Computer Science – Types and methods of data transmission | e-Consult
Types and methods of data transmission (1 questions)
When a user downloads a large file over a packet-switched network, the file is first divided into packets. Each packet is then sent as an independent unit across the network. Routers play a crucial role in directing these packets towards the destination (the user's device). Each router examines the destination address in the packet header and forwards the packet to the next hop along the path to the destination.
Network Congestion: If the network becomes congested (i.e., there is too much traffic), packets may experience delays or be dropped. This can lead to a slower download speed and potentially require retransmissions of lost packets. Techniques like Quality of Service (QoS) can be used to prioritize certain types of traffic and mitigate the effects of congestion. The receiving device then reassembles the packets in the correct order to reconstruct the original file.
Diagram:
| Source Device | Router 1 | Router 2 | Destination Device |
| Data is divided into packets. | Packet receives header and forwards to Router 2. | Packet receives header and forwards to Destination Device. | Packets are reassembled into the original file. |