question9

nero64

Nics site.

But i noticed in question 9 of the Net+ prac exam.

NIC's work at Data-link layer not physical.

Because the data that travels through the cable is just ones and zeros and it doesn't start to mean anything until it gets to the datalink layer which converts it to frames.

Think MAC sublayer think NIC.

Webmaster

Thanks for pointing out the error.

The NIC is where the Layer 2 MAC address resides, but in many technologies the NIC also has the transceiver (a Layer 1 device) built into it and connects directly to the physical medium. So it would be accurate to characterize the NIC as bother Layer 1 and Layer 2 device.

RussS

Is a bummer that - has caught a lot of people out. Comptia does have a few issues to sort yet.

Pavlov

Actually, I disagree - I believe the NIC is layer 1 the DRIVERS are layer 2, which is where the confusion may stem from. But I stand by the NIC being on the physical layer. Feel free to submit a comment to this effect when taking your test

Webmaster

I've done a lot of searching on the topic, and I have to agree with Pavlov and stay with the initial answer.
The drivers are defined at the Layer 2 (Data Link) but the NIC itself at Layer 1 (Physical layer.) The Data Link layer communicates with the NIC and allows it to access the physical media, but the NIC itself (the pins, the BNC/aui/ RJ45 connectors etc) and how it handles the raw bit stream is defined at Layer 1.

Some 'neutral' references:

http://www.itp-journals.com/nasample/t04124.pdf

http://www.activewire.net/WhoWeAre/osi_mod.html

Still my opinion would be both the Physical and Data Link layer as where the NIC is defined. NIC technologies are mostly defined in IEEE standards and accommodate both the layers.

bellboy

there is a thread on cramsession about the same question numbering forty posts (a rather heated discussion), but in a thread on examnotes a poster has said he recently took the network+ exam with the same question and was promted to give two answers.

looks like comptia believe nic to be layer one AND layer two.

RussS

Where CompTIA is placing the emphasis in relation to the NIC appears to be Layer 2.
A quick check with the tutors here and the consensus is that owing to MAC and LLC being Layer 2 that is the basis for where CompTIA wishes it to be .... lol
We all know that it is different in real life, but what the heck.