WiFi, or the 802.11 standard, operates on the physical layer and the data link layer of the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model. These are the first two layers of the seven-layer model.
The physical layer deals with the transmission of raw data bits over the physical medium, in this case, radio waves. This includes tasks like modulation, encoding, and signal strength.
The data link layer is responsible for error detection and correction, as well as addressing and framing data for transmission between devices. It also manages access to the shared wireless medium using protocols like CSMA/CA (Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Avoidance).
Here's a simplified breakdown of how WiFi operates at these two layers:
- Physical Layer: WiFi devices transmit and receive data using radio waves at specific frequencies. The physical layer determines the modulation scheme and signal strength to ensure reliable data transmission.
- Data Link Layer: This layer ensures that data packets are properly formatted and addressed for transmission between devices on the same wireless network. It also handles error correction and collision avoidance to ensure that data is delivered without errors.
Therefore, WiFi technologies operate at the physical layer and data link layer of the OSI model.
