What is typically handled at the Physical layer of the OSI model?

At the Physical layer of the OSI model, the primary focus is on the actual transmission and reception of raw data over a physical medium. This includes the electrical, optical, or radio signals that represent bits transmitted over cables, fiber optics, or wirelessly. The Physical layer defines the hardware elements involved in the communication process, such as connectors, pin layout, voltages, and cable specifications.

It serves as the foundation for higher layers of the OSI model by ensuring that the physical transfer of data is executed correctly, thus allowing signals to be converted into the necessary states for further processing. This enables effective communication between devices, as it provides the means for the binary data to be transmitted and received accurately.

In contrast, data encryption is related to the Presentation or Application layers, session management pertains to the Session layer, and routing and forwarding packets are functions of the Network layer. Each of these elements plays a role in different layers of the OSI model, highlighting the distinct responsibilities assigned to each layer.