addresses, ARP, PPP, HDLC,
Bridge. Provides for flow of data. NIC LLC
FUNCTIONS at this layer. Bits pass over Communication at MAC-address
physical layer between devices on a LAN level - forwards packets on Layer 2
(collision domain). devices, like a bridge.
1 Physical Bits 802.11, Repeater, Modem, Bluetooth, DSL, ISDN, physical NICs, twisted
Ethernet, hubs, Network Cabling, Wi-Fi. pair cable, fiber. Questions about
Signals & Media. “medium” refer to cabling.
-2-
