TotalSims: Hands-On Performance-Based Simulation Labs for CompTIA A+, Network+ & Security+

TotalSims FAQs

What is TotalSims?

TotalSims is interactive simulation software built to prepare you for the performance-based questions on CompTIA exams. Instead of asking you to pick an answer, it puts you in a working environment and asks you to complete the task; configure the setting, run the command, identify the fault.

What are performance-based questions?

CompTIA exams mix multiple-choice questions with performance-based ones, where the exam launches a simulated environment and asks you to actually do something. They carry more weight than a single multiple-choice question and they are where most candidates lose marks, because reading about a task is not the same as performing it.

Which certifications is TotalSims available for?

CompTIA A+, Network+ and Security+.

What are Show!, Click!, Type! and Challenge!?

Four kinds of exercise. Show! gives you guided demonstrations of Windows, applications and router firmware in short episodes. Click! tests you on the Windows graphical interface, setting real configuration tasks with an onscreen guide. Type! puts you at the command line to solve networking problems the way the exam asks. Challenge! mimics the exam’s performance-based questions directly, in a graphical exam environment, covering wiring schemes, troubleshooting and more.

How much does TotalSims cost?

CompTIA A+ TotalSims is $69. Network+ and Security+ are $75 each. All three are also available in bundles with TotalTester, the All-in-One eBook and TotalVideo, which cost less than buying the products separately.

How many simulations do I get?

The A+ product contains 296 hands-on simulation elements across 192 lab topics, spanning 30 chapters and both core exams. Network+ and Security+ are built the same way against their own exam objectives.

Can I try TotalSims before I buy?

Yes. Every certification has a free demo on the Total Seminars Training Hub, linked from the View Demo button beside each product above.

How long do I have access?

TotalSims on its own is a one-year subscription from the date of purchase. Buy it in a bundle that includes the All-in-One eBook and your license extends to three years.

Do I need TotalTester as well?

Most candidates use both. TotalTester is multiple-choice practice — it tells you whether you know the material. TotalSims is hands-on practice for the performance-based questions, it tells you whether you can do the job. CompTIA exams test both, which is why the two are usually bought together.

What do I need to run it?

A computer running Windows, macOS, Chrome OS or Linux, a browser, and a high-speed internet connection. Everything runs online through the Total Seminars Training Hub at hub.totalsem.com, there is nothing to install.