Packet Switching
n Slices
digital
messages
into
packets
n Sends
packets
along
different
communication
paths
as
they
become
available
n Reassembles
packets
once
they
arrive
at
destination
n Uses
routers
v Special
purpose
computers
that
interconnect
the
computer
networks
that
make
up
the
Internet
and
route
packets
v Routing
algorithms
ensure
packets
take
the
best
available
path
toward
their
destination
n Less
expensive,
wasteful
than
circuit-‐switching