A router works at the __________ layer in the OSI model and __________ layer…
2022
A router works at the __________ layer in the OSI model and __________ layer in TCP/IP model.
- A.
internet, network
- B.
network, physical
- C.
network, internet
- D.
session, internet
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Correct answer: C
Concept: A router is a Layer-3 internetworking device. Its job is logical (IP) addressing and forwarding packets between different networks, so it lives at the layer responsible for end-to-end logical addressing and path selection in each reference model.
In the OSI model, logical addressing and routing of packets are handled by the Network layer (Layer 3) — this is where the router makes its forwarding decisions.
In the TCP/IP model, that same logical-addressing-and-routing responsibility belongs to the Internet layer (the home of the IP protocol), which is the TCP/IP counterpart of OSI's Network layer.
Cross-check: the OSI Network layer maps directly onto the TCP/IP Internet layer, so the matching pair is Network (OSI) and Internet (TCP/IP).