How to study network layer and understand?

[networkloser]

Ok..I have tried to study network layer from Kurose Ross for quite a bit but failed to understand. Stallings network book also went out of my head.

Now I am scared to learn about network layer because I think it is too difficult.

Let's face the fear by naming it.

Network layer means these concepts:


- datagram and virtual circuit

- routing principles and algorithms

- internet protocol (IP)

- ip addressing

- ip transport

- fragmentation and assembly

- ICMP

- routing on the internet

- RIP, OSPF

- router internals

- ipv6


I am learning this for exam but you can consider general way of learning for understanding. No such restrictions of time and stuffs.


What approach is best for this learning?

[deanwebb]

That's a very broad range. You need to start somewhere. I would pick first IP Addressing, as that is the number one area that everything starts with, and it's IPv4 that's out there for the most part. IPv6 exists, but v4 is still dominant. What you learn for v4 will be handy for v6, so there's that.

What do you already know about v4? From that, we can look at resources for getting that totally covered before going into the other topics.