6 Free Network Certifications and Courses to Take in 2023

Are you looking to pursue a career as Network Administrator or Network Engineer? This is going to be an extremely helpful guide for you because we are going to share a number of free Network certification and courses.

Network Administration is one of the core fields of Information Technology. Thousands of Network Administrators are born each year worldwide. It’s an extremely diversified field and yet there is still huge demand for experts and specialists.

There are a number of certification tracks in the Networks field, CCNA, CCNP and CCIE being the most popular ones.

Here are the different specialization areas that you can excel in as an expert in Computer Networks:

  • Network Administration
  • Networks Security
  • Network Virtualization
  • Network Design and Planning

And then there are more sub-categories under these specialized areas. If you are new to this field, you should first learn the basics of Networking and then decide which path you want to pursue.

List of Free Network Certifications and Courses

Here’s a comprehensive list of the best Network certifications and courses you can take right now:

Charles Sturt University – Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) Short Course

IT Masters Free CCNA short course

IT Masters is one of the most recognized online training institute affiliated with Charles Sturt University. Luckily, they are also offering a dedicated Network course / certification track for students aspiring to become Network Administrators.

The course is very detailed and takes around 5 weeks to complete. Once you complete the training course you will be eligible for a free certificate.

Major topics include Basic Networking, IP Addressing, Routing, Security and Troubleshooting. It’s a complete hands-on course which every Networking student should take.

Enroll Now

Coursera – Cisco Networking Basics Specialization

Free Coursera Cisco networking course

Coursera is one of the biggest online Education providers. They have a great free course on the Basic concepts of Networking. In this course, you will learn to build small scale home based networks with limited devices and configuration.

In the course you will also learn how to use Network simulation tools like Packet Tracer. It gives you the benefit of implementing and practicing in an almost realistic environment on your PC.

The course has great feedback rating and the instructor has delivered the lectures with clarity and understanding.

The certificate does not come free. However, you can easily apply for a free certificate by applying for financial aid.

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Fortinet – Network Security Associate

Fortinet Free Network Security Certification

Fortinet is one of the leading Network security products provider all over the world. Its experts are always high in demand in small and large corporations for securing their Network infrastructures.

Recently Fortinet has rolled out their Free Network Security certification program that offers you the opportunity to learn and get certified up to Associate level.

All you need to do is to create your account as a “Public” member and start learning.

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PerScholas – Network Support Courses and Certifications

PerScholas Free Network Support Course

This certification course track is probably the most valuable of all courses we have shared. Reason being that this extensive free course prepares you for multiple Internationally recognized certifications including Google IT Support Professional Certificate, CompTIA A+ and Net+.

It’s a full-time course which goes on for 15 days straight. No prior experience is needed to enroll for this course. Applications are accepted throughout the year.

Once the course is completed, Per Scholas sponsors all the exams for the Google and CompTIA certifcations. You don’t have to pay a single penny.

The only catch is you are only eligible to apply for this course if you’re authorized to work in the U.S.

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Open.edu – Network Security Course

Open edu Network Security course

Open.edu is a Global Open University that allows access to all people from all countries without any discrimination. They have excellent courses belonging to almost all study areas.

Open.edu has a dedicated course track for Network Security which takes approximately 25 hours of study time. It’s an advanced course that requires you to have Intermediate knowledge on Networking. You will learn about the Threat spectrum, Encryption algorithms, Access control and Authentication mechanisms.

Upon completion of the course, you will get a Free statement of participation or a Digital badge depending on availability.

Enroll now

Saylor.org – Computer Communications and Networks

Saylor.org is a global non-profit initiative launched in 2008. Their mission is to educate as many students as possible with free online courses.

If you are a Computer Science student, you can enroll in their CS402: Computer Communications and Networks course for free. In this course you will learn about Networking fundamentals and most importantly, the OSI Layer.

The course duration is 60 hours and you will get a free certificate of completion when it’s complete.

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BONUS Course:

Cisco Networking Academy – Networking Essentials

Cisco has a dedicated Networking academy that teaches you basic and advanced skills in Networking. The “Networking Essentials” course takes you from the basics of computer networks to advanced network troubleshooting and mitigating threats. The course will also teach you how to use the Cisco Packet Tracer app. The course length is 70 hours and is free to take.

Enroll Now

These free courses will definitely give you a jump-start in your Networking career. The best approach would be to start with the basic introductory courses and moving on to the advanced ones. Meanwhile, here are some Free online courses and certifications for other fields.

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About the Author: Umair

A self-learned Javascript developer specializing in Frontend and Backend frameworks including React.js, Redux, Node.js, Express, MongoDB. He has extensive industry experience as a Tech Support lead and System Administrator. Currently learning Web3, (Solidity, Hardhat, Ethers.js) Smart contracts development, testing and auditing.

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