Which OSI layer is responsible for logical addressing and routing?

Which OSI layer is responsible for logical addressing and routing?

• A. Physical
• B. Data Link
• C. Network
• D. Transport

Answer: (C)

The network layer handles logical addressing and routing. It uses addresses that identify devices across multiple networks (like IP addresses) and determines the path data should take from source to destination. Routers operate at this layer, consulting routing tables and protocols to forward packets toward their destination. Other layers focus on different tasks: the data link layer deals with local delivery and MAC addresses, the transport layer manages end-to-end communication and ports, and the physical layer handles the actual transmission of raw signals. Therefore, this layer is responsible for both logical addressing and routing.

The network layer handles logical addressing and routing. It uses addresses that identify devices across multiple networks (like IP addresses) and determines the path data should take from source to destination. Routers operate at this layer, consulting routing tables and protocols to forward packets toward their destination. Other layers focus on different tasks: the data link layer deals with local delivery and MAC addresses, the transport layer manages end-to-end communication and ports, and the physical layer handles the actual transmission of raw signals. Therefore, this layer is responsible for both logical addressing and routing.