Blog
Field notes on CompTIA prep, study strategy, and what we are learning as the first cohorts come through. No daily posts, no hot takes for the sake of it. We post when there is something useful to say.
Cryptography and PKI: what Security+ actually tests
Crypto is the domain Security+ students dread most. Here is symmetric vs asymmetric encryption, hashing, signatures, and PKI in plain English, mapped to what SY0-701 actually tests.
IaaS vs PaaS vs SaaS: cloud models made simple
Cloud service models are the rare topic tested on all three CompTIA tracks. Here is who manages what in IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS, the analogy that makes it stick, and where each exam tests it.
Authentication vs authorization: IAM for Security+
Authentication proves who you are. Authorization decides what you can do. Here is the full IAM picture for Security+ SY0-701, from AAA to SSO, federation, and the five access-control models, taught as the job you will actually do.
Is CompTIA A+ worth it in 2026? Jobs and salary
The honest verdict on CompTIA A+ in 2026: sourced salary and outlook numbers, who the cert is not for, and why passing the exam is only half of getting hired.
Help desk interview questions, answered honestly
Help desk interviews test how you think and how you talk, not how much trivia you memorized. Here are the real tier-1 questions, with honest answer frameworks tied to the CompTIA A+ objectives you are already studying.
Which CompTIA cert should you take first?
A+, Network+, or Security+ first? The real prerequisites, who should skip A+ (and who should not), the DoD 8140 reason Security+ matters, and why "get all three" is not automatically right.
22 new help desk tickets, plus install Revy as an app
The Help Desk Simulator grew to 78 branching tickets across A+, Net+, and Sec+, and got deeper underneath. You can now install Revy to your home screen like a real app.
VLANs explained: why your company has 12 of them
802.1Q tagging, access vs trunk ports, native VLAN, inter-VLAN routing, and the real segmentation patterns the Network Plus exam tests.
Windows vs macOS vs Linux: the CompTIA A+ Core 2 OS landscape
Where each OS shows up on the exam, command equivalents, file systems, and the real-world use cases that decide which one ends up on the desk.
Risk management for beginners: SLE, ALE, ARO math made simple
SLE, ALE, and ARO are the two-formula core of CompTIA Security+ risk math. Here is how the math actually works, with a worked example you can use on the exam.
Network troubleshooting tools: right command for the symptom
Ping, tracert, nslookup, netstat, arp, ipconfig. Which symptom triggers which tool, with sample output and what to look for on the N10-009 exam.
Printer troubleshooting: the A+ domain most techs underestimate
Laser vs inkjet failure modes, spooler service fixes, paper jam mechanics, and why printers dominate help desk tickets long after the rest of the network is fine.
The seven incident response phases Security+ tests, in plain English
CompTIA Security+ lists a seven-step incident response process. Learn the order, see it in a ransomware timeline, and understand how current NIST guidance differs.
Wireless networking: what Net+ tests vs marketing buzzwords
Wi-Fi 6, Wi-Fi 6E, and Wi-Fi 7 explained for Network Plus. What the 802.11 standards actually deliver, 2.4 vs 5 vs 6 GHz tradeoffs, and the security pieces N10-009 tests.
Mobile device hardware: what CompTIA A+ Core 1 actually tests
Battery chemistry, screen tech, connectors, replacement workflows, and the gotchas that show up on Core 1 objectives 1.1 through 1.3.
MFA factor combinations: why 'two passwords' isn't MFA
Multi-factor authentication means two or more factors from different categories. Two passwords is single-factor twice. Here is what counts and why Security+ tests it.
Subnetting made simple: stop memorizing /27 equals 30 hosts
The block-counting method, the 2^n minus 2 rule, CIDR shorthand, and worked examples that survive exam pressure. Network Plus subnetting without the rote tables.
RAM compatibility 101: SODIMM vs DIMM, DDR4 vs DDR5 on A+
Form factors, dual-channel rules, ECC vs non-ECC, mixing speeds, and the motherboard QVL gotchas that decide whether the upgrade actually boots.
The CIA triad: why every security decision comes back to 3 letters
Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability. The foundation of Security+. What each leg protects, real breach examples, and how SY0-701 tests it.
What CompTIA A+ actually costs in 2026
About $548 in exam fees for two exams. All-in with materials and the first renewal, plan on $775 to $1,325 passing first try, or $1,050 to $1,600 with one retake. Plus at least 120 hours of study.
What CompTIA Network+ actually costs in 2026
About $399 for the single N10-009 exam. All-in with materials and the first renewal, plan on $700 to $1,150 passing first try, or $1,100 to $1,550 with one retake. Plan for 60 to 90 hours of study.
What CompTIA Security+ actually costs in 2026
About $439 for the SY0-701 exam. All-in with materials and the first renewal, plan on $750 to $1,200 passing first try, or $1,200 to $1,650 with one retake. Plan for 80 to 120 hours of study.
The OSI model without the jargon: a layer-by-layer walkthrough
Seven layers, plain English, real packet flow. What lives where, what breaks where, and how to answer N10-009 OSI questions without memorizing the mnemonic.
The 6-step A+ troubleshooting methodology CompTIA does not test
The CompTIA A+ troubleshooting methodology in plain English. Six steps, why CompTIA leaves it off the exam, and why help desks and interviewers still build around it.
Revy's Tech Journey is live: real hands-on tickets for CompTIA Net+
Thirteen Net+ Sim tickets are now real hands-on work across eight network consoles. Real switch config, packet captures, terminal sessions, and per-checkpoint grading.
Zero Trust demystified: what SY0-701 actually tests
Control plane vs data plane, PEP/PDP/PIP/PAP roles, implicit trust zones, and adaptive identity. The plain-English version of the Security+ Zero Trust objective.
CompTIA Security+ just joined the trinity on Revy's Tech Journey
Security+ (SY0-701) is live. 28 lessons, 500 Q-bank items, 1,141 Adventure scenes, a SOC simulator, 24 PBQs, 800 flashcards. The third cert in the trinity.
DDR3 vs DDR4 vs DDR5 on A+: learn the pattern, not the trivia
How to read DDR generations on the A+ Core 1 exam without memorizing speed tables. The pattern stays the same. The numbers do not.
How to read a CompTIA A+ practice score honestly
What an RTJ practice result and Mastery Index can show, why evidence quality matters, and what neither can predict.
- September 14, 2026Sec+Social engineering attacks: the human side of Security+
- September 14, 2026Net+Ports and protocols: the Network+ list worth memorizing