CompTIA Network+ Practice Test

In which layer of the OSI model does an Access Point operate?

1. Layer 1 - Physical

2. Layer 2 - Data Link

3. Layer 3 - Network

4. Layer 4 - Transport

The correct answer is: Layer 2 - Data Link

An Access Point operates primarily at Layer 2 of the OSI model, which is the Data Link layer. This layer is responsible for node-to-node data transfer and the handling of error correction from the Physical layer. An Access Point facilitates communication between wireless devices and a wired network, allowing devices on the same local area network (LAN) to transmit data to one another and connect to external networks, such as the internet. The Data Link layer is divided into two sublayers: Logical Link Control (LLC) and Media Access Control (MAC). The Access Point primarily functions within the MAC sublayer by controlling how data packets are placed on the network media and managing protocol access to the physical transmission medium. This includes tasks such as addressing and framing, which ensure that the data packets sent and received are handled correctly. While Layers 1, 3, and 4 respectively deal with the physical transmission of raw bits, routing between different networks, and end-to-end communication, these layers do not encompass the functionality of an Access Point, which specifically manages wireless connections and local data transfer within a network.