Which Layer Does the Map Show?

About this interactive

The lesson's three maps of one network: - **Layer 1 (physical):** how devices are physically connected. How the switches sit in the rack and are cabled to each other, which cable runs where, copper or fiber. - **Layer 2 (data link):** how data flows through the switches inside a LAN: frames, and the MAC addresses the switches learn. - **Layer 3 (network):** the routers, with each LAN drawn as a branch off its router; IP networks, and the path a packet takes from router to router. Maps can combine layers, but most topology maps show Layers 1 to 3. When one device cannot reach another, a Layer 3 map lets you check router by router where the traffic stops.

What you'll learn

Decide whether a piece of network information belongs on a Layer 1 map (physical connections), a Layer 2 map (switches and frames) or a Layer 3 map (routers, networks and packets)
Use a Layer 3 map to say where along a path of routers traffic stops getting through

Aligned to

CompTIA Network+

1.6 Compare and contrast network topologies, architectures, and types.

1.1 Explain concepts related to the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) reference model.

Cisco CCNA

1.2 Describe characteristics of network topology architectures

Key terms

Network Topology: The arrangement and interconnection of network nodes, often represented as maps showing physical and logical connectivity.
Physical Layer: Layer 1 of the OSI model, responsible for the transmission of raw bits over a physical medium.
Data Link Layer: Layer 2 of the OSI model responsible for node-to-node data transfer and error detection on a single network segment.
Network Layer: Layer 3 of the OSI model, responsible for logical addressing and routing data packets between networks.
MAC Address: A 48-bit hardware address assigned to a network interface and written as six hexadecimal octets, such as 00:1A:2B:3C:4D:5E. It identifies a device uniquely on a local network segment, and switches forward frames by looking it up in their MAC address table.
IP Address: A numerical label assigned to each device connected to a network that uses the Internet Protocol.

Topics

Network Topology Topology Maps Osi Model Interactive Categorize

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