Example Flow of the OSI Model: WhatsApp Call

  • The sender speaks and the Application Layer, or WhatsApp, collects the data
  • The data goes to the Presentation Layer, where it is translated, compressed, and encrypted
  • WhatsApp uses end-to-end encryption, which means that only the sender and receiver can understand the message
  • The Session Layer manages the dialog between the start and end nodes by establishing, maintaining, synchronizing, and terminating connections, or sessions, mainly with Session Description Protocol, or SDP
  • Application data from the Application Layer goes to the Transport Layer
  • The Transport Layer breaks large Application Data into smaller Data
  • Each Data item has a Transport Layer Header, which is the TCP or UDP Header

Application Data = (Header) Data + (Header) Data + ... + (Header) Data

  • Segments go to the Network Layer
  • The Network Layer adds the Network Layer Header and forms Packets, or Header plus Data

1 Packet = Network Layer Header + TCP/UDP Header + Data

  • The packet goes to the Data Link Layer
  • The Data Link Layer adds the Header and Trailer and forms Frames

1 Frame = Data Link Header + Network Layer Header + TCP/UDP Header + Data + Data Link Trailer

  • Frames go to the Physical Layer, where the data is treated as 0s and 1s, or Bits
  • Bits are converted into signals for transmission over the transmission medium