Whenever I hear someone arguing the "ARP: L2 or L3" point, I remind them
that they're trying to fit a square peg in a round hole. Remember that the
OSI reference model was designed around one protocol suite and one protocol
suite only: OSI! Trying to apply any other protocol suite to it - be it
IPv4, IPv6, IPX, Apple, what have you - it's convenient for learning and
troubleshooting, but again, it's apples to oranges when you get to the
details.
Speaking of troubleshooting, there's another thing: will knowing if the
existence of ARP is at L2 or L3 help during troubleshooting? As a general
network engineer, it's never helped me none. :-) As a programmer, maybe,
but unless someone can show me how it would help, I'm happy to let it lie.
:-)
BJ
----- Original Message -----
From: Charles Manafa
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Wednesday, June 13, 2001 10:50 AM
Subject: RE: ARP and TCP/IP layering [7:8335]
I think that ARP straddles both Layer 2 and Layer 3. It does not completely
belong to either.
CM
-----Original Message-----
From: Dr Rita Puzmanova
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: 13/06/01 14:58
Subject: ARP and TCP/IP layering [7:8335]
Hi all,
Trivial yet fundamental question. I have seen ARP described as part of
the network (internet) layer so many times that I have started to
believe it belongs there (although I know well that it operates "as if"
the Layer 2 protocol - as per OSI RM). Now I have eventually come across
Doug Comer's statement: "It's part of the network interface layer."
I should not ask where the truth is but still I will. That would mean
quite a lot of books are incorrect in this (including Cisco materials).
Rita
Message Posted at:
http://www.groupstudy.com/form/read.php?f=7&i=8419&t=8335
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