Tuesday 20 August 2013
In Computer Networks we mostly hear three terms with respect to data transferred from one computer to another computer and they are Segments,Packets and frames.Most of us have confusion abput these terms.They feel similar when we are reading some topics on Computer Networks.So what exactly is the Difference between Segments,Packets and Frames? Let us see.
Okay so I hope you People have some knowledge about layers in Networks.You can take a look here Layers in Computer Networks. Now, I will go from higher layer to lower layer. At Application layer the data is send by the client to lower layer i.e Transport layer. Transport layer divided the data into Segments or Datagrams. There are two protocols of Transport layer and they are UDP and TCP. TCP divides data into Segments whereas UDP divides data into Datagrams.
Now it goes at Network layer. At Network layer the unit becomes Packets.The network layer adds IP address to it and now we call it a Packets.
Now when it reaches the datalink layer,the layer adds physical address and now the last step would be to send it to physical layer so that it can be converter to bits and then modulate them and send them as signals but to allow receiver to know which bits came first we divide the data into frames at datalink layer. So at datalink layer we usually say frames and it is one of the important function of link layer that we call framing.
So in short:-
At Transport layer - Segments or Datagrams
At Network layer - Packets
At Datalink layer - frames
This was the Difference between Segments,Packets and Frames. If you have any queries please let me know.
