TCP/IP sockets facilitate communication between two devices by identifying the IP address and port number. Ports are used to send and receive data, and sockets establish a uniform language between machines. Sockets are created when a communication protocol is established and closed when finished. Applications use sockets to send and receive data.
A TCP/IP socket is used for communication between two computers. The socket includes the Internet Protocol (IP) address, as well as the host or port that computers use to transmit data. All applications participating in the broadcast use the socket to send and receive information.
The purpose of a TCP/IP socket is to identify the unique IP address of your computer or network server, along with its port number. Port numbers are sometimes referred to as hosts and tell the receiving computer where to send the requested data. Together, the IP address and port number make up a socket.
A port address is the port number that will be used to send and receive data. Each computer device has several ports that it uses to send and receive communications. Because some of these ports can be used by certain devices such as printers, the computer must tell other devices where to send information. In Internet communication, the port can be an Ethernet port assigned to a specific device or the port address of a server connected to multiple individual computers.
A computer socket, including a TCP/IP socket, is used to facilitate communication between two separate devices. Provides instructions on where to send such communication. The IP address and port address contained in the TCP/IP socket tell the receiving computer where to send the requested data. It also helps establish a kind of uniform language between machines.
When a socket is created, the sender and receiver both test the communication port to ensure that data is being transmitted. The sender can send a request that tells the recipient who she is. A reply is then sent to the sender confirming the identity of the sender, also communicating the identity of the recipient. As long as communications are done and the socket is confirmed to be working, further requests for data continue.
Sockets are created whenever a communication protocol is established between two or more devices. Once the communication process is finished, the TCP/IP socket is closed. If for some reason the requested port is not available, the socket will not be created. An error message usually informs both the sender and the receiver that the socket has failed.
Applications used in communications, including web browsers, also use TCP/IP sockets to send and receive data. While the socket is in use, all communications and applications are associated with the port address identified in the socket. When applications send and receive data, they look for the specific port address or host of the socket.
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