Why IT Certification Candidates Need to Understand Network Ports, Not Just Memorize Them

In a recent LinkedIn post, Chirag Goswami discusses how understanding network protocols and ports can help candidates prepare for CompTIA certifications and build practical networking knowledge. His post maps examples across A+, Network+ and Security+, and emphasizes learning why services are used, how they may be exploited and how to secure them. This article covers Goswami’s LinkedIn post; it is not written by him.

“Don’t just memorize — understand when and why these ports are used, how they’re exploited, and how to secure them.”

Connecting port numbers to practical use

Goswami’s central point is that knowing a number in isolation is less useful than understanding the service associated with it. He cites DNS on port 53, HTTP on 80, SFTP on 22 and LDAPS on 636 as examples of protocols with roles in networking, security and system operations. According to Goswami, learners should connect these details to the situations in which the protocols operate.

That approach also gives port study a security dimension. Goswami asks readers to consider how services can be exploited and secured, linking foundational networking knowledge with defensive thinking. The post does not detail particular vulnerabilities or security procedures; instead, it urges learners to treat those questions as part of studying each protocol.

How the CompTIA levels build on one another

Goswami organizes his examples around three certification tracks. He associates A+ with foundational protocols such as DHCP, FTP, IMAP and RDP. Network+, in his outline, broadens the scope to communication and control protocols including NTP, SIP and TFTP. Security+ brings encrypted services and security-related examples such as FTPS, SNMPv3 and SRTP into focus.

“A+ focuses on foundational protocols like DHCP, FTP, IMAP, and RDP.”

This progression frames protocol knowledge as a layered subject: candidates begin with common services, then encounter a wider range of network functions and security considerations. Goswami’s short overview is a study guide rather than a comprehensive syllabus, but its structure helps readers see how port knowledge can recur across different certification topics.

From recognition to reasoning

For exam preparation, memorization can help with recall, but Goswami’s advice is to go further. A learner who can explain what a protocol does and why it might need protection has a richer understanding than someone who can only match a name to a number. His post encourages candidates to use each port as a prompt for questions about purpose, context and risk.

Certification support as a next step

Goswami closes by pointing readers toward Cybernara’s expert-led certification support. That recommendation sits alongside his broader message: preparation should pair factual familiarity with an understanding of how protocols function. The LinkedIn post offers a concise framework for reviewing ports across A+, Network+ and Security+, while leaving learners to deepen the examples through further study.