Network layer, IP addresses, and routing

The network layer, IP addresses, and routing are the core concepts of this lesson, which focuses on the network layer’s role in addressing and routing packets between different hosts and networks.

The text describes the operation of the IP protocol—a connectionless, “best-effort” protocol that attempts to deliver packets without guaranteeing reliability, ordering, or delivery timing. The lesson then clarifies the distinction between MAC addresses and IP addresses, differentiating local communication from global routing.

It goes on to cover IPv4 and IPv6 addresses, static versus dynamic addressing, public versus private addresses, the role of DHCP, and the operation of NAT/PAT, which allows multiple devices on a LAN to share a single public IP address.

The final section explains routing—the process by which routers use routing tables to determine packet paths—and forwarding, which is the actual act of sending the packet to the correct interface.

Bibliography

Primary sources

Postel, J. (1981). Internet Protocol. RFC 791. IETF / RFC Editor.

Braden, R. (Ed.). (1989). Requirements for Internet Hosts — Communication Layers. RFC 1122. IETF / RFC Editor.

Baker, F. (1995). Requirements for IP Version 4 Routers. RFC 1812. IETF / RFC Editor.

Deering, S., & Hinden, R. (2017). Internet Protocol, Version 6 (IPv6) Specification. RFC 8200. IETF / RFC Editor.

Hinden, R., & Deering, S. (2006). IP Version 6 Addressing Architecture. RFC 4291. IETF / RFC Editor.

Kawamura, S., & Kawashima, M. (2010). A Recommendation for IPv6 Address Text Representation. RFC 5952. IETF / RFC Editor.

Droms, R. (1997). Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol. RFC 2131. IETF / RFC Editor.

Rekhter, Y., Moskowitz, B., Karrenberg, D., de Groot, G. J., & Lear, E. (1996). Address Allocation for Private Internets. RFC 1918. IETF / RFC Editor.

Srisuresh, P., Holdrege, M., & Ford, M. (1999). IP Network Address Translator (NAT) Terminology and Considerations. RFC 2663. IETF / RFC Editor.

Srisuresh, P., & Egevang, K. (2001). Traditional IP Network Address Translator (Traditional NAT). RFC 3022. IETF / RFC Editor.

Hinden, R., & Haberman, B. (2005). Unique Local IPv6 Unicast Addresses. RFC 4193. IETF / RFC Editor.

Narten, T., Nordmark, E., Simpson, W., & Soliman, H. (2007). Neighbor Discovery for IP version 6 (IPv6). RFC 4861. IETF / RFC Editor.

Fuller, V., & Li, T. (2006). Classless Inter-domain Routing (CIDR): The Internet Address Assignment and Aggregation Plan. RFC 4632. IETF / RFC Editor.

Moy, J. (1998). OSPF Version 2. RFC 2328. IETF / RFC Editor.

Rekhter, Y., Li, T., & Hares, S. (2006). A Border Gateway Protocol 4 (BGP-4). RFC 4271. IETF / RFC Editor.

Secondary sources

Kurose, J. F., & Ross, K. W. Computer Networking: A Top-Down Approach. Pearson.

Tanenbaum, A. S., & Wetherall, D. J. Computer Networks. Pearson.

Comer, D. E. Internetworking with TCP/IP, Volume 1. Pearson.

Comer, D. E. Computer Networks and Internets. Pearson.

Peterson, L. L., & Davie, B. S. Computer Networks: A Systems Approach. Morgan Kaufmann.

Stallings, W. Data and Computer Communications. Pearson.

Forouzan, B. A. Data Communications and Networking. McGraw-Hill.

Doyle, J., & Carroll, J. Routing TCP/IP, Volume I. Cisco Press.

Odom, W. CCNA 200-301 Official Cert Guide. Cisco Press.

Index

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