In a TCP/IP network, which layer handles error detection and recovery?

The Transport Layer is responsible for error detection and recovery in a TCP/IP network. This layer ensures that data is transmitted accurately and reliably between devices on the network. It accomplishes this by using techniques such as checksums for error detection and acknowledgments for confirming receipt of data packets. If a packet is lost or corrupted during transmission, the Transport Layer can detect this issue and request that the affected data be retransmitted. This ability to manage reliability is crucial for applications that require guaranteed data delivery, such as file transfer, web browsing, and email.

While other layers do contribute to error handling in different contexts, they do not focus specifically on the end-to-end reliability and recovery that the Transport Layer provides. The Application Layer deals with user interface and application-specific functionalities, the Network Layer focuses on routing data between devices across multiple networks, and the Data Link Layer handles error detection primarily for frames within a single local network segment rather than for end-to-end communication.