145k views
1 vote
Compare between medium access control protocols and data link control protocols, and find at least three similarities and three differences between them.

User Skubski
by
8.5k points

1 Answer

3 votes

Final answer:

Medium Access Control Protocols and Data Link Control Protocols are similar in terms of their function, ensuring reliable data transfer, and having protocols standards. However, they differ in terms of scope, functionality, and examples of protocols.

Step-by-step explanation:

Medium Access Control Protocols and Data Link Control Protocols are both important in network communication. They have three main similarities:

Both protocols handle the communication between devices: Medium access control protocols determine how devices access the shared medium, while data link control protocols manage the flow and error control of data transmission.

Both ensure reliable and efficient data transfer: Medium access control protocols use mechanisms like CSMA/CD (Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Detection) to avoid collisions, while data link control protocols use techniques like error detection and retransmission.

Both have protocol standards: Medium access control protocols like Ethernet follow standards like IEEE 802.3, while data link control protocols like HDLC (High-Level Data Link Control) follow standards like ISO 3309.

Despite these similarities, there are also some differences between these protocols:

Scope: Medium access control protocols focus on managing access to the shared medium, whereas data link control protocols focus on managing data transfer between adjacent network nodes.

Functionality: Medium access control protocols function at the Data Link layer of the OSI model, while data link control protocols function at the Physical and Data Link layers.

Examples: Some examples of medium access control protocols are Ethernet, Wi-Fi, and Token Ring. Examples of data link control protocols include HDLC, PPP (Point-to-Point Protocol), and LAPB (Link Access Procedure, Balanced).

User Lordisp
by
7.0k points