| TCP/IP
is the communication protocol for
the Internet.
Computer Communication Protocol
A computer communication protocol
is a description of the rules computers
must follow to communicate with each
other.
What is TCP/IP?
TCP/IP is the communication protocol
for communication between computers
connected to the Internet.
TCP/IP stands for Transmission
Control Protocol / Internet
Protocol.
The standard defines how electronic
devices (like computers) should be
connected to the Internet, and how
data should be transmitted between
them.
Inside TCP/IP
Hiding inside the TCP/IP standard
there are a number of protocols for
handling data communication:
- TCP (Transmission Control Protocol)
communication between applications
- UDP (User Datagram Protocol) simple
communication between applications
- IP (Internet Protocol) communication
between computers
- ICMP (Internet Control Message
Protocol) for errors and statistics
- DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration
Protocol) for dynamic addressing
You will learn more about these standards
later in this tutorial.
TCP Uses a Fixed Connection
TCP is for communication between
applications.
When an application wants to communicate
with another application via TCP,
it sends a communication request.
This request must be sent to an exact
address. After a "handshake" between
the two applications, TCP will setup
a "full-duplex" communication between
the two applications.
The "full-duplex" communication will
occupy the communication line between
the two computers until it is closed
by one of the two applications.
UDP is very similar to TCP, but is
simpler and less reliable.
IP is Connection-Less
IP is for communication between computers.
IP is a "connection-less" communication
protocol. It does not occupy the communication
line between two communicating computers.
This way IP reduces the need for network
lines. Each line can be used for communication
between many different computers at
the same time.
With IP, messages (or other data)
are broken up into small independent
"packets" and sent between computers
via the Internet.
IP is responsible for "routing" each
packet to its destination.
IP Routers
When an IP packet is sent from a
computer, it arrives at an IP router.
The IP router is responsible for
"routing" the packet to its destination,
directly or via another router.
The path the packet will follow might
be different from other packets of
the same communication. The router
is responsible for the right addressing
depending on traffic volume, errors
in the network, or other parameters.
Connection-Less Analogy
Communicating via IP is like sending
a long letter as a large number of
small postcards, each finding its
own (often different) way to the receiver.
TCP/IP
TCP/IP is TCP and IP working together.
TCP takes care of the communication
between your application software
(i.e. your browser) and your network
software.
IP takes care of the communication
with other computers.
TCP is responsible for breaking data
down into IP packets before they are
sent, and for assembling the packets
when they arrive.
IP is responsible for sending the
packets to the receiver.
TCP/IP Basics
[TCP/IP
Tutorial] [TCP/IP
Intro] [TCP/IP
Addressing] [TCP/IP
Protocols] [TCP/IP
Email]
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