This study plan is tailored to help you prepare effectively for the CCNA 200-301 exam, focusing on the Pomodoro Technique (25-minute focused sessions with 5-minute breaks) and the Forgetting Curve (revisiting material at strategic intervals to reinforce memory). The plan spans 12 weeks, assuming you dedicate 2-3 hours daily on weekdays and more time on weekends.

Duration: 12 Weeks

• Goals:
  1. Build a solid understanding of CCNA topics.
  2. Gain hands-on experience with configurations and troubleshooting.
  3. Prepare for the exam with practice tests and scenario-based labs.
• Daily Study Time:
  • Weekdays: 2–3 hours.
  • Weekends: 4–6 hours (lab-focused).
• Key Methods:
  • Pomodoro Technique: Focused 25-minute sessions with 5-minute breaks.
  • Forgetting Curve: Strategic reviews (1 day, 2-3 days, 1 week, 1 month).
  • Active Recall: Quizzes and practice questions to reinforce understanding.

Week-by-Week CCNA 200-301 Study Plan

Week 1: Networking Fundamentals (Part 1)

Goal: Understand OSI/TCP/IP models, IPv4 addressing, and subnetting.
Focus Areas:

1. OSI Model and its layers.
2. TCP/IP model and its comparison to OSI.
3. IPv4 addressing and subnetting basics.

Daily Plan:

Day 1: OSI Model Overview

• Study the OSI model, focusing on each layer's function:
  • Physical, Data Link, Network, Transport, Session, Presentation, Application.
• Use a mnemonic like "All People Seem To Need Data Processing" to memorize layers.
• Identify common protocols and devices for each layer (e.g., HTTP = Application, Routers = Network).
• Lab: Draw and label the OSI model with real-world examples.

Day 2: TCP/IP Model and Comparison

• Learn the 4 layers of TCP/IP: Network Access, Internet, Transport, Application.
• Understand key differences between TCP and UDP (connection-oriented vs. connectionless).
• Map the OSI model to TCP/IP for better understanding.
• Lab: Create a diagram comparing the OSI and TCP/IP models.

Day 3: IPv4 Addressing Basics

• Study the structure of IPv4 addresses (dotted decimal format).
• Learn about private and public IP ranges, and understand IP classes (A, B, C).
• Lab: Practice identifying IP address classes and ranges.

Day 4: Subnetting Basics

• Learn subnet masks and CIDR notation (e.g., /24, /26).
• Use the subnetting formula to calculate the number of subnets and hosts per subnet.
• Solve at least 10 subnetting problems manually.
• Lab: Use Packet Tracer to assign subnets to devices and test connectivity.

Day 5: Review and Practice

• Create a one-page summary of the OSI/TCP/IP models and subnetting.
• Test yourself with 20 practice questions on IPv4 addressing and subnetting.
• Lab: Configure IP addresses on routers and switches.

Day 6–7: Weekend Lab Focus

• Build a simple network in Packet Tracer with 3 routers and multiple PCs.
• Configure IP addressing and subnets for the network.
• Test connectivity using the ping command.
• Troubleshoot misconfigurations by analyzing the OSI model.

Week 2: Networking Fundamentals (Part 2)

Goal: Master IPv6 addressing, DNS, ARP, and ICMP.
Focus Areas:

1. IPv6 structure and addressing.
2. Basic network components.
3. Protocols: DNS, ARP, ICMP.

Daily Plan:

Day 1: IPv6 Addressing Basics

• Study the structure of IPv6 addresses (128-bit, hexadecimal format).
• Understand how to compress IPv6 addresses (collapsing zeroes).
• Learn about IPv6 unicast, multicast, and anycast addresses.
• Lab: Configure IPv6 addresses on routers and PCs in Packet Tracer.

Day 2: Network Components

• Study the functions of switches, routers, firewalls, and access points.
• Understand their placement in a network topology.
• Lab: Explore device configurations in Packet Tracer.

Day 3: DNS and DHCP

• Understand DNS resolution (how domain names are mapped to IPs).
• Learn the DHCP process (DORA: Discover, Offer, Request, Acknowledge).
• Lab: Configure a DNS server and DHCP pool in Packet Tracer.

Day 4: ARP and ICMP

• Study how ARP maps IP addresses to MAC addresses.
• Learn ICMP diagnostics (e.g., ping, traceroute).
• Lab: Use ping and traceroute to verify connectivity.

Day 5: Review and Practice

• Summarize IPv6, DNS, ARP, and ICMP in your notes.
• Test yourself with questions on IPv6 and protocol fundamentals.
• Lab: Configure an IPv6 network with DNS and DHCP servers.

Day 6–7: Weekend Lab Focus

• Build a network in Packet Tracer using both IPv4 and IPv6.
• Test DNS and DHCP configurations.
• Analyze connectivity issues using ARP and ICMP tools.

Week 3: Network Access (Part 1)

Goal: Understand Ethernet standards, MAC address tables, and VLAN basics.
Focus Areas:

1. Ethernet standards and duplex modes.
2. MAC address tables and collision domains.
3. VLAN fundamentals.

Daily Plan:

Day 1: Ethernet Standards

• Study key Ethernet standards (10Base-T, 100Base-T, Gigabit Ethernet).
• Learn the differences between full-duplex and half-duplex modes.
• Lab: Test duplex mismatches and observe their impact on network performance.

Day 2: MAC Address Tables

• Understand how switches use MAC address tables for forwarding.
• Learn to view and clear MAC tables using the show mac address-table command.
• Lab: Use Packet Tracer to observe MAC address table population during traffic flow.

Day 3: VLAN Fundamentals

• Learn what VLANs are and why they’re used to segment traffic.
• Understand VLAN IDs and how they relate to broadcast domains.
• Lab: Configure VLANs on a switch and assign ports to specific VLANs.

Day 4–5: VLAN Hands-On Practice

• Use Packet Tracer to create multiple VLANs and test communication between VLANs.
• Troubleshoot VLAN misconfigurations (e.g., incorrect port assignment).
• Verify configurations with the show vlan brief command.

Day 6–7: Weekend Lab Focus

• Build a network with multiple VLANs across two switches.
• Test VLAN connectivity using the ping command.
• Practice inter-VLAN routing basics using Router-on-a-Stick.

Week 4: Network Access (Part 2)

Goal: Understand VLAN trunking, inter-VLAN routing, and wireless networking basics.
Focus Areas:

1. VLAN trunking (802.1Q).
2. Inter-VLAN routing using Router-on-a-Stick.
3. Wireless concepts: SSIDs, channels, security protocols.

Daily Plan:

Day 1: VLAN Trunking Basics

• Study the purpose of VLAN trunking and the 802.1Q standard.
• Learn how VLAN tags are added to Ethernet frames.
• Lab: Configure trunk ports on two switches using switchport mode trunk.

Day 2: Inter-VLAN Routing (Theory)

• Understand why VLANs on different subnets require routing to communicate.
• Study Router-on-a-Stick configurations.
• Lab: Draw a topology of a Router-on-a-Stick setup with 3 VLANs.

Day 3: Inter-VLAN Routing (Hands-On)

• Lab:
  • Configure subinterfaces on a router for each VLAN.
  • Test communication between devices in different VLANs using ping.
  • Verify configurations using show ip route and show vlan brief.

Day 4: Wireless Networking Basics

• Study SSIDs, wireless channels, and security protocols (WEP, WPA2, WPA3).
• Understand the differences between 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequency bands.
• Lab: Configure a wireless access point in Packet Tracer with a secure SSID.

Day 5: Wireless Network Optimization

• Learn about interference and how to optimize Wi-Fi by selecting the right channels.
• Lab: Simulate a wireless network with multiple access points in Packet Tracer.

Day 6–7: Weekend Lab Focus

• Build a network with VLANs, trunking, and inter-VLAN routing.
• Integrate wireless clients into the network.
• Test the configuration by sending traffic between VLANs and wireless clients.

Week 5: IP Connectivity (Part 1)

Goal: Understand static and dynamic routing protocols (RIP, OSPF, EIGRP).
Focus Areas:

1. Static routing and its configuration.
2. Dynamic routing protocols: RIP and OSPF basics.
3. Routing table interpretation.

Daily Plan:

Day 1: Static Routing Basics

• Study how static routes work and their advantages/disadvantages.
• Learn about next-hop IP addresses and exit interfaces.
• Lab: Configure static routes between two routers.

Day 2: Dynamic Routing Concepts

• Understand the purpose of dynamic routing protocols.
• Learn the differences between distance vector (RIP) and link-state (OSPF).
• Study the role of metrics (hop count, cost) in routing decisions.
• Lab: Configure RIP on two routers using router rip and verify routes with show ip route.

Day 3: OSPF Basics

• Study OSPF’s hierarchical design (areas, backbone area).
• Learn how OSPF calculates the shortest path using Dijkstra’s algorithm.
• Lab: Configure OSPF on multiple routers and test connectivity.

Day 4: Routing Table Interpretation

• Learn how to read a routing table:
  • Understand the codes (C, S, O, R).
  • Identify directly connected, static, and dynamically learned routes.
• Lab: Analyze the routing table of a multi-router network in Packet Tracer.

Day 5: Review and Quiz

• Summarize the differences between static and dynamic routing.
• Quiz: Solve 10 routing scenarios (e.g., choosing the best routing protocol for a given network).

Day 6–7: Weekend Lab Focus

• Build a 3-router network with static and dynamic routing.
• Configure both RIP and OSPF on separate router pairs.
• Practice troubleshooting routing loops and connectivity issues.

Week 6: IP Connectivity (Part 2)

Goal: Focus on IPv6 routing and advanced OSPF configurations.
Focus Areas:

1. IPv6 static and dynamic routing.
2. OSPF advanced concepts (cost, DR/BDR roles).
3. Troubleshooting routing configurations.

Daily Plan:

Day 1: IPv6 Static Routing

• Study IPv6 addressing and how static routes are configured.
• Learn about IPv6 link-local addresses and their importance in routing.
• Lab: Configure IPv6 static routes between two routers and test using ping.

Day 2: IPv6 Dynamic Routing

• Study OSPFv3 for IPv6 routing.
• Learn the similarities and differences between OSPF for IPv4 and IPv6.
• Lab: Configure OSPFv3 on routers with IPv6 subnets.

Day 3: OSPF Advanced Configurations

• Study OSPF cost metrics and how to manipulate them for path selection.
• Learn about Designated Router (DR) and Backup Designated Router (BDR) roles.
• Lab: Configure OSPF cost metrics on routers to influence routing decisions.

Day 4: Troubleshooting Routing Issues

• Learn common issues in routing (e.g., misconfigured routes, incorrect subnet masks).
• Lab: Use show ip route, show ip ospf neighbor, and debug ip ospf to identify and resolve routing issues.

Day 5: Review and Practice

• Summarize IPv6 and OSPF concepts in your notes.
• Quiz: Solve troubleshooting scenarios involving IPv6 and OSPF.

Day 6–7: Weekend Lab Focus

• Build a network with both IPv4 and IPv6 routing.
• Configure OSPFv2 for IPv4 and OSPFv3 for IPv6 on the same routers.
• Test end-to-end connectivity across IPv4 and IPv6 subnets.

Week 7: IP Services (Part 1)

Goal: Master DHCP and NAT configurations and their practical applications.
Focus Areas:

1. DHCP process (DORA) and configuration.
2. NAT types (Static, Dynamic, PAT) and configuration.
3. Verification and troubleshooting IP services.

Daily Plan:

Day 1: DHCP Basics

• Study the DHCP DORA process: Discover, Offer, Request, Acknowledge.
• Understand the benefits of automating IP address assignment.
• Learn DHCP components: DHCP pool, excluded addresses, default gateway, DNS server.
• Lab: Configure a DHCP server on a Cisco router:
  • Create a DHCP pool with specific IP ranges.
  • Exclude a set of addresses (e.g., router IPs).
  • Verify the configuration using show ip dhcp binding.

Day 2: Static NAT Configuration

• Study how Static NAT maps a private IP to a public IP for external access.
• Lab: Configure Static NAT:
  • Map 192.168.1.10 (internal IP) to 203.0.113.10 (public IP).
  • Verify NAT translation with show ip nat translations.

Day 3: Dynamic NAT and PAT

• Understand how Dynamic NAT assigns public IPs from a pool and how PAT allows multiple devices to share a single public IP.
• Lab:
  • Configure a NAT pool and allow multiple private IPs to use it.
  • Configure PAT and test with different devices accessing the internet.
  • Use debug ip nat to troubleshoot.

Day 4: Troubleshooting DHCP and NAT

• Learn common issues (e.g., incorrect IP ranges, overlapping NAT rules).
• Lab: Simulate a DHCP and NAT misconfiguration in Packet Tracer.
• Test with ping and show commands to identify and fix errors.

Day 5: Review and Quiz

• Review DHCP and NAT commands and scenarios.
• Quiz: Solve 10 NAT and DHCP-related questions.
• Lab: Configure a small network with DHCP and NAT combined.

Day 6–7: Weekend Lab Focus

• Build a network with 3 routers and multiple subnets.
• Configure DHCP on one router and NAT on another to provide internet access.
• Verify functionality by testing end-to-end connectivity and observing NAT translations.

Week 8: IP Services (Part 2)

Goal: Understand ACLs and QoS to filter traffic and prioritize network performance.
Focus Areas:

1. ACL types (Standard, Extended) and configuration.
2. QoS mechanisms: classification, marking, queueing.

Daily Plan:

Day 1: Standard ACLs

• Learn how Standard ACLs filter traffic based on source IP.
• Lab: Configure Standard ACLs:
  • Block access from 192.168.1.0/24 to a specific network.
  • Apply ACLs to an interface using ip access-group.

Day 2: Extended ACLs

• Study how Extended ACLs filter traffic based on source/destination IP, port, and protocol.
• Lab:
  • Permit HTTP traffic from 192.168.1.0/24 to 192.168.2.0/24.
  • Deny all other traffic.
  • Test configurations using ping and browser access.

Day 3: QoS Basics

• Study QoS concepts: classification, marking (DSCP), and queueing.
• Understand why QoS is critical for VoIP and video traffic.
• Lab: Configure a simple QoS policy:
  • Classify VoIP traffic using DSCP and prioritize it using a policy-map.

Day 4: QoS Advanced

• Learn about traffic shaping and policing:
  • Shaping smooths traffic, while policing enforces limits.
• Lab:
  • Configure a traffic policy to shape bandwidth for a specific class of traffic.
  • Test using Packet Tracer to simulate congestion scenarios.

Day 5: Review and Quiz

• Summarize ACL and QoS concepts in your notes.
• Quiz: Solve 10 questions on traffic filtering and prioritization.
• Lab: Combine ACLs and QoS in a multi-router network.

Day 6–7: Weekend Lab Focus

• Build a network with multiple VLANs, ACLs, and QoS applied to specific traffic classes.
• Test end-to-end connectivity and ensure traffic prioritization works as intended.

Week 9: Security Fundamentals

Goal: Understand device security, common network attacks, and mitigation strategies.
Focus Areas:

1. Device security: passwords, SSH, disabling unused ports.
2. Common attacks: DDoS, phishing, MITM.
3. Mitigation strategies: firewalls, IPS, and encryption.

Daily Plan:

Day 1: Device Security Basics

• Learn how to secure devices with strong passwords and SSH.
• Lab:
  • Configure SSH access with RSA keys and local user accounts.
  • Disable unused ports using the shutdown command.

Day 2: Common Network Attacks

• Study DDoS, phishing, and MITM attacks.
• Learn how these attacks exploit vulnerabilities.
• Lab: Simulate a DDoS scenario in Packet Tracer and observe its impact.

Day 3: Firewall Configuration

• Study how firewalls filter traffic and protect networks.
• Lab: Configure a simple ACL-based firewall to block external access to an internal server.

Day 4: Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS)

• Understand how IPS detects and prevents malicious traffic in real-time.
• Lab: Simulate an IPS system in a network and observe its actions.

Day 5: Review and Quiz

• Summarize security concepts and commands.
• Quiz: Solve 10 security-related questions, including attack mitigations.
• Lab: Build a secure network with SSH, firewalls, and IPS applied.

Day 6–7: Weekend Lab Focus

• Create a network with firewalls, IPS, and multiple devices.
• Test scenarios involving unauthorized access and DDoS mitigation.
• Use Packet Tracer or GNS3 for realistic simulations.

Week 10: Automation and Programmability

Goal: Understand SDN, network automation tools (e.g., Ansible, Python), and REST APIs.
Focus Areas:

1. Software-Defined Networking (SDN): Concepts and benefits.
2. Network automation tools: Ansible and Python scripting.
3. REST APIs for network management.

Daily Plan:

Day 1: SDN Concepts

• Study how SDN separates the control plane from the data plane.
• Learn about the benefits of SDN (centralized management, scalability, programmability).
• Understand the role of SDN controllers (e.g., Cisco APIC).
• Lab: Explore an SDN architecture diagram and map its components to a traditional network setup.

Day 2: Introduction to Network Automation

• Learn about Ansible as an agentless automation tool.
• Study YAML playbooks and their structure.
• Lab: Write a basic Ansible playbook to configure a VLAN on a Cisco switch.

Day 3: Python Scripting for Network Automation

• Study how Python is used to automate network tasks.
• Learn about libraries like Netmiko and Paramiko for SSH-based automation.
• Lab: Write a Python script using Netmiko to retrieve the routing table from a Cisco router.

Day 4: REST APIs for Network Management

• Study the fundamentals of REST APIs (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE methods).
• Understand how REST APIs are used to interact with network devices programmatically.
• Lab: Use Postman to send a GET request to retrieve interface details from a REST API-enabled device.

Day 5: Review and Practice

• Summarize SDN, Ansible, Python scripting, and REST APIs in your notes.
• Quiz: Solve 10 scenarios involving automation tools and API-based tasks.
• Lab: Combine Ansible and REST API calls in a single scenario to configure a device and retrieve its status.

Day 6–7: Weekend Lab Focus

• Build a network and automate its configuration using Python and Ansible.
• Test REST API interactions with network devices.
• Practice troubleshooting issues in your automation scripts.

Week 11: Review and Hands-On Labs

Goal: Consolidate knowledge through topic reviews and extensive hands-on labs.
Focus Areas:

1. Review all CCNA topics.
2. Practice key configurations and troubleshooting.
3. Test your knowledge with mini-scenarios.

Daily Plan:

Day 1: Review Networking Fundamentals

• Summarize the OSI/TCP-IP models, IPv4/IPv6 addressing, and subnetting.
• Lab: Configure subnets and test inter-subnet communication on a multi-router network.

Day 2: Review Network Access

• Summarize VLANs, trunking, and wireless concepts.
• Lab: Configure VLANs and test inter-VLAN routing using Router-on-a-Stick.

Day 3: Review IP Connectivity

• Summarize static and dynamic routing protocols (RIP, OSPF, EIGRP).
• Lab: Build a 3-router network with OSPF configured and verify routing paths.

Day 4: Review IP Services

• Summarize DHCP, NAT, ACLs, and QoS.
• Lab: Configure DHCP, NAT, and QoS policies in a single network scenario.

Day 5: Review Security Fundamentals

• Summarize device security configurations, common attacks, and mitigations.
• Lab: Secure a network with SSH, firewalls, and disabled ports.

Day 6–7: Weekend Lab Focus

• Build an end-to-end network in Packet Tracer:
  • Include VLANs, routing, DHCP, NAT, ACLs, and QoS.
  • Test security configurations and troubleshoot common issues.
• Test knowledge by explaining the purpose of each configuration step.

Week 12: Practice Exams and Final Preparation

Goal: Simulate the CCNA exam environment, identify weak areas, and address them.
Focus Areas:

1. Complete full-length practice exams.
2. Focus on weak areas identified during practice tests.
3. Build confidence for the actual exam.

Daily Plan:

Day 1: Take a Practice Exam

• Attempt a full-length CCNA practice exam under timed conditions.
• Analyze incorrect answers and identify weak areas.
• Review corresponding topics in detail.

Day 2: Address Weak Areas

• Focus on weak areas identified from the practice exam:
  • Study relevant theory.
  • Practice related configurations and troubleshooting.

Day 3: Mini Scenarios

• Solve 5–10 mini scenarios covering all CCNA topics:
  • Example: Configure a network with specific VLANs and enable OSPF for routing.
• Troubleshoot common issues (e.g., misconfigured ACLs, routing loops).

Day 4: Second Practice Exam

• Attempt another full-length practice exam.
• Focus on improving speed and accuracy.
• Analyze mistakes and revisit weak areas.

Day 5: Final Topic Review

• Create a concise summary sheet of key concepts (e.g., OSPF metrics, ACL configurations).
• Review frequently missed questions and scenarios.

Day 6–7: Simulation and Relaxation

• Build confidence by reviewing key labs and concepts.
• Simulate the exam environment with a timed final practice test.
• Spend the last day relaxing and revising light topics to stay stress-free.