Data transmission

Data transmission

The process of sending digital information from one device to another across a network.

Protocol

A standard set of rules that governs how devices communicate and exchange data across a network.

SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol)

A communication protocol responsible for sending outgoing email messages across networks.

POP3 (Post Office Protocol 3)

An email retrieval protocol that downloads messages from a mail server to a single local device, usually deleting them from the server.

IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol)

An email retrieval protocol that stores messages on the mail server and synchronises them across multiple devices.

HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol)

An application protocol used to deliver unencrypted webpage data between web browsers and web servers.

HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure)

An encrypted communication protocol used for transmitting sensitive web data securely between a browser and a server.

FTP (File Transfer Protocol)

A standard network protocol used to upload and download files between computers on a network.

TCP (Transmission Control Protocol)

A reliable, connection-oriented protocol that numbers packets, checks for errors, and retransmits lost data to guarantee intact delivery.

UDP (User Datagram Protocol)

A fast, connectionless protocol that sends data without verification checks or retransmission, suitable for gaming and live streaming.

Packet

A discrete unit of formatted data containing a payload along with routing metadata such as source and destination addresses.

Bandwidth

The maximum volume of data that a connection can transmit per unit of time, typically measured in Mbps or Gbps.

Latency

The time delay that occurs while a data packet travels from its origin to its destination, usually measured in milliseconds.

Ping

A diagnostic utility that tests network reachability and measures the round-trip time for a packet to return from a host.

VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol)

A technology that converts analogue audio signals into digital data to enable voice calls over the internet.

HTTP 400 Bad Request

A client error response code indicating that the server cannot process the request due to malformed or invalid syntax.

HTTP 401 Unauthorized

A client error response code indicating that the request lacks valid authentication credentials for the requested resource.

HTTP 404 Not Found

A client error response code indicating that the server cannot locate the requested webpage or file.

HTTP 500 Internal Server Error

A server error response code indicating that an unexpected issue prevented the server from fulfilling a valid request.

Factors affecting network performance

Conditions impacting transmission speeds and reliability, including high user count, physical interference, distance from access points, and bandwidth demands.