I apologize for what may seem like a simple question to you all and I apologize if this is not the right group to post this question, but I am really having a hard time grasping this concept and would really appreciate some clarification.
I am working under the following assumption. Some type of layer 2 protocol must ALWAYS exist for computer to computer communications to occur. Is this correct? For example, if I am at my pc and try to go to a web address, I may send an IP packet inside an Ethernet frame, which would get converted to a IP frame in a DSL packet and then converted some other layer 2 protocol before hitting the web server I intended.
If the above is true, my next question would be, what layer 2 protocol is most widely used on backbone networks in the internet (ATM, Frame Relay)?
And my other questions:
#1 Does anyone know of any diagrams or web sites that would list all the different types of layer 2 protocols? #2 If someone says they have an IP Core, it couldn't possibly mean that layer 2 does not exist does it? They must be using some type of layer
2!!!I appreciate any assistance in this or if someone could point me to a web site that helps me grasp layer 2 with examples, rather than just descriptions.