What layer does a Wireless Acess Point utilize?
By layer, I am assuming you are talking about either the OSI 7
layer model or the TCP/IP 4 layer model. A router is fairly complex
and provides services at 3 of the OSI model layers and 2 of the
TCP/IP model layers.
In the OSI model a router handles the Network Layer. In the
TCP/IP model this layer is called the Internet Layer. It changes
logical addresses to machine addresses and then finds paths
(routes) to the destination node. It may break up the data into
smaller parts for transmission or reassembling data received. There
is no verification of successful transmission. A router also
maintains a list of nodes that it is immediately connected to
(computers, smart TV, Xbox, ...). Data segments from higher layers
is converted to datagrams. Datagrams received from lower layers are
translated into data segments.
The router establishes a Data Link Layer to all devices it is
immediately connected to . This layer provide reliable
communication and can detect and sometimes correct errors at the
Physical Layer. The datagrams received from the Network Layer are
converted into data frames and sent to the Physical layer. Data
frames received from the physical layer are converted into
datagrams and sent to the Network Layer.
The router also provides Physical Link Layer connections to all
devices immediately connected to it. This is physical and
electrical characteristics of the communication media (wire, fiber,
wireless, ...). This is where the signals are negotiated like
speed, timing, pin layout, voltages, ... After negotiation the
physical layer is responsible for actual transmission of data over
the line. Data frames received from the Data Link Layer are
converted to bits and sent to the remote node. Bits received from
the remote node are converted into data frames and sent to the Data
Link Layer.
The Data Link Layer and the Physical Layer are called the Link
Layer in the TCP/IP model.