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Network Layer
Introduction

Most important layer and plays key role in data transmission.

Router is most important device of this layer.

Maintain the quality of data and pass and transmit data from source to its
destination.

Handles routing.

choosing best bath for data to transfer, not just for packets.

It handles sending data packets between devices through different network

paths. It decides the best route for data to travel and manages how data
moves across the network.

Functions of network layer

Routing

The network layer protocols determines suitable route from source to

destination. This is called routing.

Numerous routers are used to find out the best and safest route to
transmit the data packets. Various routing algorithms are used to
determine the best path, like link state routing, Distance Vector
Routing, Flooding, Random Walk etc.

Network Layer 1
 there are multiple routers between the sender and the receiver, so the
data packets are routed by using all these available routers.

Logical Addressing

The sender and receiver’s IP addresses are placed in the header by the
network layer.

There are two part in an IP address, a Host ID and Network ID, using the
Host ID it can be confirmed that the packets were sent by the
authorized sender and it has successfully reached the desired receiver.

Other functions include,

Host-to-Host delivery

it forwards packets from each router to the another router until it

reaches the destination securely.

logical subnetting

a bigger network to be divided into smaller chunks of network

fragmentation and reassembly

Each node has a limit on the size of data it can receive, called the
Maximum Transmission Unit (MTU). If a data packet is too large, it is
broken into smaller pieces (fragmented) to fit the MTU. These smaller
packets are sent to the receiver, where they are reassembled in the
correct order to recreate the original data. Routers handle the
fragmentation process.

error handling

It can detect issues, correct errors, and resend packets that are either
incorrect or didn’t reach the receiver.

Also uses ACK messages to confirm packet is received successfully or

sender needs to resend it.

quality of service (QoS)

it determines and prioritize the important data types which needed to

be send first. Also ensures there is no delay in this process.

network address translation (NAT)

it converts any private IP address into a public IP address which is

required to communicate between the sender and the receiver.

Network Layer 2
 congestion control

When the network is overloaded, it becomes congested, which can

pause data transfer. To manage this, algorithms like the Leaky Bucket
and Token Bucket are used:

Leaky Bucket: Data enters the bucket at any speed but leaves at a
steady, controlled rate to reduce congestion.

Token Bucket: Tokens are added to the bucket over time, and only
data with available tokens is sent, ensuring a controlled flow.

Encapsulation and Decapsulation

Encapsulates the data received from transport layer and also adds
important header parts to packets, and it is decapsulated at receiver’s
side.

Working of Network Layer

The Network Layer gets data from the Transport Layer in the OSI model. It
adds source and destination addresses to the data packets and uses
network protocols to send them to the Data Link Layer for transmission over
the network.

Network Layer Responsibilities

The Network Layer handles these tasks:

Finds the fastest route for data packets.

Prepares data for transmission.

Manages network traffic using its protocols.

Network Layer Protocols

IP

it is responsible for delivering packets from the source host to the

destination host by looking at the IP addresses in the packet headers.

2 versions: IPv4 and IPv6.

IPsec

IPsec (Internet Protocol Security) is a suite of protocols designed to

secure Internet Protocol (IP) communications by providing encryption,
authentication, and integrity for data packets. It operates at the Network

Network Layer 3
 Layer and is used to create secure virtual private networks (VPNs) and
protect data transmitted over public networks. IPsec can encrypt data
to ensure confidentiality and use protocols like AH (Authentication
Header) and ESP (Encapsulating Security Payload) to verify the
authenticity and integrity of the data being sent.

ICMP

ICMP (Internet Control Message Protocol) is a network layer protocol

used for sending error messages and operational information related to
IP packet processing. It helps devices communicate issues such as
unreachable hosts, packet loss, and routing problems. ICMP is essential
for network diagnostics and troubleshooting, commonly used in tools
like ping and traceroute to test connectivity and determine the path
data takes through a network. ICMP messages are typically generated
by network devices like routers and hosts in response to network
events or errors.

ARP

ARP (Address Resolution Protocol) is a network layer protocol used to

map an IP address to a physical (MAC) address on a local area network
(LAN). When a device needs to send data to another device, it
broadcasts an ARP request to find the MAC address associated with the
destination IP address. ARP also maintains a cache of these mappings
to improve efficiency in communication within the network.

Summary

The Network Layer is the third layer of the OSI model responsible for routing
data packets between devices across networks. It determines the best paths
for data transmission, adds source and destination addresses to packets, and
manages traffic to prevent congestion. Additionally, it handles error detection
and can retransmit packets if necessary. Overall, the Network Layer ensures
efficient and reliable data delivery across the network.

Network Layer 4