Difference between revisions of "Data packet"
From Internet User Guide
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| − | A | + | A data packet is a formatted block of data sent across a [[computer network]]. |
==Packet header== | ==Packet header== | ||
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The computer's [[IP address]] is like the street address of an apartment building, while the [[port]] number is like the number of a particular apartment within the building. | The computer's [[IP address]] is like the street address of an apartment building, while the [[port]] number is like the number of a particular apartment within the building. | ||
| − | The [[IP address]] and the [[port]] number together make up an | + | The [[IP address]] and the [[port]] number together make up an internet socket, which is one of the end-points of a two-way communication flow between specific application processes running on two different devices connected to the Internet. |
==Packet forwarding and packet routing== | ==Packet forwarding and packet routing== | ||
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[[Packet forwarding]] takes place just from one [[node]] to the next, while [[packet routing]] selects the path of links over which to send the packet towards its final destination. | [[Packet forwarding]] takes place just from one [[node]] to the next, while [[packet routing]] selects the path of links over which to send the packet towards its final destination. | ||
| − | Packet forwarding is handled at lower | + | Packet forwarding is handled at lower network layers, while packet routing involves higher network layers. Forwarding and routing are generally described in terms of one or the other of the two standard [[network protocol]]s: the [[Internet Protocol]] or the older [[OSI protocols]]. |
==See Also== | ==See Also== | ||
*[[IP address]] | *[[IP address]] | ||
*[[Port]] | *[[Port]] | ||
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*[[Packet forwarding]] | *[[Packet forwarding]] | ||
*[[Network protocol]] | *[[Network protocol]] | ||
