Packet Switching

Packet switching is defined as a digital networking method in which large messages are decomposed into relatively small chunks called packets (sometimes called blocks, segments, cells, or frames), which can then be transmitted through multiple communication channels and reassembled at the destination. It is the fundamental mode of information transportation in all modern computer networks. This entry examines the dynamics of packet switching, packet versus circuit switching, the history of packet switching, and connectionless versus connection-oriented packet switching.