4/12/2019 Mastering the OSI & TCP/IP Models | Jared Heinrichs

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OCT 13, 2013 BY JARED HEINRICHS 2 COMMENTS

Mastering the OSI & TCP/IP

Models
First what is the OSI model? The OSI model is a framework of protocols that allows two
devices to communicate on a network or over the internet. Each layer of the OSI model
makes each layer responsible for over looking and carrying out a speci c task. I’ve made
cheat sheet that breaks everything down into it’s most basic form. I will be referring to th
chart throughout the rest of this post.

The OSI layer is broken up into 7 layers. The top most layer is layer 7 and the lowest laye
Layer 1. Each layer has been given a name that helps identify what is happening on each
layer.

Let’s go over the OSI Layer in more detail

Layer 7 is the Application layer. This is the layer that us a humans interact with the mos
This layer the application sets up rules on how an application will send and receive data.
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Much like Languages, if both people don’t speak the same one, a conversation will not
likely amount to anything.

Layer 6 is is the Presentation layer. It helps the Application layer by formatting the data
such a way that both parties will be able to read it.

Layer 5 is the Session layer. It helps ensure that the data is synchronized.

Layer 4 is the Transport layer. It is responsible for creating and managing the packets
that will go out on the network.

Layer 3 is the Network layer. It is responsible for Addressing and Routing. This layer is i
charge of the IP address of the hosts as well as knowing how to route information to
another host. Because IP supports routing the destination host can be local or out the
internet.

Layer 2 is the data link layer. It is responsible for Data frames and the Management of
those frames. Data frames deal with layer 2 addresses (MAC Address) which are non-
routable addresses. Technically Layer 2 can actually be broken up into two sub-layers:

Logical Link Control

Media Access Control (NIC’s Mac Address)

Layer 1 is the Physical Layer. It is responsible for talking with a physical device like a NIC
In particular it’s changing the data into electronic pulses that can be sent out on the wire

Device Type by Layer

To give you a better idea what layers the network devices work at I created the device typ
column.

Layer 7 – I put gateway here. This is not the same as a “Default Gateway”. This is a device
that works kind of like a translator. It is able to understand application languages like HTT
SMTP, etc. The term “Next Generation Firewalls” is some times applied to these devices.

Layer 3 – Routers and “Swouters” devices go here. A Swouter is a layer 3 switch. It has
more than a couple ports on the back and is capable of routing.

Layer 2 – This is the typical layer where switches are put. Switches are able to look at tra
and lter data based on MAC addresses.

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Layer 1 – Typically Hubs and Repeaters are put here. You don’t really see them anymore
because they tend to be slow and pretty brain dead. Because of this they only work “well
in a very small network design.

TCP/IP Model
You will notice that the TCP/IP model only has 4 layers. The four layers correlate to one o
more of the OSI Model. Later versions have 5 and have di erent names. From what I’ve
read we need to know both.

TCP/IP Stands for Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol. It is the basic

communication protocol of the Internet. It can be used on the internet as well as private
networks. TCP/IP is based o the 4 layer Darpa model.  Looking back at the “Cheat sheet”
you will notice that I’ve lled in a column with what protocols are used at each layer.

Transmission Protocols
There are two types of transmission protocol types in TCP/IP. These protocols are called
TCP and UDP. TCP is like Certi ed Mail and UDP is like 1st class Mail. Only Certi ed mail
tells you if the other side has received all packages.

TCP (Transmission Control Protocol)

One to One
Connection Oriented
Reliable Communication

UDP (User Datagram Protocol)

Multicast (one to many)

Connectionless
Unreliable

Connection orientated communication means that connection must be established befo

data can be exchanged. TCP uses a three-way handshake to establish this connection.

1. Hi I’d like to talk

2. Hi I got the info. Here’s how to talk to me
3. Okay, Let’s begin talking

Internet Layer Protocols

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IP

Protocol of the internet

Addressing
Routing

Arp

Type of Address Resolution Protocol

Resolves IP addresses to Hardware Address (MAC)

ICMP – Internet Control Message Protocol

Diagnostic and error reporting.

Ping uses ICMP

IGMP – Internet Group Management Protocol

Manages IP multicast group membership. Is NOT the same as ICMP!

Filed Under: Cisco Certi cation

Comments

Joshua Moore says

Jul 26, 2015 at 1:44 pm

Hello,
Thank you for your cheat sheet. I’m getting prepared to take my COMP TIA Network+
exam and noticed something in your comparison with the OSI model to the TCP/IP
model. Under the “TCP/IP New” heading, the rst layer should be the “Network Layer”
which would correspond to the Physical and the Data Link layers and the second layer
should be the “Internet Layer” which would correspond to the Network layer on the OSI
model.
Josh

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