D-Link DES-3326 User Manual - Layer 1
DES-3326 Layer 3 Fast Ethernet Switch User’s Guide
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Switch Management and Operating Concepts
long as peers can communicate and interoperate, this has no
impact on the functioning of the network.
The communication between layers within a given protocol stack
can be both different from a second stack and proprietary, but
communication between peers on the same OSI layer is open and
consistent.
A brief description of the most commonly used functional layers is
helpful to understand the scope of how protocol layering works.
Layer 1
This is referred to as the physical layer. It handles the electrical
connections and signaling required to make a physical link from
one point in the network to another. It is on this layer that the
unique Media Access Control (MAC) address is defined.
Layer 2
This layer, commonly called the switching layer, allows end station
addressing and the establishment of connections between them.
Layer 2 switching forwards packets based on the unique MAC
address of each end station and offers high-performance,
dedicated-bandwidth of Fast or Gigibit Ethernet within the
network.
Layer 2 does not ordinarily extend beyond the intranet. To connect
to the Internet usually requires a router and a modem or other
device to connect to an Internet Service Provider’s WAN. These
are Layer 3 functions.