When is a packet formed?

NetworkingDan

At what layer of the osi model is a packet formed?

shednik

Layer 3 - Network Layer

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OSI_Model

bashtie

layer 3

Kaminsky

To elaborate:

Machine A ....... < Chunk of info Name > ........ Machine B

<read down the left column then along the bottom and then upwards through the right column>
The middle column is what the "chunks" of information are called at that particular stage. Also note the way the numbers go. This is also part of the interational standard and numbering it in the other direction is wrong.

7 Application .............. data .............. Application
6 Presentation ............ data ............. Presentation
5 Session ................... data ............. Session

4 Transport ............... Segments ...... Transport
3 Network ................. Packets ......... Network
2 Data Link ............... Frames .......... Data Link
1 Physical ................. Bits ............... Physical


Transferring data from one machine to another involves breaking down data through the OSI model of one computer into bits and transferring those bits to the other machine and then rebuilding the data by going backwards (upwards) through the OSI model until the application you are using to transfer the data pops out of that same application on the other computer.

Networking knowledge wise, it all gets veeerrryyyy tricky from this point on !

Kam.
(I see why nobody before me tried to tabulate this now)