The data payload of an IP datagram, also known as an IP packet, is the portion of the packet that carries the actual data being transmitted. The payload is located in the data field of the IP header, which is the portion of the packet that follows the IP header and precedes the IP trailer.
The payload of an IP datagram can contain a variety of information, depending on the type of data being transmitted. For example, the payload may contain:
Data from a file being transferred across a network
The contents of an email message
Web page data being transmitted from a server to a client
Streaming audio or video data
Any other type of data that needs to be transmitted across a network using the IP protocol
The payload of an IP datagram is limited in size by the maximum transmission unit (MTU) of the network. The MTU is the largest size that an IP datagram can be without being fragmented into smaller packets. The size of the payload is also affected by the size of the IP header and trailer, as well as any additional headers or trailers that may be added by other protocols.