TCP/IP Model vs. OSI Model

deep_logic

Hi all. First time poster here.

I'm reading Meyer's net+ and in ch.2 he takes an aside after explaining OSI and says that the TCP/IP model is more widely used.
How relevant is this to the exam? I'm always reading in different job postings about TCP/IP, but not a lot of OSI.

Any thoughts on this?

Thanks,

Params7

They are intermixed. TCP/IP was officially accepted, but its similar to OSI, and people use OSI terminology commonly to describe TCP/IP layers as well. Just learn what all the 7 layers do, that's all there is to both.

Only difference between them is OSI calls layer 3 network layer while TCP/IP calls it internet layer or something. My memory is hazy. Oh and OSI divides up the Application layer into further 3 layers (session, presentation, application). Their details aren't that important, just know application layer.

DoubleNNs

Computers actually use TCP/IP protocols - not OSI protocols. However, the OSI model has been accepted over the TCP/IP (AKA DoD) model because the OSI model has been deemed superior.

So it's kinda weird because people use the OSI model to describe the TCP/IP protocol stack.

What you want to do is focus on memorizing and fully understanding the OSI model first and foremost. Then just figure out what parts of the TCP/IP model correspond to the OSI model.

Also, because the OSI model is more frequently used, you'll be tested a lot more on the OSI model than on the TCP/IP.

Darril

deep_logic wrote: »

How relevant is this to the exam?
Thanks,

Welcome to the forums.

You'll find that the the OSI model is much more heavily tested than the TCP/IP model on the Network+ exam. You should know:

• The names and numbers of each layer in the OSI model
• Names of data units on each layer of the OSI model (i.e. segments, packets, frames, and bits)
• Which protocols are mapped to which layers of the OSI model
• Which hardware devices are mapped to which layers of the OSI model
• Which TCP/IP layers map to which OSI layers

Hope this helps.