Exam Atlas

How to become a network engineer with certifications

By The Exam Atlas Editorial Team · Verified 2026-05-31

Networking is a hands-on discipline, so the path combines certifications with real lab practice. This route takes you from a vendor-neutral foundation to the Cisco-recognised CCNA, with a growing emphasis on automation and security as the field evolves — and it stresses that configuring and fixing networks, not just passing exams, is what gets you hired.

The path, step by step

  1. Build a vendor-neutral foundation

    Start with a foundational, vendor-neutral networking certification to learn the concepts — the OSI model, addressing and subnetting, routing, switching, security basics — that apply to any equipment.

    Relevant exams: CompTIA Network+ (N10-009)

  2. Practise in a lab (the core skill)

    Use a free simulator (Cisco Packet Tracer) or second-hand kit to configure routers and switches, build VLANs and routing, break things and fix them. Hands-on troubleshooting is exactly what employers and the CCNA simulations test.

  3. Earn the CCNA

    Move to the Cisco-specific CCNA, which is deeper and directly recognised for networking roles. Its hands-on simulations reward the lab practice from the previous step. Keep drilling subnetting until it is automatic.

    Relevant exams: Cisco CCNA (200-301)

  4. Add security and automation

    As networks converge with security and the cloud, add networking-security knowledge and learn automation (scripting, APIs, infrastructure as code). This is where the modern role is heading and where you stand out.

    Relevant exams: CompTIA Security+ (SY0-701)

Network engineering is one of the most hands-on areas of IT, so certifications only count when they are backed by lab practice. The path runs from a vendor-neutral foundation to the Cisco-recognised CCNA, with automation and security becoming steadily more important.

What a network engineer actually does

A network engineer designs, configures, monitors and troubleshoots the networks that connect systems and people: routers and switches, VLANs and routing protocols, firewalls, wireless, and increasingly cloud connectivity. The defining day-to-day skill is diagnosis — figuring out why traffic is not flowing and fixing it under pressure. That is why every step of this path is anchored in hands-on practice, not just reading.

Why the lab is the core of the path

You cannot learn networking only from books. A free tool like Cisco Packet Tracer lets you build topologies, configure devices, deliberately break them, and fix them — which is exactly what the CCNA simulations and real interviews test. Subnetting in particular should be drilled until it is fast and automatic, because it underpins so much of the work and the exams.

A realistic timeline

Network+ is achievable in six to ten weeks; the CCNA is a bigger commitment of three to four months with steady lab time. Many people reach a junior network or NOC role after the CCNA plus demonstrable lab ability. From there, CCNP and specialisations (security, data centre, cloud networking) deepen the career.

The field is shifting to automation

Modern networking increasingly rewards automation: scripting (often Python), APIs, and infrastructure-as-code, alongside tighter integration with security and the cloud. The CCNA already includes an automation and programmability component. Treat traditional networking as the foundation and automation as the skill that future-proofs the career.

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Studying without a lab — networking is learned by configuring and troubleshooting.
  • Weak subnetting; it underpins many exam questions and real tasks.
  • Ignoring automation and security, which the modern role increasingly demands.
  • Assuming cloud has made networking obsolete — it has made network skills more valuable, not less.

Beyond your first role

After a first networking role, deepen with CCNP, specialise (security, data centre, wireless, cloud networking), and keep building automation skills. Employers hire for the ability to make a network work and fix it when it breaks — the certifications prove you can, and the lab practice makes it true.

FAQ

Network+ or CCNA first?
If you want a gentle, vendor-neutral start, take Network+ then CCNA. If you are committed to networking, especially Cisco environments, confident beginners often go straight to CCNA.
Do I need a lab to become a network engineer?
Effectively yes. Configuring and troubleshooting real or simulated equipment is the core skill. Cisco Packet Tracer is free, and inexpensive second-hand kit is an option for hands-on practice.
Do I need a degree?
Often not. Networking is one of the more certification- and skill-driven IT fields. A CCNA plus demonstrable lab ability gets many people into junior network roles without a specific degree.
What comes after CCNA?
If you want to go deeper, CCNP (professional level) is the usual next Cisco step, alongside specialising in areas like security, data centre, or cloud networking. Add automation skills regardless of direction.
Is networking still a good career with cloud growth?
Yes. Networks underpin the cloud, and demand remains strong, but the role increasingly rewards automation and security skills alongside traditional networking. Pure manual configuration is giving way to automated, code-driven networks.
What does a network engineer actually do?
Design, configure, monitor and troubleshoot the networks that connect systems and users — routers, switches, firewalls, wireless and increasingly cloud connectivity — keeping them fast, reliable and secure.

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