CompTIA A+ Core 1 (220-1201) Syllabus — Objectives by Domain

Use this syllabus as your source of truth for 220-1201. Work through each domain in order and drill targeted sets after every section.

What’s covered

• Mobile Devices (13%)
• Networking (23%)
• Hardware (25%)
• Virtualization and Cloud Computing (11%)
• Hardware and Network Troubleshooting (28%)

Mobile Devices (13%)

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Device Types, Use Cases & Features

• Differentiate smartphones, tablets, laptops, wearables, and rugged devices by capabilities and field use cases.
• Identify mobile sensors (accelerometer, gyroscope, GPS, proximity, ambient light) and their troubleshooting implications.
• Compare SoC architectures vs modular laptop designs and serviceability trade-offs.
• Recommend accessories (docks, pens, rugged cases, keyboards) for roles (field tech, exec, student).
• Select storage types (eMMC/UFS/NVMe) and capacities for performance vs cost and durability.

Displays, Input & Cameras

• Compare LCD, OLED, and mini-LED characteristics (backlight, burn-in, brightness, power).
• Explain refresh rate, pixel density, and color gamut impacts on UX and battery.
• Describe touch technologies (capacitive, resistive) and digitizer/glass relationships.
• Diagnose display faults (dead pixels, ghost touch, color shift, no backlight) and basic fixes.
• Identify camera/speaker/microphone modules and common failure symptoms.

Power, Batteries & Thermal

• Identify Li-ion battery characteristics, cycle life, charge behavior, and swollen-cell safety.
• Differentiate user-replaceable vs sealed batteries and safe service procedures.
• Explain thermal throttling and apply mitigation (airflow, case removal, workload).
• Select chargers/adapters based on voltage/amp/watt ratings and USB Power Delivery basics.
• Follow ESD and adhesive/bonded-component best practices during repairs.

Connectivity, SIM/eSIM, Tethering & MDM

• Configure Bluetooth pairing (A2DP/HID) and NFC tap-to-pair for accessories.
• Set up mobile hotspot/tethering; compare USB vs Wi‑Fi vs Bluetooth methods and security.
• Activate and troubleshoot eSIM profiles vs physical SIM; recognize carrier-lock symptoms.
• Describe MDM enrollment, policy enforcement, and managed app deployment basics.
• Compare RF impacts (2.4/5/6 GHz) on throughput and battery; use per-radio toggles and airplane mode.

Ports, Cables, External Displays & Peripherals

• Identify USB-C/Lightning/micro-USB and audio jack variations with power/data capabilities.
• Use USB-C DisplayPort Alt Mode, HDMI/DP adapters, and docking stations for external displays.
• Select protective accessories and storage media (microSD variants) for environment/performance.
• Outline mobile data backup/sync strategies (local cable, vendor cloud, MDM-aware).
• Recognize accessory issues (cable wear, PD negotiation, incompatible hubs/adapters).

Networking (23%)

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Network Fundamentals & Topologies

• Differentiate LAN, WAN, MAN, PAN, and SAN; client–server vs peer-to-peer.
• Describe common topologies (star, mesh, bus, hybrid) and failure domains.
• Explain bandwidth, latency, throughput, and goodput with simple examples.
• Identify routers, switches, APs, modems, and firewalls and when each is used.
• Map OSI layers to everyday troubleshooting cues and tools.

IP Addressing, Ports & Core Services

• Contrast IPv4 vs IPv6 addressing, masks/prefixes, and private ranges.
• Explain DHCP scopes, reservations, and exclusions; default gateway behavior.
• Use DNS fundamentals and hosts file basics; recognize name‑resolution failures.
• Interpret NAT/PAT; identify common ports/services (80/443/22/53/3389/445, etc.).
• Differentiate TCP vs UDP and reliability vs speed trade-offs.

Cabling & Physical Media

• Select twisted-pair categories (Cat5e/Cat6/Cat6a) for speed and distance; plenum vs PVC.
• Differentiate fiber types (SMF/MMF) and connectors (LC/SC/ST).
• Identify coax types (RG‑6/RG‑59) and typical broadband uses.
• Apply proper pinouts (T568A/T568B) and straight‑through vs crossover where relevant.
• Use crimpers, punch‑down tools, cable testers, and tone probes safely.

Wireless Standards, 6E Planning & Security

• Compare 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax capabilities and channel widths.
• Plan AP placement and channel selection to reduce interference and overlap (2.4/5/6 GHz).
• Explain antenna types (omni/directional) and gain trade-offs.
• Differentiate WPA2‑PSK vs WPA3‑SAE/Enterprise at a practical level.
• Recognize captive portals and guest/VLAN segmentation patterns in SOHO/SMB.

SOHO Routing, Services & Time Sync

• Configure SOHO routers (LAN/WAN, DHCP, DNS forwarding, NAT).
• Set up port forwarding, UPnP considerations, and QoS priorities for voice/video.
• Use NTP for time synchronization; understand impact on auth/log correlation.
• Integrate IoT (Wi‑Fi, Zigbee, Z‑Wave, BLE) with isolation/guest VLANs.
• Backup/restore router configs and apply firmware updates safely.

Monitoring & CLI Tools

• Interpret link lights, NIC status, and AP signal metrics.
• Use ping, ipconfig/ifconfig, arp, tracert/traceroute, nslookup/dig, and netstat.
• Leverage Wi‑Fi analyzers for channel overlap and RSSI/SNR.
• Read basic logs (router syslog, DHCP leases) to isolate issues.
• Document findings and escalate with clear evidence.

Hardware (25%)

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Motherboards, CPUs & Memory

• Identify form factors (ATX, microATX, Mini‑ITX) and chipset functions.
• Differentiate sockets, core/thread counts, and virtualization support (VT‑x/AMD‑V).
• Select RAM types (DDR4/DDR5, DIMM vs SO‑DIMM, ECC vs non‑ECC) and channels.
• Interpret POST indicators (beeps/LED codes) and typical CPU/RAM faults.
• Apply ESD precautions and perform BIOS/UEFI updates; monitor BIOS temperatures.

Storage, Interfaces & RAID

• Compare HDD vs SSD characteristics and failure symptoms.
• Identify SATA, NVMe (M.2 B/M/M+B) and PCIe lane considerations.
• Select RAID levels (0/1/5/10) for performance vs redundancy; recognize missing array/alarms.
• Plan partitions (GPT/MBR) and boot‑order considerations.
• Cable and power storage devices with proper connectors and airflow.

Power, Cooling & Cases

• Choose PSUs by wattage, rails, and 80 PLUS efficiency ratings.
• Map PSU connectors (24‑pin ATX, EPS 8‑pin, PCIe 6/8‑pin, SATA/Molex).
• Apply cooling methods (airflow design, heat pipes, liquid AIO) and thermal paste application.
• Diagnose power faults (no POST, random reboots, noise/odor) safely.
• Design cable management for airflow and serviceability.

Peripherals, I/O & Display Interfaces

• Identify USB versions (2.0/3.x/4), connectors (Type‑A/B/C, micro) and USB PD basics.
• Compare video interfaces (HDMI/DP/DVI/VGA) and adapter limitations.
• Use USB‑C video/Alt Mode for external displays; select proper adapters and cables.
• Install/configure input devices (keyboards/mice, webcams, card readers) and audio (analog, S/PDIF).
• Set up expansion cards (GPU, NIC, USB, capture) with driver/slot considerations.

Printing & Multifunction Devices

• Differentiate laser, inkjet, thermal, impact, and 3D printers; identify consumables.
• Perform routine maintenance and calibration; recognize printer firmware update cases.
• Configure print sharing (USB/network) and driver/queue basics.
• Diagnose defects (streaks, ghosting, faded output, jams) and maintenance resets.
• Handle multipart impact paper and apply fuser/roller safety.

Workstations & Small Form Factors

• Design builds for gaming, CAD/CAM, virtualization hosts, and NAS use cases.
• Balance CPU, GPU, RAM, storage, and cooling to workload constraints.
• Select SFF components and external expansion strategies (eGPU, docks).
• Plan redundancy (RAID, UPS) for critical systems.
• Document build specs, firmware levels, and stress‑test results.

Virtualization and Cloud Computing (11%)

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Virtualization Fundamentals

• Differentiate type‑1 vs type‑2 hypervisors; host vs guest roles.
• Identify CPU virtualization support and memory considerations.
• Explain VM files (virtual disks, snapshots) and storage impact.
• Describe virtual switches and NAT vs bridged vs host‑only networking.
• Plan resource reservations/limits to prevent contention.

Containers & Client Virtualization

• Differentiate containers vs VMs conceptually (isolation, overhead).
• Install a desktop hypervisor and create VMs with appropriate resources.
• Use snapshots/checkpoints and understand revert/merge implications.
• Move VMs between hosts via export/import; note passthrough constraints (USB/GPU).
• Outline basic container runtime considerations for support technicians.

Cloud Concepts & Service Models

• Differentiate IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS with practical end‑user examples.
• Explain public, private, hybrid, and community cloud traits.
• Describe on‑demand self‑service, rapid elasticity, and measured service.
• Contrast capex vs opex when shifting to cloud services.
• Identify shared‑responsibility mindsets at a high level.

Cloud Usage, Metering & End‑User Support

• Explain ingress/egress metering and cost implications at a support level.
• Troubleshoot basic cloud auth/connectivity (status pages, client vs browser modes).
• Set up cloud file sync/share; handle version conflicts and retention options.
• Describe VDI/DaaS considerations (latency, peripherals, printing).
• Outline user backup/restore expectations for common cloud apps.

Remote Access & Security Basics

• Connect clients to VPN endpoints conceptually; recognize split‑tunnel vs full‑tunnel implications.
• Identify MFA prompts and recovery options at a help‑desk level.
• Differentiate browser vs client app access patterns and offline modes.
• Use tenant/service status pages to distinguish provider vs local faults.
• Document tenant/app setting changes for rollback and audit.

Hardware and Network Troubleshooting (28%)

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Methodology, Safety & Documentation

• Apply a structured troubleshooting approach from identification to documentation.
• Use ESD precautions, proper tool selection, and device isolation.
• Create rollback plans and communicate impact before remediation.
• Record findings, root cause, and prevention steps in tickets/runbooks.
• Trend incidents to identify systemic issues and propose improvements.

PC Hardware: Power, CPU, RAM & Storage

• Diagnose no‑power, intermittent reboots, and POST codes (beeps/LED).
• Resolve overheating/throttling with cleaning, re‑seating, and thermal paste.
• Isolate RAM faults (swaps/slots, mem‑tests) and dual‑channel issues.
• Troubleshoot drives (SMART warnings, slow I/O, clicking) and cabling/power.
• Recover from boot failures (boot order, loose cables, bad devices).

Displays, Peripherals & Printing

• Fix no‑video, artifacts, incorrect resolution/refresh, scaling/distortion.
• Troubleshoot input devices (stuck keys, latency, pairing) and webcams/mics.
• Resolve printer defects (streaks, ghosting, faded output, jams).
• Clear frozen print queues and resolve tray‑not‑recognized errors.
• Address driver mismatch and permissions issues for network printing.

Wired & Wireless Connectivity

• Diagnose no/limited connectivity, IP conflicts, intermittent drops, and auth failures.
• Interpret link lights/NIC status; verify DHCP lease and gateway reachability.
• Resolve APIPA/LLA cases and DNS misconfigurations; use NTP for time sync issues.
• Mitigate Wi‑Fi issues (wrong SSID/security, interference, channel overlap, distance).
• Use tools (ping, ipconfig/ifconfig, tracert, nslookup, netstat, Wi‑Fi analyzer, loopback, tone probe, cable tester).

SOHO & ISP Edge Troubleshooting

• Restore router function via firmware updates, backups, and safe resets.
• Fix NAT/port‑forwarding and UPnP issues affecting services/games.
• Diagnose modem/signal problems (SNR, upstream/downstream levels) at a basic level.
• Stabilize IoT with 2.4 GHz usage, channel planning, DHCP reservations, and isolation.
• Escalate to ISP with clear evidence (signal levels, logs, time windows).

RAID, Storage & Data Issues

• Identify RAID array missing/alarms and take first‑response steps.
• Address degraded arrays and rebuild basics; know when to stop and escalate.
• Recognize failing disk symptoms vs controller/cable faults.
• Triaging slow I/O and queue depth saturation on desktops/NAS.
• Document recovery attempts and data‑loss risks clearly.

Mobile Device Troubleshooting

• Address battery drain, swelling, and charging port wear with safe procedures.
• Fix display faults (black screen, ghost touch, flicker) via resets/cables/modules.
• Resolve Bluetooth/NFC pairing, hotspot/tethering, and SIM/eSIM activation issues.
• Triaging degraded performance, unable to install apps, and storage pressure on mobile OS.
• Recognize proprietary crash screens and correlate to likely faults.

Tip: After finishing a domain, take a 20–25 question drill focused on that domain, then revisit weak objectives before moving on.