Is the CWNE Worth It?

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The Certified Wireless Network Expert (CWNE) is the pinnacle certification from the CWNP certification organization. It differs fairly significantly from the well-known CCIE in that it's much more akin to a Physician's Board certification than a school final exam.

The CWNE is more structured for you to submit a packet for approval by the CWNE Board, a group of sitting CWNEs, than it is another explicit knowledge check. It is a numbered certification, as most top-tier certs are, and you will, upon approval, be designated with a unique, permanent number just for you.

CWNE Criteria

The CWNEas mentioned before, is more of a validation of you as a network engineer, so it doesn't have any objectives. It requires that you submit a packet which consists of the following:

• Your work history through CV or resume. You must have three full years of enterprise-grade WiFi-specific experience. This is somewhat exclusive to being employed in some form in a network or RF engineering role. Volunteer experience will help your application but does not count toward the experience requirement.

• 3 essays. These are 500-1000 word essays that detail projects you have either led or directly contributed to. Remember, when writing them, you need to demonstrate your deep understanding of wireless, but you're not teaching the board. They should be concise and technical but not be overloaded with employer-specific jargon or terms. In my experience, the word requirement is constraining in that it is short, not that you'll struggle for enough length. Graphics are allowed but should be directly relevant.

• Certifications. You must earn CWNA, CWISA, CWAP, CWAP, CWSP, and CWDP. These certifications represent the entire WiFi curriculum, plus basic IoT knowledge. In general, they must be passed with the traditional 70% or higher marks, unless you want to become a CWSP,r, in which case, they must be passed with an 80%.WiFi curriculum

• One relevant outside certification can add significant value. This could be a vendor-specific certification, such as the CCNx series, depending on the vendor you work with most or a general networking certification like CompTIA's Net+ or Sec+. These certifications demonstrate broader knowledge and complement your wireless expertise, making you a more well-rounded professional.

• At least one self-published article. This can be a blog post over six months old, a webinar, a book, or similar. CWNP also provides opportunities to publish should you need it.

Please note that submitting a packet costs $500 (USD).

Who Should Earn the CWNE?

It's recommended that test-takers have a minimum of three years of experience with wireless networking technologies. However, most applicants shouldn't have trouble meeting that mark if they are eligible for the CWNE exam. Let's look at several IT pros who could benefit from CWNE certification. This is by no means an exhaustive list.

Network Architects

This job title is usually a bit broader than the following. Still, it most often represents a highly experienced engineer who can plan, construct, and integrate a network with minimal help and serve a supervisory role. The CWNE is an important piece of evidence for demonstrating the broad nature of your knowledge to any prospective employer. If you're seeking a high-level position, you should have tangible evidence of your knowledge.

The CWNE and other numbered certs are an easy way to show an employer without having to dig through your project portfolio too deeply or have your previous employer vouch for you. These days, most employers will only verify dates of employment and title for legal reasons. At this level, it's better not to put your prospective employer in any doubt, as any one factor may inch you ahead of other candidates.

Wireless SMEs

In some cases, the wireless SME is the opposite of the architect. Your prospective employer is more interested in the depth of your knowledge than its breadth. The CWNE, being an expert-level cert, is already very deep, specifically in WiFi.

It shows you thoroughly understand wireless, and you should be able to field just about any interview question about the PHY or how 802.11 works. Here, having multiple vendor certs will aid you as well. Your publication requirement will serve nicely here, too; An SME should be able to be hands-on and relay the knowledge s/he has acquired to more junior employees simply and intelligibly.

Wireless Engineers

This one is the original target audience for which CWNP shoots. The entire process will benefit your bulk of wireless engineers seeking to be better. You'll learn vastly more about the entire structure and function of 802.11 through the process than 90% of us could do studying on our own.

The 802.11 standard is very difficult to read as written, and having a guide to help you learn is just the catalyst that most of us need to understand it at a deeper level. Remember that it's a journey that generally takes some time. Your learning will start broad (CWNA) with what it looks like from the outside and get more in-depth (CWxP), where you'll learn what's going on in that "black box" of WiFi.

Is the CWNE Worth It to Learn Skills?

Yes and no. The nuance here is that getting your CWNE will teach you much about Wireless, RF, and WiFi. However, it won't teach you anything directly but will facilitate your learning to a great degree.

The CWNE is more about demonstrating that you've internalized these skills, put them to use, and are willing and able to share that knowledge. A big cultural emphasis and the reasoning behind the publication requirement is that you should now be demonstrably "paying it forward" as a CWNE and prospective CWNE.

Is the CWNE Worth It to Validate Skills?

Absolutely. The CWNE certification signifies mastery across the three core domains of Wi-Fi: Design, Analysis, and Security. It also reflects a unique dedication to professional growth that extends beyond the typical requirements of a specific role. Few engineers actively engage in all three domains simultaneously within a single role, making the CWNE a mark of exceptional expertise. Additionally, it is incredibly rare—far rarer than the widely recognized CCIE certification. As of now, there are just over 415 CWNEs worldwide compared to nearly 40,000 CCIEs, underscoring the exclusivity and prestige of this certification.

CWNE, like the CCIE, makes a statement about your knowledge and work ethic. In today's job market, it's rare for employers to sponsor or pay for certifications, let alone an entire certification path. Achieving this certification demonstrates that you are dedicated to professional growth, resourceful enough to invest in your development, and skilled enough to complete one of the most challenging wireless certifications available. It highlights your commitment to excellence and sets you apart as a top-tier professional in the field.