What is TCP/IP?

TCP/IP is a set of communication protocols used for data exchange across networks. Its name is derived from TCP, Transmission Control Protocol and IP, Internet Protocol which are the two most important protocols in the suite. TCP/IP is built for the Unix operating system. Due to its reliability, its become the standard for transmitting data over the Internet and most private network.

Below are the two most important sub protocols in the suite:-

• TCP - is a connection-oriented protocol, this means that a connection is first established between the communicating nodes before transmit the data. Data delivery is ensured through sequencing and check sum. If there are any error or lost of data detected it will retransmit the data packet until the data is successfully received.
• IP - responsible for providing information on how and where the data are send to. TCP also includes rules for error correction, establishing and terminating virtual circuits, flow control, sequencing, and formatting messages.

Other core subprotocols in TCP/IP:-

• UDP(User Datagram Protocol)
• ICMP(Internet Control Message Protocol)
• IGMP(Internet Group Management Protocol)
• ARP(Address Resolution Protocol)
• RARP(Reverse Address Resolution Protocol)
• HTTP(Hypertext Transfer Protocol)
• HTTPS(Secure HTTP)
• SMTP(Simple Mail Transfer Protocol)