Network2/Concept/Link

A link is a network of nodes in which every pair of nodes can exchange messages via interfaces attached to media. Frequently, links are made to encompass more nodes by bridging two or more distinct media, e.g. as is done with wired switches, wired hubs, or multi-channel wireless access points.

Links are characterized by their:

• capacity, latency, jitter, and error characteristics
• efficient support (or lack of support) for unicast, multicast, or broadcast message propagation
• collision-avoidance strategy for messages, (also called a "media access control" (MAC) discipline)
• framing protocol, which participating interfaces use to detect message boundaries
• maximum transmission unit (MTU), which is the size of the largest single message that the link can propagate

and by what kind of message they carry.