TCP and IP are protocols that make up the Internet connection suite, responsible for disassembling and reassembling data and handling routing and transmission. They work together to send packets of data between computers, allowing for seamless communication across different programs and systems. The simplicity of this system allows for backward compatibility with older versions of systems over the Internet.
Transmission Control Protocol is one of the two protocols that make up the Internet connection suite. This protocol is combined with the Internet Protocol to form the basis of almost all Internet traffic. These protocols are almost inseparable in use and are completely dependent on each other for proper operation; as a result, the Internet connection suite is typically abbreviated as TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol). Transmission Control Protocol is responsible for disassembling and reassembling data, and Internet Protocol handles routing and transmission.
Internet traffic consists mostly of small bursts of data called packets. These packages contain information about the source and destination of the data as well as some optional additional information. The packets are created and reassembled by the Transmission Control Protocol and sent over the Internet by the Internet Protocol.
To illustrate this process, let’s assume that a document is moved from a remote computer to a local one. The computer receives the move command, and the Internet Protocol determines how the document is moved between computers. The Internet Protocol then asks the Transmission Control Protocol to split the document in a specific way. TCP then divides the document into packets and the Internet Protocol sends them.
When the document packets arrive at the local computer, TCP begins reassembling them. First check if you have them all and if they are in the correct shape: if you need replacements, send a request for the parts you need and wait for them to arrive. Once you have all the pieces, he rearranges them in the correct sequence and assembles the document. It then sends it to Internet Protocol, which informs your computer that the file has arrived.
These processes make up the vast majority of Internet usage. Programs such as web browsers, email clients, and file transfer systems use this basic back-and-forth process for every interaction. This unified system allows unrelated programs and systems to send information to each other without conversion. It is irrelevant which operating system or program sent the information, as the control protocol actually did the job.
Since this is the basic cornerstone of the internet, the protocol never changes much. This allows for backward compatibility with older versions of systems over the Internet. Changes to protocols would cause older machines to be permanently disconnected. Even without a common update, the system is so simple that it rarely requires any further monitoring or attention.
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