Skills you need to be a network administrator
8 skills a hiring manager would actually test for, each with the level this role expects and what it is used for. Not a syllabus — the shape of the job.
Build my path to this roleUpskili checks what you can already do, then sequences only what is missing. No account needed.
What the role requires
Ordered by how much the job depends on it. The bar is the proficiency expected of a competent network administrator — not mastery, and not a passing acquaintance.
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Network troubleshooting
Essential
Diagnoses and resolves connectivity, latency, and packet loss issues across LAN/WAN.
Deep -
Firewall configuration (e.g., Palo Alto, Fortinet)
Essential
Creates and maintains access control rules to secure network perimeters.
Strong -
Routing and switching (e.g., Cisco IOS, BGP, OSPF)
Essential
Configures and optimizes core routing protocols and VLANs for traffic flow.
Strong -
Network monitoring (e.g., SolarWinds, PRTG)
Important
Proactively identifies performance degradation and capacity issues.
Strong -
VPN and remote access (e.g., IPsec, SSL VPN)
Important
Sets up and troubleshoots secure tunnels for hybrid workforce connectivity.
Strong -
Network documentation (e.g., Visio, NetBox)
Important
Maintains accurate topology diagrams and IP address management records.
Strong -
Wireless networking (e.g., Wi-Fi 6, controller-based APs)
Useful
Deploys and tunes access points for coverage and client roaming.
Working -
Scripting (e.g., Python, Bash)
Useful
Automates repetitive tasks like config backups and bulk changes.
Working
An order worth learning it in
A list of ten skills is the same unhelpful answer a catalogue gives, just sorted. This is where to actually start.
Start here
Essential to the role, and reachable from a standing start. Everything below rests on these.
- Network monitoring (e.g., SolarWinds, PRTG)
- VPN and remote access (e.g., IPsec, SSL VPN)
- Network documentation (e.g., Visio, NetBox)
Then this
The rest of what the role is assessed on. Harder, and it builds on the foundation above.
- Network troubleshooting
- Firewall configuration (e.g., Palo Alto, Fortinet)
- Routing and switching (e.g., Cisco IOS, BGP, OSPF)
What sets you apart
Not what gets you hired, but what separates doing the job from being trusted with it.
- Wireless networking (e.g., Wi-Fi 6, controller-based APs)
- Scripting (e.g., Python, Bash)
You almost certainly have some of this already.
That is the point of starting from the role rather than a course. Upskili checks what you can do, then builds a path across only the gap.
See my path to network administrator