Introduction
Have you ever wondered how your messages travel across the internet, from your device to your friendās phone, or how an online video loads seamlessly without buffering? Just like water flows through pipes, information flows across networks using specific pathways, also known as protocols.
In this blog, weāll explore how the protocols of the internet work and how they ensure our digital world runs smoothly.
Letās get started!
Internet Protocols (IPs)
Internet protocols are a set of rules that allow computers and other devices to communicate over the Internet. These protocols ensure that data is sent, received, and understood correctly between different systems. Just like how humans use a common language to communicate, devices need protocols to understand each other and exchange data seamlessly.
Every device connected to the internet has a unique IP address that helps data know where to go and where it is coming from.
IP assigns unique addresses to devices so they can find each other and send information across the internet.
š”ļø What is IP Addressing?
Why do IP matter ?
IP create a common language for different devices and networks, so they can all work together.
IP make data transmission fast and efficient.
IP organizes the data, splits it into smaller parts, and reassembles it when received, which helps keep things in order.
Working of IP
Dividing Data into Packets: When you send information over the internet, IP split it into small parts called packets. Each packet contains a piece of the data and the address of where it needs to go.
Addressing: Every device connected to the internet has its own IP address. This address helps identify where the data is being sent from and where it should be delivered.
Routing the Packets: As the packets travel across the internet, they pass through several devices called routers. These routers help direct the packets toward the correct destination, like how mail is sorted at different post offices.
Reassemble the Data: Once all the packets arrive at the destination, they are put back together to recreate the original message or file.
Handling Missing Packets: If some packets donāt arrive, the system can request that they be sent again, making sure the complete data is received.
Types of Internet Protocol
1. TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/ Internet Protocol) : In TCP/IP ensures that each computer that is connected to the Internet is having a specific serial number called the IP address. The TCP is also known as a connection-oriented protocol.
2. SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) : SMTP is important for sending and distributing outgoing emails. This protocol uses the header of the mail to get the email id of the receiver and enters the mail into the queue of outgoing mail.
3. PPP (Point-to-Point Protocol) : PPP is a communication protocol that is used to create a direct connection between two communicating devices.
4. FTP (File Transfer Protocol) : This protocol is used for transferring files from one system to the other. This works on a client-server model.
5. SFTP (Secure File Transfer Protocol) : SFTP which is also known as SSH FTP refers to File Transfer Protocol (FTP) over Secure Shell (SSH) as it encrypts both commands and data while in transmission. This protocol is used to remotely connect to other systems while executing commands from the command line.
6. HTTP (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol) : HTTP is used to transfer hypertexts over the internet and it is defined by the www (world wide web) for information transfer.
7. HTTPS (HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure) : HTTPS is used for secure communication over a computer network with the SSl/TLS protocol for encryption and authentication.
8. TELNET (Terminal Network) : TELNET is a standard TCP/IP protocol used for virtual terminal service given by ISO. This enables one local machine to connect with another.
9. POP3 : POP3 stands for Post Office Protocol version 3. It has two Message Access Agents (MAAs) where one is client MAA (Message Access Agent) and another is server MAA(Message Access Agent) for accessing the messages from the mailbox.
10. IPv4 : The fourth and initially widely used version of the Internet Protocol is called IPv4 (Internet Protocol version 4). Maximum unique addresses for IPv4 are 4,294,967,296 (232), which are possible due to the use of 32-bit addresses.
11. IPv6 : The most recent version of the Internet Protocol, IPv6, was created to address the IPv4 protocolās drawbacks. IPv6 uses 128-bit addresses, which enable a significantly greater number of unique addresses.
12. ICMP : ICMP (Internet Control Message Protocol) is used to send error messages and operational information about network conditions and are typically generated by network devices, such as routers. It is used to help diagnose and troubleshoot issues with network connectivity.
13. UDP : UDP (User Datagram Protocol) is a connectionless, unreliable transport layer protocol. UDP simply sends packets of data to a destination without any error checking or flow control. UDP is used for real-time applications such as streaming video and audio, online gaming.
14. IMAP : IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) is used for retrieving emails from a mail server. This means that the user can access their emails from multiple devices and the emails will be synced across all devices.
15. SSH : SSH (Secure Shell) is a protocol used for secure remote login and other secure network services. SSH uses public-key cryptography to authenticate the user and encrypt the data being transmitted.
