Wireshark is a tool that lets you see what’s happening on a network in real time. It works by putting your computer’s network card into a special mode that lets it “sniff” or capture packets tiny pieces of data moving across the network. Once it catches these packets, Wireshark shows you what’s inside them, like who’s sending the data, who’s receiving it, and what type of information it is (like web traffic, emails, or file transfers). You can use it to spot problems, see suspicious activity, or just understand how devices talk to each other. In short, Wireshark is like a microscope for network traffic it lets you look deep inside data as it travels.
The OSI model shows how computers send data to each other in seven simple steps. The Physical layer is the wires or Wi-Fi that carry signals. The Data Link layer moves data between nearby devices. The Network layer finds the best path to send the data. The Transport layer makes sure the data arrives safely. The Session layer keeps the connection open while they talk. The Presentation layer makes the data readable. The Application layer is what you use like a browser or email. All these layers work together so computers can share information easily.