How it works

Packets- it is a network that breaks up a specific e-mail message into parts of a

certain size in bytes. Each packet carries information that will help get it to its
desired destination, whether that is regional or world-wide.
Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP):
TCP- is responsible for verifying the data from each client and ensuring that it is
correct. Its possible for data to be lost but T! adds support to detect errors and or
lost data.
IP- forwards each packet based on a four byte destination address or as we would
call it, the I! number. I! operates on "gateway machines# which then send data
from department to organization to region and then all around the world.

How Does E-Mail Work?
Sending Mail
When you send an email youre connected to the Internet service provider's mail
server. our messa!e will "e "roken up into smaller parts #packets$ and this way it
can travel more %uickly &rom server to server. 'nce your messa!e reaches its
destination it is then reassem"led.

Sorting the Mail
In the same way that postal mail is sorted &irst "y (I) code* e-mail messa!es are
sorted "y domain. +or the e-mail address feedback@allbusiness.com* &or e,ample* the
domain is the allbusiness.com portion. -he domain identi&ies where the messa!e
needs to !o.
Each domain name maps to a uni%ue We" address* called an Internet )rotocol #I)$
address* which is a strin! o& num"ers "y which each server is identi&ied* the same way
a street address identi&ies a physical location. -hese relationships are stored in the
Domain .ame /e!istry. When the e-mail server receives a messa!e* it looks at the
domain and checks the re!istry to determine what I) address to send the messa!e to.
'nce it determines the proper destination* the e-mail messa!e is sent on its way.
Delivering the Mail
Dependin! on where the destination server is* the ori!inal e-mail server may not
actually make the &inal hando&&0 in &act* it is likely that the messa!e will travel
"etween several trans&er points "e&ore reachin! its &inal destination. Each 1hop1
identi&ies the domain* and passes the messa!e to another trans&er point. -his process is
repeated 2 the messa!e !ettin! closer and closer to its destination 2 until the correct
server is reached. 3sernames are like post o&&ice "o, num"ers* and passwords act like
keys that open the correct "o,. 'nce a messa!e reaches the appropriate domain
server* it's channeled into the ri!ht e-mail account and stored until the user lo!s in and
checks &or mail. In other words* this is how the feedback@allbusiness.com address is
di&&erentiated &rom the service@allbusiness.com address.
When the recipient tells his or her e-mail pro!ram* like Microso&t 'utlook* to check
&or new mail* the e-mail pro!ram connects to the e-mail server* looks in the user's
mail"o,* and retrieves any mail that's waitin!. -he messa!e's 4ourney is complete 2
and all this may have taken place in 4ust a matter o& seconds.