# Network+ Certification: Good Idea or total waste of time and money?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/network-certification-good-idea-or-total-waste-of-time-and-money/125280>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [August 23, 2002, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/network-certification-good-idea-or-total-waste-of-time-and-money/125280 "2002-08-23T19:27:53Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\
**Post date:** [August 23, 2002, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/network-certification-good-idea-or-total-waste-of-time-and-money/125280/1 "2002-08-23T19:27:53Z")

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I am taking a course in basic networking. The course is supposed to prepare you to take the Network+ certification test. I am taking the class really just for my own edification (though it will help me a bit at work as well), but I’ve been wondering whether it would be worthwhile to go ahead with the certification. It costs $200, though, so if it’s just going to end up being a worthless piece of paper, I am not going to bother.

Anyone got any thoughts about it?

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**Author:** ![Urban\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Urban\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urban_Ranger)\
**Post date:** [August 24, 2002, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/network-certification-good-idea-or-total-waste-of-time-and-money/125280/2 "2002-08-24T14:29:22Z")

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If you have any experience at all with networking, don’t bother. A much better one to get is CCNA (Cisco certified network associate).