Network Communication Revealed

Imagine how difficult it would be for you to read and comprehend this article if it was as one long sentence.
When individuals talk, they send messages broken into smaller sentences. These sentences are usually not very long and the receiving individual can process easily. A dialogue contains many small sentences because this way the message is received and understood better. Similarly, when a lengthy message is sent from one computer to another computer, it is essential to break the communication into smaller pieces.

Many strict rules exist about the size of the pieces, or frames.
They can also be different, depending on the network medium used. If a frame is too long or too short it is dropped.
The size limitations of network frames require the source computer to break a long communication into smaller parts that meet the minimum and maximum size specifications.

Every single part is encapsulated in a different frame with the address info, and is sent to the destination computer. At the receiving computer, the small pieces are de-encapsulated and put back together.

Timing is another very important factor. Access Method Access Method controls when a computer is able to send a message.

All the timing rules are based on the network environment. For instance, you may be able to speak only when no one else is speaking. If two computers transmit messages at the same time, a collision of information occurs and they have to back off and start again.
So, it is essential for computers to define an access method.

Every computer on a network needs an access method in order to know when to begin sending messages and what to do when errors occur.
Flow Control If you speak too quickly, it is hard for the other individual to hear and understand what you say.

Some people might ask you to slow down.
In network environments, a sending computer can transmit information at a faster rate than the destination computer can process. Source and destination computers use flow control to discuss timing.

Response Timeout If someone asks a question and does not receive a response within a normal amount of time, the individual thinks that the other person did not answer and reacts accordingly.

The individual may repeat the question after sometime. Computers on the network also have rules that describe how long to wait for responses and what action to take if a response does not come.