CRC stands for Cyclic Redundancy Check.
It is a type of error-detecting code used to ensure the
integrity of data in computer networks.
Here’s how CRC works:
1. Data Encoding: The data is represented as a binary number.
2. Polynomial Division: A generator polynomial (a fixed binary number) is used to divide the
data. The remainder of this division is the CRC value.
3. Transmission: The data along with the CRC value is sent to the receiver.
4. Verification: The receiver applies the same polynomial division to the received data. If the
remainder (CRC value) matches the transmitted CRC value, the data is considered error-
free. If there’s a discrepancy, it indicates potential data corruption.
CRC Algorithm Steps:
1. Append zeroes to the data (the number of zeroes is one less than the number of bits in the
generator polynomial).
2. Divide the augmented data by the generator polynomial using binary division.
3. The remainder after division is the CRC value.
4. Append the CRC value to the original data for transmission.
Example: If the data is 11010011101100 and the generator polynomial is 1011, the CRC value
is calculated and appended to the data. The receiver performs the same calculation to check for any
errors during transmission.
Applications:
• Network communication protocols (e.g., Ethernet, Wi-Fi)
• Storage devices (e.g., hard drives, SSDs)
• Data compression and file formats (e.g., ZIP, RAR)
CRC is widely used because it’s efficient at detecting common errors caused by noise in
transmission channels.