The access layer ensures that _________ are delivered to end user devices.

• A. Packets
• B. Segments
• C. Bits
• D. Frames

Answer: (D)

Frames are the unit delivered to end-user devices. The access layer sits at the edge of the network and handles the data link layer responsibilities, turning network-layer packets into frames so they can be transmitted over the local medium to the device’s network interface card. Frames carry MAC addresses, which allow the switches and end devices to identify the exact recipient on the local network.

Bits are the raw electrical signals of the physical layer, not what the end device ultimately processes. Packets belong to the network layer and are used for routing between networks. Segments belong to the transport layer and are about end-to-end communication between hosts. The access layer’s role is to move frames to the correct endpoint on the local network.