Network Layer Host-to-Host Communication

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We will try to understand Network Layer Host-to-Host Communication in this class.

We have already discussed the concepts of IP addresses, IPv4 header fields, and Routing Algorithms in our previous class.

Network Layer Host-to-Host Communication

The communication in the network layer is called host-to-host communication.

We have already discussed that the communication in the data link layer is called a node-to-node communication.

To understand the concepts of Host-to-Host and Node-to-Node communication, we will consider the network shown below.

In the above network, let’s assume that X and Y are the two hosts that want to communicate.

The packet that wants to be transmitted will be attached to the transport layer, network layer, and data link layer headers.

The fields in the data link layer header will help the data be transmitted to the default router to which the X is directly connected. That is why the data link layer is called a node-to-node communication.

Now, at each router, the fields of the network layer packet are used to find the shortest path.

The fields of the network layer are used for the data to be transmitted to the destination or host.

As the fields of the network layer are used for the communication to happen between the hosts, network layer communication is called Host to Host communication.