29 and starting from scratch — looking for a roadmap into networking and cybersecurity/ethical hacking

Posted by ParticularStomak@reddit | learnprogramming | View on Reddit | 7 comments

Hi everyone,

I am 29 and making a pivot into the world of Networking and Cybersecurity. I’m currently a total beginner. I am comfortable with computers in general, but I have no formal experience in IT or programming.

I’m planning to pursue a Master’s degree in Networking/Cybersecurity eventually, but before I get there, I want to build a solid technical foundation.

A few things I'd love some guidance on:

- What core skills should I be building first? (Networking fundamentals, Linux, programming languages, etc.)

- Are there any certifications worth pursuing early on — like CompTIA Network+, Security+, or CEH?

- Any resources — courses, platforms that you'd recommend for a total beginner?

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humanguise@reddit

Try these.

https://allendowney.github.io/ThinkPython/
How Linux Works.
Computer Networking: A Top-Down Perspective.

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Separate_Top_5322@reddit

honestly posts like this always feel heavier than they need to be. starting at 29 isn’t the issue at all, tons of people in similar threads switched in their 30s or even later and did fine

the real problem is trying to find the “perfect path” before starting. most advice ends up being the same, pick something simple like web dev or python and just start building small stuff, that’s how you figure out direction

you don’t need a master plan, you need momentum. even 10–15 hrs/week is enough if you’re consistent

i’ve seen people overplan for months and go nowhere, then progress in weeks once they actually start building. sometimes i even sketch rough ideas and run small parts through runable ai just to speed up the early structure, but yeah starting matters way more than planning

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ParticularStomak@reddit (OP)

Thanks for the guidance.

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NationsAnarchy@reddit

https://roadmap.sh/cyber-security