Encapsulation/Decapsulation

Networking and Telecommunications

Boot Camp
Jungwoo Ryoo, Ph.D., CISSP, CISA
 Message Delivery
Within a single network
Physical address
Media Access Control (MAC) address
Ethernet address

Within an internet
IP address

Within a host
Port number

Dr. J
 An Analogy
Envelope for port numbers

Envelope for IP addresses

Envelope for Ethernet addresses

Dr. J
 Reality
Header

Data field

Trailer
Trailer Data Field Header

Dr. J
 Message Assembly Process
Encapsulation when sending a message
Application process
Generates data to be sent
Transport process
Adds TCP header
Internet process
Adds IP packet header
Data link process
Adds frame header and trailer
Physical process
Turns everything a signal

Dr. J
 Message Decomposition Process
Decapsulation when receiving a message
Physical process
Turns the signal into a frame
Data link process
Removes the frame header and trailer
Internet process
Removes the IP packet header
Transport process
Removes the TCP header
Application process
Receives the data

Dr. J
Encapsulation Explained Pictorially

Data

TCP
Data
header

TCP IP
Data
header header

Frame TCP IP Frame

Data
Trailer header header header

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Decapsulation Explained Pictorially

Frame TCP IP Frame

Data
Trailer header header header

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 Conclusion
Encapsulation and decapsulation
Part of an addressing mechanism
Necessary to send and receive messages

Dr. J