The hardest part of my exam was the performance based questions (PBQs). These appear right at the start and test real-world scenarios. My first PBQ asked me to configure a switch so that HTTP traffic was allowed but FTP was blocked.
Without practice, I would have panicked. But Tech+ practice tests included PBQ-style simulations that looked and felt similar. I already knew FTP = port 21, so I set the firewall rule correctly.
Other PBQs included:
- Troubleshooting a device that wouldn’t connect to Wi-Fi.
- Setting user permissions in a database.
- Arranging troubleshooting steps in order.
My advice:
- Expect PBQs to take longer than multiple choice.
- Don’t get stuck, move on and return later.
- Practice with real PBQ-style questions ahead of time.
Getting those right gave me a huge confidence boost early in the exam.