Data Link Layer Introduction
Functionality of Data Link Layer
Prof. Arshad Mehmood Shah 1
Functionality of Data Link Layer
• The Data Link Layer is the second layer in the OSI (Open Systems Interconnection) model of computer
networking.
• It is responsible for facilitating data transfer between adjacent network nodes within a local area
network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN).
• The primary functionalities of the Data Link Layer include:
1. Framing:
• The Data Link Layer encapsulates network layer data packets into frames.
• Frames include not only the raw data but also control information, such as addresses and error-
detection codes, needed for reliable data transfer.
2. Physical Addressing:
• This layer adds physical (MAC) addresses to the frame to ensure that it is delivered to the correct
device on a LAN.
• MAC addresses uniquely identify devices on a local network.
3. Error Detection and Handling:
• The Data Link Layer is responsible for detecting and potentially correcting errors that may occur in the
physical layer.
• It uses mechanisms such as checksums or CRC (Cyclic Redundancy Check) to detect errors.
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4. Flow Control:
• This layer manages the pacing of data transmission between sender and receiver to prevent a fast
sender from overwhelming a slow receiver.
• Techniques such as stop-and-wait and sliding window are commonly used for flow control.
5. Access Control:
• In a shared medium, such as a broadcast LAN, the Data Link Layer controls access to the physical
transmission medium.
• Protocols like CSMA/CD (Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Detection) and CSMA/CA (Carrier
Sense Multiple Access with Collision Avoidance) are used to manage this.
6. Link Establishment and Termination:
• The Data Link Layer establishes and terminates logical links between nodes.
• This involves initializing the connection and ensuring that frames are delivered properly.
7. MAC (Media Access Control) Sublayer:
• This sublayer controls how devices on the network gain access to the medium and permission to
transmit data.
• It deals with the protocols that determine who can send data at any given time.
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8. LLC (Logical Link Control) Sublayer:
• The LLC sublayer is responsible for identifying network layer protocols and encapsulating them, and for
providing error checking and flow control.
Summary:
• The Data Link Layer ensures that data transferred between devices on the same network is accurate
and reliable by packaging data into frames, managing access to the network medium, detecting errors,
and controlling the flow of data.
• It acts as an intermediary between the physical layer (responsible for actual transmission of raw bits)
and the network layer (responsible for data routing and forwarding).
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Questions:
1. Distinguish between communication at the network layer and communication at the data-link layer.
2. Distinguish between a point-to-point link and a broadcast link.
3. Can two hosts in two different networks have the same link-layer address? Explain.
4. Is the size of the ARP packet fixed? Explain.
5. What is the size of an ARP packet when the protocol is IPv4 and the hardware is Ethernet?
6. Assume we have an isolated link (not connected to any other link) such as a private network in a company. Do
we still need addresses in both the network layer and the data-link layer? Explain
7. When we talkabout the broadcast address in a link, do we mean sending a message to all hosts and routers in
the link or to all hosts and routers in the Internet? In other words, does a broadcast address have a local
jurisdiction or a universal jurisdiction? Explain.
8. Why does a host or a router need to run the ARP program all of the time in the background?
9. Why does a router normally have more than one interface?
10. Why is it better not to change an end-to-end address from the source to the destination?
11. How many IP addresses and how many link-layer addresses should a router have when it is connected to five
links?
12. See Problems Book Page no 254+255