It’s also useful to recognize packets can contain some of the following elements: This method of data communication is known as a connectionless network (as opposed to a dedicated network). By breaking network communications into packets, the same data path can easily be shared among various users on the network. The term packet-switched refers to a type of network in which packets are routed through a network based on the destination address contained within each unit of data. Generally, network packets move around a packet-switched network. An example of overhead data might be source and destination network addresses, error detection codes, or sequencing information.

As such, the payload is the only data used by the destination system. Since the header information-sometimes referred to as overhead data-only provides value during the transmission process, it’s removed from the packet by the time it reaches its desired destination. The header’s job is to identify the source and destination of the packet, while the data being sent is referred to as the payload. When network packets are sent over the internet or through a network, each unit sent contains both header information and the actual user data being transmitted. Depending on the type of network, packets may be referred to by another name: frame, block, cell, segment, etc. A network packet typically contains several pieces of information, including the data it’s carrying and source and destination IP addresses. A network packet represents the smallest measure of data capable of travelling through a network.

Network packet capture tool