Ethernet and the OSI model

Ethernet and the OSI model
6.1.3 This page will explain how Ethernet relates to the OSI model.


Ethernet operates in two areas of the OSI model. These are the lower half of the data link layer, which is known as the MAC sublayer, and the physical layer.

Data that moves from one Ethernet station to another often passes through a repeater. All stations in the same collision domain see traffic that passes through a repeater. A collision domain is a shared resource. Problems that originate in one part of a collision domain will usually impact the entire collision domain.

A repeater forwards traffic to all other ports. A repeater never sends traffic out the same port from which it was received. Any signal detected by a repeater will be forwarded. If the signal is degraded through attenuation or noise, the repeater will attempt to reconstruct and regenerate the signal.

To guarantee minimum bandwidth and operability, standards specify the maximum number of stations per segment, maximum segment length, and maximum number of repeaters between stations. Stations separated by bridges or routers are in different collision domains.

Figure maps a variety of Ethernet technologies to the lower half of OSI Layer 2 and all of Layer 1. Ethernet at Layer 1 involves signals, bit streams that travel on the media, components that put signals on media, and various topologies. Ethernet Layer 1 performs a key role in the communication that takes place between devices, but each of its functions has limitations. Layer 2 addresses these limitations.

Data link sublayers contribute significantly to technological compatibility and computer communications. The MAC sublayer is concerned with the physical components that will be used to communicate the information. The Logical Link Control (LLC) sublayer remains relatively independent of the physical equipment that will be used for the communication process.

Figure maps a variety of Ethernet technologies to the lower half of OSI Layer 2 and all of Layer 1. While there are other varieties of Ethernet, the ones shown are the most widely used.