Information traverses the Internet and internal local networks in the form of packets. Thus, the documents and files on your computer are not sent intact to a printer or a colleague. Instead, they are first divided into packets and those packets are then sent over the local area network and, perhaps, the Internet, to their destination. The device receiving those packets must then reassemble them in order to recreate the original document or file. Well-defined rules and procedures called protocols dictate how to perform all these activities. Figure 7-5 (see next page) shows how two important protocols, referred to as TCP/IP, govern the process for transmitting information over the Internet. The Transmission Control protocol (TCP) specifies the procedures for dividing files and documents into packets to be sent over the Internet and the methods for reassembly of the original document or file at the destination. The Internet Protocol (IP) specifies the structure of those packets and how to rout them to the proper destination.