Which layer of the OSI Reference Model is responsible for receiving messages from another device?

The Physical layer is responsible for the actual transmission and reception of raw data bits over a physical medium. This layer is fundamentally concerned with how data is physically sent across a network, which includes the electrical and physical specifications for devices, data rates, timings, and the types of media used for transmission (such as cables or wireless signals).

When a message is sent from one device to another, it is at the Physical layer that the binary data (0s and 1s) is received. The Physical layer ensures that this data is correctly interpreted from the physical signals that are transmitted over the medium, making it essential for facilitating communication between devices.

The other layers, though integral to the overall process of communication, handle different roles. The Network layer, for example, is concerned with routing packets across the network, while the Transport layer focuses on delivering messages end-to-end with error checking and flow control. The Application layer is at the top of the OSI model, handling user interfaces and application-level data exchange. Each of these layers plays its part, but it is the Physical layer that is directly responsible for the reception of messages in their raw bit form.