CompTIA Network+ Command List
The "given a scenario, use the appropriate tool" objective is pure command recall. Here's every CLI utility on the Network+, what it does, and the Windows vs Linux equivalents.
Updated October 2026 · ~7 min read
Connectivity & path
| Tool | What it does |
|---|
| ping | Tests reachability and round-trip time to a host (ICMP echo). |
| tracert (Win) / traceroute (Linux/mac) | Shows each hop along the path to a destination. |
| pathping (Win) / mtr (Linux) | Combines ping + traceroute to show per-hop loss over time. |
IP configuration
| Tool | What it does |
|---|
| ipconfig (Win) | Shows IP, mask, gateway. ipconfig /all adds DNS/MAC/DHCP; /release + /renew cycle a DHCP lease; /flushdns clears the resolver cache. |
| ifconfig / ip (Linux/mac) | ip address (or legacy ifconfig) shows interface addresses; ip route shows the routing table. |
| hostname | Shows or sets the device's name. |
DNS
| Tool | What it does |
|---|
| nslookup | Queries DNS to resolve a name to an IP (or vice-versa). Works on Windows and Linux. |
| dig | Detailed DNS lookups (records, authoritative servers). Standard on Linux/mac. |
Sockets, ARP & routing
| Tool | What it does |
|---|
| netstat (Win/Linux) / ss (Linux) | Lists active connections and listening ports. netstat -an / ss -tuln. |
| arp -a | Shows the ARP cache (IP-to-MAC mappings). |
| route print (Win) / ip route (Linux) | Displays the local routing table. |
| getmac (Win) / ip link (Linux) | Shows interface MAC addresses. |
Port & scanning tools
| Tool | What it does |
|---|
| nmap | Scans hosts for open ports and services — the main network scanner. |
| Test-NetConnection (PowerShell) | Tests whether a specific TCP port is reachable: Test-NetConnection host -Port 443. |
| telnet / nc (netcat) | Quick manual check that a port is open and talking. |
| tcpdump / Wireshark | Capture and analyze packets on the wire. |
Windows ↔ Linux quick map
| Windows | Linux / mac |
|---|
| ipconfig | ip address / ifconfig |
| tracert | traceroute |
| pathping | mtr |
| route print | ip route |
| getmac | ip link |
Memorize the whole command set
CLI Recall's Network+ track drills every one of these tools and its flags, with troubleshooting scenarios that make you pick the right command for the problem.
Start the Network+ track free
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