C172 Study Guide – Updated & SOLVED WITH EXPERT
SOLUTIONS | Authoritative, Peer-Reviewed, Expert-Vetted
Compendium of 100% Accurate Questions & Answers:
Meticulously Curated, Rigorously Fact-Checked, and
Empirically Validated for Guaranteed Zero-Defect Knowledge
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
-1-
,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.
*****Update 4 (8 Feb 2021 geek-girls-r-fun) Update the firewall videos to:
https://youtu.be/qLb2ioDBofg
Introduction to Networking Concepts (38% of assessment)
Network Devices
Recommended Video: Understanding the OSI Model - CompTIA Network+
N10-007 - 1.2 - Professor Messer IT
-2-
, 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 & Protocols
Function
7 Application software, HTTP, FTP, SMIP, IMAP,
Application network applications. SMTP
Anything you can see with
your eyeballs like web
browsers and email.
-3-
, 6 Data conversion utilities. SSL, ASCII, JPEG, MIDI,
Presentation Protocol Conversion, data MPEG, GIF,
translation. Data MP3, MP4
encryption/decryption.
5 Session Network Operating System. NFS, SQL, PPTP,
Establishes, manages & NetBIOS, PAP, SCP
terminates sessions (tunneling)
4 Transport segments TCP (segments so no
Network Operating System. missing packets), UDP
Ensures Error (datagrams for
Free Packets streaming like
games), SCTP
3 Network Packets Router, Layer 3 switches. IP, IPX, IPSec, RIP,
Provides routing decisions. IPv4, IPv6, ICMP
NAT, PAT
2 Data Link Frames Switches, NIC, Token Ring, MAC addresses, ARP,
Frame Relay, PPP, HDLC, LLC
Bridge. Provides for flow of Communication at
data. NIC FUNCTIONS at this MAC-address level -
layer. Bits pass over physical forwards packets on
layer between devices on a Layer 2 devices, like a
LAN (collision domain). bridge.
1 Physical Bits 802.11, Repeater, Modem, DSL, ISDN, physical
Bluetooth, Ethernet, hubs, NICs, twisted pair
Network Cabling, Wi-Fi. cable, fiber. Questions
Signals & Media. about “medium” refer
to cabling.
TCP/IP and OSI Models
Objectives:
● Identify the OSI model.
-4-
SOLUTIONS | Authoritative, Peer-Reviewed, Expert-Vetted
Compendium of 100% Accurate Questions & Answers:
Meticulously Curated, Rigorously Fact-Checked, and
Empirically Validated for Guaranteed Zero-Defect Knowledge
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
-1-
,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.
*****Update 4 (8 Feb 2021 geek-girls-r-fun) Update the firewall videos to:
https://youtu.be/qLb2ioDBofg
Introduction to Networking Concepts (38% of assessment)
Network Devices
Recommended Video: Understanding the OSI Model - CompTIA Network+
N10-007 - 1.2 - Professor Messer IT
-2-
, 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 & Protocols
Function
7 Application software, HTTP, FTP, SMIP, IMAP,
Application network applications. SMTP
Anything you can see with
your eyeballs like web
browsers and email.
-3-
, 6 Data conversion utilities. SSL, ASCII, JPEG, MIDI,
Presentation Protocol Conversion, data MPEG, GIF,
translation. Data MP3, MP4
encryption/decryption.
5 Session Network Operating System. NFS, SQL, PPTP,
Establishes, manages & NetBIOS, PAP, SCP
terminates sessions (tunneling)
4 Transport segments TCP (segments so no
Network Operating System. missing packets), UDP
Ensures Error (datagrams for
Free Packets streaming like
games), SCTP
3 Network Packets Router, Layer 3 switches. IP, IPX, IPSec, RIP,
Provides routing decisions. IPv4, IPv6, ICMP
NAT, PAT
2 Data Link Frames Switches, NIC, Token Ring, MAC addresses, ARP,
Frame Relay, PPP, HDLC, LLC
Bridge. Provides for flow of Communication at
data. NIC FUNCTIONS at this MAC-address level -
layer. Bits pass over physical forwards packets on
layer between devices on a Layer 2 devices, like a
LAN (collision domain). bridge.
1 Physical Bits 802.11, Repeater, Modem, DSL, ISDN, physical
Bluetooth, Ethernet, hubs, NICs, twisted pair
Network Cabling, Wi-Fi. cable, fiber. Questions
Signals & Media. about “medium” refer
to cabling.
TCP/IP and OSI Models
Objectives:
● Identify the OSI model.
-4-
