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I want to know how a network packet travels through different layers, i.e. from the physical layer to the presentation layer in Linux systems.

Are there any detailed articles or books on this topic with code?

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  • Ummm... sorry to be harsh but.. something is wrong - you failed to google, yet you answered and upvoted hotei's answer on OSI?! OSI is the key to understanding the different layers...you should not have to worry about the layers - let the network layer take care of it for you, OSI layer 4...
    – t0mm13b
    Sep 28, 2010 at 21:22

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The OSI layer model isn't how networking is actually programmed. You might check this book if you're interested in C code samples:

http://www.amazon.com/Unix-Network-Programming-Sockets-Networking/dp/0131411551/ref=sr_1_1?s=gateway&ie=UTF8&qid=1285699272&sr=8-1

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  • This book is not what I exactly wanted. It is mostly on tcp/ip. I want codes for other layers also.
    – ranjit
    Sep 28, 2010 at 18:58
  • By other layers you mean ...?
    – hotei
    Sep 28, 2010 at 20:39
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not cheap, but one of the definite classics. Richad Stevens: "TCP/IP Illustrated Vol.1 The Protocols". Very thorough, covers of course also UDP, ICMP, etc. pp.

If your're into programming, there's also "TCP/IP Illustrated Vol. 2 The Implementation" by Gary Wright.

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7 Application
6 Presentation
5 Session
4 Transport
3 Network
2 Data
1 Physical

TCP / IP combines certain layers

7-5 Application
4   Transport
3   Internetwork
2-1 Network Access

Conceptually the OSI model looks like this

7 Application---- ------------- Application
6 Presentation--- ------------- Presentation
5 Session-------- ------------- Session
4 Transport------ ------------- Transport
3 Network-------- ---Network--- Network
2 Data----------- ---Data------ Data
1 Physical------- ---Physical-- Physical

Each send layer appears to communicate transparently to the corresponding receive layer. In routed networks (middle column) the same is true.

As a packet descends from 7 to 1 each layer attaches header information that the layer below sees as a Protocol Data Unit. As the packet ascends the the model each layer removes the header.

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