Abstract: Computers are linked together to form a network. Messages are sent over the links between the computers in compressed, segmented form, the size of the segments being appropriate to the transmission characteristics of the link. A message previously received or transmitted by a computer is stored in compressed and segmented form. If it is desired to forward or re-transmit this message, the segment size of the stored form is compared against the optimum segment size for the link over which the message is to be sent. If there is a close match, then the stored segmented, compressed message is retrieved for direct transmittal, without having to resegment or recompress the message.