What is one main characteristic of the data link layer?
- It generates the electrical or optical signals that represent the 1 and 0 on the media.
- It converts a stream of data bits into a predefined code.
- It shields the upper layer protocol from being aware of the physical medium to be used in the communication.
- It accepts Layer 3 packets and decides the path by which to forward the packet to a remote network.
| Explanation & Hint:
One main characteristic of the data link layer is: It shields the upper layer protocol from being aware of the physical medium to be used in the communication. The data link layer (Layer 2) in the OSI model is responsible for node-to-node data transfer—a function that includes detecting and possibly correcting errors that may occur in the physical layer. It essentially provides a way for data to be transferred reliably across a physical link. |