The data link layer has a number of specific functions it can carry out.

These functions include

– Providing a well defined service interface to the network layer.
– Determining how the bits of the physical layer are grouped into frames.
– Dealing with transmission errors.
– Regulating the flow of frames so that slow receivers are not swamped by
fast senders.
– Regulates dynamic media access (Channel Allocation)
– Handling flat/physical addressing