Network+ Guide to Networks
5th Edition
Chapter 2
Networking Standards and the OSI
Model
Figure 2.1 Flow of data through the OSI model
Mnemonics for the OSI Model
• Bottom Up • Top Down
– Please – All
– Do – People
– Not – Seem
– Throw – To
– Sausage – Need
– Pizza – Data
– Away – Processing
Application Layer
• Top (seventh) OSI model layer
• No software applications
• Protocol functions
– Facilitates communication
• Between software applications and lower-layer network
services
– Network interprets application request
– Application interprets data sent from network
Presentation Layer
• Protocol functions
– Accept Application layer data
– Formats data to make it understandable to different
applications and hosts
• Examples
– Text encoding methods ASCII and ANSI
– Compression methods like JPEG and MP3
– Data encryption and decryption
Session Layer
• Protocol functions
– Coordinate and maintain communications between two nodes
• Session
– Connection for ongoing data exchange between two parties
• Example: between Web browser client and Web server
• Functions
– Establishing and keeping alive communications link
• For session duration
– Determining if communications ended
• Determining where to restart transmission
– Terminating communications
Transport Layer
• Protocol functions
– Accept data from Session layer
– Provides flow control, segmentation, and error
control
• Primary Transport Layer Protocols: TCP and UDP
Transport Layer
• TCP
• Connection-oriented
– Establishes a connection before transmitting data
– Three-way handshake
SYN
SYN/ACK
ACK
Transport Layer
• TCP
– Require acknowledgements from receiver to ensure
data was received correctly
– Checksum
• Unique character string allowing receiving node to
determine if arriving data unit exactly matches data unit
sent by source
• Ensures data integrity
Send data, wait for ACK
ACK
Send more data, wait for ACK
Transport Layer
• UDP: A connectionless protocol
– Do not establish connection with another node before
transmitting data—no handshake
– Make no effort to ensure data is delivered free of
errors
– Faster than connection-oriented protocol
– Useful when data must be transferred quickly, such as
streaming music or video
Transport Layer
• Segmentation
– Breaking large data units received from Session layer
into multiple smaller units called segments
– Increases data transmission efficiency
• MTU (maximum transmission unit)
– Largest data unit network will carry
– Ethernet default: 1500 bytes
– Discovery routine used to determine MTU
Transport Layer (cont’d.)
• Reassembly
– Process of reconstructing segmented data units
• Sequencing
– Method of identifying segments belonging to the
same group of subdivided data
Transport Layer (cont’d.)
Figure 2-2 Segmentation and reassembly
Network Layer
• Packet formation
– Transport layer segment is encapsulated by a
Network layer packet
• Network layer adds logical addressing information—IP
address
• Routing
– Determine path from point A on one network to point
B on another network
• Routing considerations
– Delivery priorities, network congestion, quality of
service, cost of alternative routes
Network Layer
• Common Network layer protocol
– IP (Internet Protocol)
• Fragmentation
– Network layer protocol (IP) subdivides Transport layer
segments received into smaller packets
– This is usually avoided by adjusting the Maximum
Segment Size in the Transport layer, because it
makes data transfer inefficient
• Link Ch 2e
Data Link Layer
• Function of protocols
– Divide data received into distinct frames for
transmission in Physical layer
– Add Physical address to the frame: MAC addresses
like 00-30-48-82-11-BD
• Frame
– Structured package for moving data
• Includes raw data (payload), sender’s and receiver’s
physical addresses, error checking and control
information
Data Link Layer (cont’d.)
• Frames may be damaged as they pass through the
Physical layer, so the Data Link layer has error-
checking
– Error checking
• Frame check sequence
• CRC (cyclic redundancy check)
• Possible glut of communication requests
– Data Link layer controls flow of information
• Allows NIC to process data without error
Data Link Layer (cont’d.)
• Two Data Link layer sublayers
– LLC (Logical Link Control) sublayer
– MAC (Media Access Control) sublayer
• MAC address components
– Block ID
• Six-character sequence unique to each vendor
– Device ID
• Six-character number added at vendor’s factory
• MAC addresses frequently depicted in hexadecimal
format
Example of MAC Address
• Whole MAC address: 00-30-48-82-11-BD
– Block ID
• 00-30-48
• Identifies the vendor
– Device ID
• 82-11-BD
• Different for each NIC from the same vendor
• If two NICs have the same MAC address, they have
problems networking
– This can happen with cheaply made refurbished
NICs, or with copied virtual machines
Data Link Layer (cont’d.)
Figure 2-5 The Data Link layer and its sublayers
Data Link Layer (cont’d.)
Figure 2-6 A NIC’s Mac address
Finding Your MAC Address
• Start, CMD, Enter
MAC Address (also
• IPCONFIG /ALL called "Physical
• Scroll up to see the first entry Address")
IP Address
Physical Layer
• Functions of protocols
– Accept frames from Data Link layer
– Generate signals as changes in voltage at the NIC
• Copper transmission medium
– Signals issued as voltage
• Fiber-optic cable transmission medium
– Signals issued as light pulses
• Wireless transmission medium
– Signals issued as electromagnetic waves
Physical Layer (cont’d.)
• Physical layer protocols responsibility when
receiving data
– Detect and accept signals
– Pass on to Data Link layer
– Set data transmission rate
• Devices operating at Physical layer
– Hubs and repeaters
• NICs operate at both Physical layer and Data Link
layers
Applying the OSI Model
Table 2-1 Functions of the OSI layers
iClicker Questions
Which OSI layer creates
electrical signals which travel
along an Ethernet cable?
A. Session, Presentation, or
Application
B. Transport
C. Network
D. Data Link
E. Physical
1 of 5
Which OSI layer tears down a
connection after a period of
inactivity?
A. Application
B. Presentation
C. Session
D. Transport
E. Network, Data Link, or Physical
2 of 5
Which OSI layer encrypts and
decrypts data sent with secure
protocols like HTTPS?
A. Session, Presentation, or
Application
B. Transport
C. Network
D. Data Link
E. Physical
3 of 5
Which OSI layer assigns
addresses like
00-50-56-C0-00-01
to the data?
A. Session, Presentation, or Application
B. Transport
C. Network
D. Data Link
E. Physical
4 of 5
Which OSI layer assigns
addresses like
147.144.51.101
to the data?
A. Session, Presentation, or
Application
B. Transport
C. Network
D. Data Link
E. Physical
5 of 5
iClicker Questions
Review
Which item below is a
MAC address?
A. 147.144.1.2
B. 94112
C. 1005HA
D. 00-12-11-XY-9Q-01
E. 00-11-15-A3-B2-2E
1 of 5
Which OSI layer is also
called Layer 2?
A. Session, Presentation, or
Application
B. Physical
C. Network
D. Data Link
E. Transport
2 of 5
Which OSI layer routes
packets across the
Internet?
A. Layer 5, 6 or 7
B. Layer 4
C. Layer 3
D. Layer 2
E. Layer 1
3 of 5
Which OSI layer maintains a list
of remote servers that your
computer is currently
connected to?
A. Layer 5, 6 or 7
B. Layer 4
C. Layer 3
D. Layer 2
E. Layer 1
4 of 5
Which OSI layer sends
radio signals out your Wi-
Fi Interface?
A. Session, Presentation, or Application
B. Transport
C. Network
D. Data Link
E. Physical
5 of 5
