Data Encapsulation Facts
Encapsulation is the process of breaking a message into packets, adding control and other information, and transmitting the message through the transmission media. You need to know the following five-step data encapsulation process:
- Upper layers prepare the data to be sent through the network.
- The Transport layer breaks the data into pieces called segments, adding sequencing and control information.
- The Network layer converts the segments into packets, adding logical network and device addresses.
- The Data Link layer converts the packets into frames, adding physical device addressing information.
- The Physical layer converts the frames into bits for transmission across the transmission media.
The following short descriptions can help you remember the steps of the data encapsulation process:
- Upper layers--data
- Transport layer--segments
- Network layer--packets containing logical addresses
- Data Link layer--framing that adds physical addresses
- Physical layer--bits
