How does packets work

If the split data is being processed by the IP network protocol, then it is an IP datagram. Frame refers to the physical presentation or container for a network protocol. After encapsulation, the IP assesses and assigns the source information, destination IP addresses, identifiers as well as quality of service QoS parameters to each datagram, which helps determine the best physical path to be taken by the datagram.

Subsequently, the frame acts as a series of binary signals placed on a physical structure such as fiber, coax, hubs, coax, etc. The NIC then acts as a network gateway from which your computer connects through cables such as fiber, coax, etc.

From the NIC the frames are transported as signals to the destination IP address — device — at which end they are reassembled to display original information such as texts, graphics, etc. A network packet is divided into three parts; the header, payload, and trailer, each containing values that are characteristic of it. The payload is oftentimes referred to as data. This refers to the actual data being transported by the packet. Depending on the network, the size can vary between 48 bytes to 4 kb range.

The payload is the only data that is received by the source and destination, as the header information is stripped from the packet when it reaches the destination. How does it 'talk' to other computers connected to the Internet?

An example should serve here: Let's say your IP address is 1. The message you want to send is "Hello computer 5. Obviously, the message must be transmitted over whatever kind of wire connects your computer to the Internet.

Let's say you've dialed into your ISP from home and the message must be transmitted over the phone line. Therefore the message must be translated from alphabetic text into electronic signals, transmitted over the Internet, then translated back into alphabetic text.

How is this accomplished? Through the use of a protocol stack. Every computer needs one to communicate on the Internet and it is usually built into the computer's operating system i. Windows, Unix, etc. Hardware Layer Converts binary packet data to network signals and back. If we were to follow the path that the message "Hello computer 5. If the message to be sent is long, each stack layer that the message passes through may break the message up into smaller chunks of data.

This is because data sent over the Internet and most computer networks are sent in manageable chunks. On the Internet, these chunks of data are known as packets. Each packet is assigned a port number. We need to know which program on the destination computer needs to receive the message because it will be listening on a specific port.

This is where each packet receives it's destination address, 5. Now that our message packets have a port number and an IP address, they are ready to be sent over the Internet.

The hardware layer takes care of turning our packets containing the alphabetic text of our message into electronic signals and transmitting them over the phone line. On the other end of the phone line your ISP has a direct connection to the Internet. The ISPs router examines the destination address in each packet and determines where to send it.

Often, the packet's next stop is another router. More on routers and Internet infrastructure later. Eventually, the packets reach computer 5. As the packets go upwards through the stack, all routing data that the sending computer's stack added such as IP address and port number is stripped from the packets.

When the data reaches the top of the stack, the packets have been re-assembled into their original form, "Hello computer 5. But what's in-between? What actually makes up the Internet? Let's look at another diagram: Diagram 3 Here we see Diagram 1 redrawn with more detail. The physical connection through the phone network to the Internet Service Provider might have been easy to guess, but beyond that might bear some explanation.

The ISP maintains a pool of modems for their dial-in customers. This is managed by some form of computer usually a dedicated one which controls data flow from the modem pool to a backbone or dedicated line router. This setup may be refered to as a port server, as it 'serves' access to the network.

Billing and usage information is usually collected here as well. From here the packets will usually journey through several routers and over several backbones, dedicated lines, and other networks until they find their destination, the computer with address 5. But wouldn't it would be nice if we knew the exact route our packets were taking over the Internet?

As it turns out, there is a way This one is called traceroute and it shows the path your packets are taking to a given Internet destination. Like ping, you must use traceroute from a command prompt. In Windows, use tracert www. A packet is a basic unit of communication over a digital network. A packet is also called a datagram, a segment, a block, a cell or a frame, depending on the protocol used for the transmission of data.

When data has to be transmitted, it is broken down into similar structures of data before transmission, called packets, which are reassembled to the original data chunk once they reach their destination. The structure of a packet depends on the type of packet it is and on the protocol. Normally, a packet has a header and a payload. Sign up for our Newsletter!

Mobile Newsletter banner close. Mobile Newsletter chat close. Mobile Newsletter chat dots. Mobile Newsletter chat avatar. Mobile Newsletter chat subscribe.

Computer Hardware. What is a packet? Updated: Mar 30, Network Packet Structure " ". I've heard that data travels in packets on a computer network.

What is a packet, and why do networks use them? Length of packet some networks have fixed-length packets, while others rely on the header to contain this information Synchronization a few bits that help the packet match up to the network Packet number which packet this is in a sequence of packets Protocol on networks that carry multiple types of information, the protocol defines what type of packet is being transmitted: e-mail, Web page, streaming video Destination address where the packet is going Originating address where the packet came from.

Everything you do on the internet is done in packets. This means that every webpage that you receive comes as a series of packets, and every email you send to someone leaves as a series of packets. Networks that send or receive data in small packets are called packet-switched networks.