What refers to pieces of related information that are transferred through a network?

The correct answer is that the term which refers to pieces of related information transferred through a network is known as a packet. In networking terminology, a packet is a formatted unit of data carried by a packet-switched network. Packets are essential for the transmission of data over networks because they break down larger messages into smaller, manageable pieces. This allows for efficient routing, error detection, and ensures that data can be correctly reconstructed at the destination.

The concept of a connection refers to the establishment of a link between two network entities, while protocol refers to a set of formal rules that dictate how data is transmitted and received over the network. Bandwidth is the maximum rate of data transfer across a network path, but it does not specifically refer to the data structure itself. Understanding that packets are the fundamental units of data communication allows one to grasp key networking concepts more effectively.