What are the functions of the Internet Protocol?
Internet Protocol or IP is the method that governs how computers share data across the Internet. When a computer sends data, such as an email or a web form, its message gets broken down into small packets that contain the Internet address of the sending computer, the address of the receiving computer, and part of the message. Internet Protocol serves several basic functions.
Addressing
IP packet headers contain addresses that identify the sending computer and the target computer. Routers use this information to guide each packet through communication networks and connect the sending and receiving computers.
Reassembly
Internet Protocol keeps track of any messages between computers are broken into packets. Since most of the messages are too large to fit into one package, and since the packets are not sent in any organized order, they must be reassembled as they arrive to the recipient. IP determines how the packets are reassembled into usable messages.
Timeout
Each IP packet contains a self-destructive counter that limits the duration. If expires defined duration of a package, the package is destroyed so that the Internet does not become overloaded with broken packages wander aimlessly.
Options
IP includes optional features such as allowing the sending computer decide the path that your packets take to reach the destination computer to trace the path taken or include greater security in the packages.
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