The Internet protocol suite, commonly called TCP/IP, organizes the protocols that enable communication across the Internet and similar networks. This lesson introduces its purpose, historical origins, and four-layer structure.
The suite specifies how data is packetized, addressed, transmitted, routed, and received. It enables communication between applications on the same host or on hosts connected through different networks. Its protocols are grouped by their functional scope rather than by the hardware on which they run.
All flashcards
Internet protocol suite
A framework that organizes protocols for packetizing, addressing, transmitting, routing, and receiving data.
TCP/IP layers
From lowest to highest: link, internet, transport, and application.
Protocol stack
An implementation of protocols across layers, with each layer using services from the layer below.
ARPANET Interface Message Processor (IMP)
An early packet-switching device used to connect sites on the ARPANET.
Encapsulation
The process of adding layer-specific protocol information to data as it moves down the stack.
Quiz questions
What does best-effort delivery by IP mean?Answer: IP forwards datagrams without guaranteeing delivery, order, or uniqueness.
Which service does TCP provide to applications?Answer: A reliable, ordered byte stream between communicating hosts.
What happens during encapsulation as data moves down the TCP/IP stack?Answer: Each layer adds information needed for its own communication function.
Which OSI functions are commonly encompassed by the TCP/IP application layer?Answer: Application, presentation, and session functions.
Which capability is supported by SCTP?Answer: Using multiple streams and multiple IP addresses in one association.