- The 70% Line: What the Passing Score Actually Is
- What 70% Means Across 100 Questions
- How the Exam Is Delivered Through Mile2
- Where the Points Come From: The Ten Preparation Modules
- Attempts, the Exam Combo, and What Happens If You Fall Short
- Sequencing the Modules So You Clear 70%
- Passing Is Not the Same as Staying Certified
- Who Benefits From Clearing This Exam
- Frequently Asked Questions
- The Certified Network Principles exam requires a minimum passing score of 70%.
- The exam has 100 multiple-choice questions and runs approximately 2 hours.
- The Exam Combo includes two exam attempts; more paid access is needed after both are used.
- Credential validity is 3 years, separate from course and voucher access periods.
The 70% Line: What the Passing Score Actually Is
If you are preparing for Mile2's Certified Network Principles exam, the number that matters most is simple: 70%. That is the minimum passing score. There is no secondary threshold to memorize, no tiered pass level, and no published curve you need to decode. You reach the line or you do not.
That clarity is useful, but it can also be misleading. A clean percentage tells you where the finish line is, not how hard the course to it will be. For a realistic read on difficulty, pair this article with our breakdown in How Hard Is the C)NP Exam? Complete Difficulty Guide 2026, and for context on how candidates tend to perform, see C)NP Pass Rate 2026: What the Data Shows.
What 70% Means Across 100 Questions
The exam consists of 100 multiple-choice questions. With a 70% minimum, the arithmetic is straightforward: you need to answer roughly 70 questions correctly to meet the threshold. That leaves a margin of about 30 questions you can miss and still pass.
Two cautions on interpreting that margin:
- Do not assume a fixed per-question weight. Mile2 does not publish a statement that every item is scored identically, so treat the 70% figure as your target and aim comfortably above it rather than trying to land exactly on 70 correct answers.
- Do not assume the ten modules are tested equally. The domain list for this exam reproduces the official course modules as preparation scope. It is not a separately established weighted blueprint, so you cannot safely skip a module on the theory that it carries little weight.
The practical takeaway: aim to be scoring well above 70% on practice material before you sit the real exam. A buffer protects you against unfamiliar wording and the occasional question on a topic you studied lightly. Our C)NP practice tests are built for exactly that kind of buffer-building.
How the Exam Is Delivered Through Mile2
The examination is taken through your Mile2 account, using the Mile2 Learning Management System. Mile2's general FAQ describes its standard exams as online and on demand, and you should follow the exam-specific instructions that arrive with your purchase, since those govern the exact process for your attempt.
| Exam Detail | What to Know |
|---|---|
| Question count | 100 multiple-choice questions |
| Time allowed | Approximately 2 hours |
| Minimum passing score | 70% |
| Where it is taken | Through your Mile2 account / Learning Management System |
| Recommended background | C)HT / C)OST-level or equivalent hardware and operating-system knowledge |
| Course purchase required? | No |
| Credential validity | 3 years |
A few things stand out. First, roughly 2 hours for 100 questions gives you a little over a minute per item, which is comfortable for a multiple-choice format if you do not stall on any single question. Second, you do not have to buy the five-day course to sit the exam; the training is separate. If you want the full eligibility picture, read C)NP Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify. For scheduling mechanics, see C)NP Exam Dates 2026: Testing Windows, Deadlines & Scheduling.
Where the Points Come From: The Ten Preparation Modules
Because you need 70% across the whole exam, your real job is to avoid leaving any module badly underprepared. The ten official course modules define the preparation scope. Here is how to think about each one in terms of what a candidate should be able to do.
Domain 1: Introduction to Network Fundamentals
This is your vocabulary and conceptual foundation. Expect questions that assume you can distinguish common network types, topologies, and the roles of devices on a network.
- Core terminology and how components relate to each other
- Basic models for understanding how data moves between systems
- Why later modules build directly on these ideas
Domain 2: The Physical Networking Fundamentals
Hardware-level knowledge: the media, connectors, and physical layout that carry traffic. Candidates with a hardware background (the C)HT / C)OST-level baseline) tend to find this familiar.
- Cabling and media characteristics and their trade-offs
- Physical topologies and how devices are connected
- Recognizing the cause of a physical-layer problem
Domain 3: TCP/IP Primer
For many candidates this module does the heaviest lifting. Addressing, protocol behavior, and how hosts find each other underpin nearly every other topic.
- IP addressing and subnetting concepts
- Common protocols and what each one is responsible for
- Name resolution and how traffic gets directed
Domain 4: Connecting Networks with Switches and Routers
How separate networks and segments are joined and how traffic is forwarded between them.
- The different roles of switches and routers
- How forwarding decisions are made
- Segmenting and interconnecting networks
Domain 5: Wireless Networking
Wireless concepts, standards, and the practical differences from wired links, including the security implications of broadcasting over the air.
- How wireless networks are structured and deployed
- Common wireless considerations such as range, interference, and access
- Why wireless raises distinct security concerns
Domain 6: Security Principles
The foundational security ideas that frame the rest of the exam: what you are protecting, from whom, and why.
- Core security concepts and common threat categories
- The reasoning behind protective controls
- How security thinking applies across the earlier modules
Domain 7: Defending the Network
The applied counterpart to Domain 6, covering the measures used to harden and monitor a network.
- Defensive technologies and where they are placed
- Layered protection and why it matters
- Recognizing and responding to common attack patterns
Domain 8: Network Technology Boom
Newer and evolving technologies that have changed how networks are built and used. Read this module for the big picture of what modern networks look like.
- Emerging trends and how they affect network design
- Where newer technologies connect to the fundamentals
Domain 9: Day to Day Networking
The operational side: how networks are used, monitored, and maintained in real environments, including troubleshooting habits.
- Routine administration and maintenance tasks
- Diagnosing common problems methodically
- The practical workflow of someone supporting a network
Domain 10: Network Planning
Bringing everything together: assessing requirements and designing a network that meets them.
- Translating needs into a network design
- Considering growth, reliability, and security together
For a deeper walkthrough of each area, see C)NP Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 10 Content Areas.
Attempts, the Exam Combo, and What Happens If You Fall Short
The passing score becomes more than a number once you factor in how attempts work. The Exam Combo bundles the certification exam, a preparation guide, a practice quiz or simulator, and two exam attempts. That second attempt is a genuine safety net, but it is a finite one: after both attempts are used, further paid access is needed.
This shapes strategy in a concrete way:
- Treat attempt one as a real attempt, not a trial run. Because your attempts are limited, walking in unprepared to "see what it's like" spends half your allotment.
- Use the included practice quiz or simulator seriously. It is part of what you paid for, and it is your closest preview of the question style.
- Use a miss as diagnostic data. If you do not reach 70% the first time, the productive response is to identify which modules cost you points before scheduling the second attempt.
For the full pricing picture and what each purchase option includes, read C)NP Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown.
Sequencing the Modules So You Clear 70%
You do not need a generic study system here; you need a sensible order. The modules build on each other, so sequence them that way. A timeline like the one below front-loads the concepts everything else depends on and saves the integrative modules for last.
Foundations and Physical Layer
- Domain 1: Introduction to Network Fundamentals
- Domain 2: The Physical Networking Fundamentals
- Build a personal glossary as you go
TCP/IP and Interconnection
- Domain 3: TCP/IP Primer (give this extra time)
- Domain 4: Connecting Networks with Switches and Routers
Wireless and Security
- Domain 5: Wireless Networking
- Domain 6: Security Principles
- Domain 7: Defending the Network
Applied Topics and Review
- Domain 8: Network Technology Boom
- Domain 9: Day to Day Networking
- Domain 10: Network Planning
- Timed full-length practice runs
The reasoning is specific to this exam: TCP/IP in Week 2 gives you the framework that makes the switching, wireless, and security material easier to absorb afterward, and the planning module in Week 4 rewards candidates who already understand the pieces it asks you to combine. For a longer plan with resource suggestions, see the C)NP Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt, and keep the C)NP Cheat Sheet 2026: One-Page Review of Must-Know Facts handy for final review.
Key Takeaway
Run at least one timed, 100-question practice session before test day. Roughly 2 hours is not tight for this format, but practicing at full length shows you whether your pacing holds up and which modules still cost you points. Our C)NP practice exams are designed for this.
Passing Is Not the Same as Staying Certified
Reaching 70% earns the credential, but it does not make the credential permanent. Certified Network Principles is valid for 3 years, and that validity period is separate from any course or voucher access window you may have. Do not confuse the two: an expired voucher and an expired credential are different things.
When it comes time to renew, the current renewal paths offer two routes:
- The CEU route: 60 documented qualifying CEUs earned within the 3-year cycle, along with the applicable renewal fee.
- The examination route: an accepted current-examination option.
In both cases, a policy and ethics acknowledgment applies. The U.S. CE-renewal fee is $200. Because policies get updated, rely on Mile2's current renewal-path policy rather than assuming an exam and CEUs must both be completed. The five-day training and its 40 course CEUs are separate from the exam itself, so they are not something you earn by passing.
If you are weighing whether the whole investment of passing and then maintaining the credential pays off, see Is the C)NP Certification Worth It? Complete ROI Analysis 2026.
Who Benefits From Clearing This Exam
Certified Network Principles is a foundational networking credential, so it fits people who are building or formalizing a base of networking knowledge: those moving into help desk, junior systems or network support, or IT roles that touch network infrastructure, and those who already have hardware and operating-system skills and want to add structured networking knowledge. The recommended C)HT / C)OST-level (or equivalent) background reflects that it sits as a step in a progression, not as an advanced specialty.
A note on overlap with other programs: some candidates notice that the subject matter resembles what a Network+ candidate studies. Preparation overlap is just that. Studying similar topics does not give you CompTIA certification, and it does not establish equivalence to CompTIA's current objectives. If you are mapping credentials to roles, see C)NP Jobs and the C)NP Salary Guide 2026: Complete Earnings Analysis for how to think about earning potential without leaning on made-up numbers.
For readers still deciding whether this is the right credential, What Is C)NP? and C)NP Training cover the program and its learning options in more detail.
Frequently Asked Questions
The minimum passing score for the Certified Network Principles exam is 70%. With 100 multiple-choice questions, that works out to roughly 70 correct answers, though you should aim well above that to build a safety margin.
The exam has 100 multiple-choice questions and takes approximately 2 hours. It is taken through your Mile2 account and Learning Management System, following the exam-specific instructions supplied with your purchase.
No. Course purchase is not required. The five-day training and its 40 course CEUs are separate from the exam. Recommended preparation is C)HT / C)OST-level or equivalent hardware and operating-system knowledge.
The Exam Combo includes two exam attempts, so you have a second chance. After both attempts are used, further paid access is required. Use your first result to find weak modules before retaking.
The credential is valid for 3 years, which is separate from course and voucher access periods. Renewal offers a documented-CEU path (60 qualifying CEUs within the cycle plus the applicable fee, with a $200 U.S. CE-renewal fee) or an accepted current-examination route, along with a policy and ethics acknowledgment.
Reaching the 70% line comes down to covering all ten modules, practicing at full length, and respecting that your attempts are limited. When you are ready to test your readiness, head to the C)NP practice test and see how you stack up against the threshold.