Network Layer

Network Layer(Layer 3): It is responsible for the source-to-destination delivery of packets across multiple links(networks).It is also responsible for structuring and managing a multi-node network, including addressing, routing, and traffic control.

Functions include:

• Logical Addressing: IP addressing is defined at the Network Layer of the OSI model. This layer adds a header to the packet coming from the upper layer that, among other things, indicates the logical addresses of the sender and receiver. IP addressing is also known as logical addressing.
• Routing: When independent networks are connected together to create a large network, the connecting devices(routers/gateways) route the packets to their final destination. The decision which route/path should be followed to reach from source to destination is handled by the network layer.