Final answer:
Wireless Local Area Networks (LANs) operate at the Data Link layer of the OSI model, which takes care of node connectivity and frame traffic management with protocols like LLC and MAC, crucial for Wi-Fi communication.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Open Systems Interconnection model (OSI) is a conceptual framework that characterizes and standardizes the communication functions of a telecommunication or computing system without regard to its underlying internal structure and technology. Wireless Local Area Networks (LANs) operate primarily at the Data Link layer of the OSI model, which is the second layer. This layer is responsible for node-to-node connectivity and frame trafficking between two physically connected nodes. It includes protocols such as the Logical Link Control (LLC) and Media Access Control (MAC), which are crucial for wireless communication like Wi-Fi.
Specifically, the MAC sublayer within the Data Link layer is where wireless networking standards, such as IEEE 802.11 for Wi-Fi, come into play. These standards define the rules for how devices on a wireless LAN communicate with one another, as well as how access to the wireless medium is controlled.