Internet Architecture- Lecture 3

Internet Architecture Lecture 3:
How TCP/IP Works & Understanding the Internet s Software Structure

How TCP/IP Works
Packet:
A piece of data broken down into pieces for transmitting over the Internet or another network.
Packet switched network:
A network in which there is no unbroken connection between sender and receiver; instead data is broken into packets, sent, and then reassembled when received. The Internet is a packet switched network.
Socket:
Software that understands and interprets TCP/IP commands.

A simple set of ideas makes it possible for computers and networks all over the world to share information and messages on the Internet.

Break up every piece of information and message into pieces called packets, deliver those packets to the proper destinations, and then reassemble the packets into their original form after they ve been delivered so the receiving computer can view and use them. That s the job of the two most important communications protocols on the Internet: the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and the Internet Protocol (IP). They are frequently referred to as TCP/IP.
TCP breaks down and reassembles the packets, whereas IP is responsible for ensuring the packets are sent to the right destination.