Building a Network with OSI

OSI Introduction

The OSI Model Basics

• The OSI Model will help explain the basic concept of
how the data is broken down into pieces
(software/protocols break data into pieces) & then
how such data is transported from one computer to
another computer (cabling used, devices used &
software used).
 Case Study Example

Before Networking
• Before we invented ‘Networking’
(connecting computers together to
share information) we had to
transport data using floppy disks
• Sneakernet explains the older
method of transporting data, where
we stored data on a diskette & then
transported that data to other
people by literally walking over to
them and handing them the disk
 OSI Model

• To explain the concept of

‘networking’, The International
Organization for
Standardization (ISO)
proposed the Open System
Interconnection (OSI) Model
• The OSI seven-layer model is
an explanation of how data is
broken down into pieces and
transported from one
computer to another computer
& this chapter will cover the
OSI model in detail
 OSI’s Seven Layers

Layer 7 Application

Layer 6 Presentation

Layer 5 Session

Layer 4 Transport

Layer 3 Network

Layer 2 Data Link

Layer 1 Physical

Helpful Tip: All People Seem To Need Data Processing

OSI Model
 OSI’s Seven Layers

Layer 7 Application

• The Application Layer includes the programs used to

access the network (or Internet)
• In simple terms, this layer describes the moment
when a user opens a program in order to access the
network (Example: John opens Internet Explorer to
access the Internet; a web browser program)
• Advanced: Protocols/Software like HTTP work at this
layer, because HTTP is software that allows your
web-browser the ability to download a web-page from
a web-server (Example: http://www.ogeecheetech.edu)
 Network Applications

• Web Browser Programs such as

Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox are
‘Network Applications’ (programs that
can be used to access a network;
specifically the Internet)

• Email programs, such as ‘Outlook

Express’ are Network Applications
(programs used to access the a
network)
 Layer 6 - Presentation

Layer 6 Presentation

• The Presentation Layer is responsible for helping

computers open files in a format they understand (Example:
PC1 sends a word document (FILE1.DOC) & with Presentation Layer’s
help, PC2 can open document on it’s system using Microsoft word)
• Example: You might send a document (.doc) or
spreadsheat (.xls) or picture (.jpg) and the Presentation
Layer labels the data so everyone knows what it is
• Completes other necessary things as well like:
– Encryption & Compression
 Layer 6 - Presentation

• If you use Microsoft

Word to create a
document on PC1 &
then transmit that
document to PC2, the
Presentation Layer helps
PC2 open the document
using the correct
program (such as
Microsoft word)
 Layer 5 - Session

Layer 5 Session

• The Session Layer helps create & manage

connections between computers on a network
• Manages the connections between machines on a
network (Example: PC1 connects to PC2 to transmit a
file; the session layer helps make the connection so
they can transmit files, emails, etc…)
• If you lose your connection during a file transfer,
session layer allows you to re-connect & continue
transmission where you were last at
 Layer 4 - Transport

Layer 4 Transport

• The Transport Layer uses software (TCP network protocol) to break

up data into smaller pieces and places those pieces into packets and
this layer also numbers each piece/packet (so you can reassemble
them again on receiving computer)
• The Transport Layer sends an acknowledgement (ACK) to the
sending computer when the receiving computer gets the file (Error-
checking procedure)
• TCP is the name of the software/protocol used today to chop data
into pieces
• The reason you must chop data into pieces is because the largest
piece of data that can be sent across networks today is 1500-bytes
(very small) so data has to be chopped up
 Disassembly

• The sending computer system chops data down into

pieces/segments & packets and assigns sequence
numbers so you can re-assemble it again on the
receiving computer
• It is the network protocol known as TCP (software)
that actually performs these actions
 Assembly and Disassembly

• Most data is really, really, really large; therefore, it

must be chopped down into pieces in order to be
transmitted across computer networks
• Network protocols (such Transmission Control
Protocol ) chop up the data into smaller packets &
assigns a sequence number
• The sequence numbers are used by the receiving
system to put the packets back in order and to
assemble them
 Disassembly

• The sending system chops the packet into

segments and assigns sequence numbers
 Layer 3 - Network

Layer 3 Network

• The Network Layer places pieces of data (from the

Transport Layer) into packets (otherwise known as
Envelopes) and then adds unique identifiers (like IP
addresses) to the packets, so devices such as ‘Routers’
(Level-3 Device) can forward data throughout the world
(from one company to another company)
• The IP software/protocol works at this layer because the
packets/envelopes must be labeled with an address
 Addressing

• Each packet is assigned addresses

 Layer 2 – Data Link

Layer 2 Data Link

• The Data Link Layer adds packets inside a ‘Frame’

• Data is now passed from the Operating System to
the “NIC” who is responsible for creating Frames
and adding packets into the frames so they can be
sent to another computer
• Example: Envelope is placed into Big Box (Frame)
• The MAC address (Physical Address) is then added
to the Frame so that ‘Switches’ (Layer-2 Devices)
can forward data to a specific computer
 Frames

• Data is sent across the network in frames

• Data packets from Network Layer are
then transmitted down to the NIC & the
Data-Link Layer where ‘Frames’ are
created & packets are put inside them
• A frame is like a canister that holds your
‘data’ along with the MAC address
information so it knows where to send
data to (see Frame sample below)
 FRAMES

• Frames typically contain the recipient’s MAC address, the

sender’s MAC address, the data itself, and a cyclic redundancy
check (CRC) for error checking (CRC checks the frame when it
arrives at it’s destination to ensure it hasn’t been damaged)

• What is inside the data part of the frame?

– Data must be broken into little chunks, which you put into
frames for delivery. The frames are labeled with the MAC
address and sent to that computer!
– It could be part of a file, a print job, a web page, anything
– Different networks use different sizes of frames
– Many frames hold about 1500 bytes of data
 Layer 1 - Physical

Layer 1 Physical

• The Physical Layer is responsible for converting

Frames (Zeroes and Ones) into electrical signals on
a copper wire (or light signals on a fiber-optic cable,
or radio waves in a wireless network)
• The NIC actually is responsible for this process
 Cables

• Most networks use a cable like

that shown as a physical channel
to move the bits of data from one
computer to another
• You could use Coaxial Cable,
UTP or Fiber-Optic cable

Unshielded Twisted Pair

(UTP) cable
Uses 4 wires: 2 for
sending and 2 for
receiving data
 Hubs

• Hubs are generally known as

‘Layer 1’ devices – dumb
devices that simply copy
frames & send out all ports
• Each computer system has a
NIC with a cable leading to a
device like a hub
– Usually located in a closet
• The hub sends the data
received from one system to
all the other systems attached
to it
 Network Interface Card

• Network Interface Cards (NICs –

pronounced “Nics”) are installed in PCs
• Network cables are attached to the
NICs (generally through RJ-45
connectors)
• NICs are the main components that
connect PCs to the computer network –
so you can transmit data to other
systems!
• NICs work at the Data-Link and
Physical Layers of the OSI Model (they
create Frames & then transmit those
frames onto the cabling
 NIC to Hub Connections

• Cables run from the NIC in the

PC to a jack on the wall (Note:
In today’s modern networks,
your cable would run to a
central hub or switch, and then
it would connect to the wall
jack)
• Cables run through the walls
to the closet where they
connect to a central hub or
switch!
 Network Interface Cards

• Media Access Control (MAC)

address (Physical Address)
– A unique address burned into
a ROM chip on the network
card
– Each MAC address is 12 hex
characters or 48 bits in length
– MAC addresses are unique
(their cannot be two of the
same numbers)
– MAC addresses are called
physical addresses MAC address printed on
(permanent numbers) surface of chip – it’s
burned inside the chip.
 MAC Addresses

• MAC addresses are 12 Hexadecimal Characters in

length (48 bits long)
• Usually represented using hexadecimal characters
(12 hex digits = 48 bits)
– Here’s a typical MAC address:
004005-607D49

Identifies the Unique serial number determined

manufacturer by the manufacturer

No two MAC addresses are ever the same!

 WINIPCFG

• winipcfg is used on Windows 98/Me systems to view network

configuration information

MAC address
 ipconfig /all

• Ipconfig /all is used on Windows NT/2000/XP systems to view

network configuration (like IP Address or MAC address
information)

MAC address
 OSI’s Seven Layers

Layer 7-Application involves opening a program that connects to the network (or Internet) (Ex: Web
Browser programs like Internet Explorer connects you to the Internet-big network)
Layer 6-Presentation is the step/layer where your data is formatted (prepared) for the other computer
(Example: .doc, .jpg) & is where encryption is placed over your data if you decide
to do this (Ex: If it’s a document, computer adds .doc so other computer knows)
Layer 5-Session is responsible for creating, managing & terminating connections/sessions between
computers in a network (if connection lost, this layer re-establishes it)
Layer 4-Transport uses the TCP-network protocol/software to break up data into pieces & puts each
(TCP-protocol breaks data piece into a packet & then numbers each packet (when other computer receives
into pieces/packets & each packet it will send an acknowledgement as packets arrive at the destination)
numbers each piece)
Layer 3-Network uses the IP-network protocol/software to stamp the data-packets with IP
(IIP-protocol adds IP addresses (software address; Example: 192.168.100.1) so devices such as
Addresses to packets) ‘Routers’(Layer-3 device) can know where to forward data throughout the world
Layer 2-Data Link is where data-packets are put into ‘Frames’ & the frames are labeled with the MAC
(The Computer Operating address (hardware address; Example: 12-34-56-AB-CD-EF) & the cyclic
System passes packets to redundancy check (CRC) is added to the frame (CRC does a frame check when it
the NIC & NIC creates the arrives at the destination to ensure the frame or data hasn’t been damaged) to
Frames)
ensure that the destination received exactly what was sent.
Layer 1-Physical is responsible for converting data link layer frames into electrical signals that can
be sent out over coaxial, UTP, fiber-optic cabling (or wireless)
 OSI Model (Understanding Networking)

Summary of OSI Model

• Data is prepared (Presentation
Layer) and then a connection is
made (Session Layer) and then data
is chopped into pieces by the TCP
protocol and placed into packets
where each piece is numbered
(Transport Layer) and then packets
are labeled with IP Address by the
IP software protocol (Network
Layer) and then packets are passed
to the NIC who creates frames,
places packets into frames and NIC
puts MAC addresses onto frame
(Data-Link Layer) and NIC pushes
frame onto the cabling (Physical
Layer)
 Network Devices to Know
Network Devices Used to Transport Data
• The NIC (Network Card) is the computer component needed by computers to help
connect to & transport data to other computers in a network
• Every NIC in the world has a 12 hexadecimal number (48-bit) that uniquely identifies
that device on the network called a MAC address (or physical address, or hardware
address)
• The NIC creates the ‘Frames’ that help transport data (& the MAC address is attached
to these frames to help computers/devices transport data directly to other systems)
• The NIC transfers data to cabling & you can use a variety of different types of cables
including the original ‘Coaxial Cable’, or ‘Twisted Pair Cabling like UTP’ (most popular
type of cable on planet), or Fiber-Optic (uses light to send data instead of electrical
signals over copper wire which Coaxial and UTP cable do) and lastly you could
transfer data using Wireless signals (802.11/Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Infrared, etc…)
• There are many devices used to help transport data throughout the world including
‘Hubs’ (Layer-1 device that receive frames & copies frames then sends a copy out
every port to all other computers in network) or ‘Switches’ (Layer-2 devices that
receive frames & use the MAC address on those frames to determine the specific
computer to send the frame to) or even ‘Routers’ (Layer-3 devices that connect all the
different companies/organizations throughout the world together; these devices read
the IP Address on the packets inside the frames to determine where to send Frames
to)