The third layer of the OSI Model, the network layer, is where most network engineers focus their time and expertise. As Darragh commented in my post on the data link layer, Layer 2 is cool but Layer 3 ...

A networking topology choice that is easily misunderstood. There are many questions that come to mind when selecting a Layer 2 vs Layer 3 network topology for audio systems. Surprisingly, most of it ...

The purpose of the network layer is to help route messages between different local networks. Central to this layer is the concept of exclusive network addresses, where every terminal connected to the ...

We just saw that the mask determines where the boundary between the network and host portions of the IP address lies. This boundary is important: If it is set too far to the right, there are lots of ...

Table 1. This table illustrates subnet masks. The number after the “/” in the CIDR notation indicates the total number of IP addresses available. Click here to see an enlarged diagram. Understanding ...

A network device that forwards traffic based on layer 3 information at very high speeds. Traditionally, routers, which inspect layer 3, were considerably slower than layer 2 switches. In order to ...

Before connecting a printer to a local area network, to prevent problems from occurring down the line, businesses should make sure that their networking, hardware and software setups will allow the ...

Just ask any economist: When a commodity is in short supply, several things happen. The price goes up, rationing begins, and people start scrambling for substitutes. Globally unique Internet addresses ...

Whether it’s wired or wireless, most data communications today happens by way of packets of information travelling over one or more networks. But before these networks can work together, though, they ...

Layers 7 through 4 are geared more to the application than the lower layers, which are designed to move packets from one place to another no matter what they contain. This top layer defines the ...