N10-005 · Question #732
Which of the following OSI model layers is used to order packets which may have arrived out of order?
The correct answer is A. Transport. The Transport layer (Layer 4) is responsible for reassembling and reordering packets that arrive out of sequence using sequence numbers, a feature of the TCP protocol.
Question
Which of the following OSI model layers is used to order packets which may have arrived out of order?
Options
- ATransport
- BPresentation
- CNetwork
- DSession
How the community answered
(26 responses)- A88% (23)
- B8% (2)
- D4% (1)
Why each option
The Transport layer (Layer 4) is responsible for reassembling and reordering packets that arrive out of sequence using sequence numbers, a feature of the TCP protocol.
TCP at the Transport layer assigns a sequence number to each segment, allowing the receiving host to reorder segments that arrive out of order before passing the complete data stream to upper layers. This sequencing mechanism is fundamental to TCP's reliable delivery guarantee. UDP, also at Layer 4, does not provide reordering, so applications requiring it must use TCP.
The Presentation layer (Layer 6) handles data formatting, encryption, and compression but does not manage packet sequencing or ordering.
The Network layer (Layer 3) routes packets toward their destination using IP addressing but does not track sequence numbers or reorder packets.
The Session layer (Layer 5) manages session establishment, maintenance, and termination between applications but does not handle packet reordering.
Concept tested: TCP sequencing and packet reordering at Layer 4
Source: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/windows-server/networking/description-tcp-ip-model
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