Basic Networking

This chapter focuses on basic networking principles. Initially, it recalls the transition from analog to digital and from voice to data networks. The impact of these events was the seemingly endless creation and demise of industry players. It then presents a deeper examination of the seven layers of the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model. Protocols applied at each layer and their functions and advantages are then further considered. How routers and switches operate at each OSI layer using protocols previously presented is explained and then illustrated with a “packet walk” that traces the journey of packets from source to destination across the network.