Lesson 7 - TCP/IP and Related Protocols

Many network technologies are built to use IP as a lower-level supporting technology. TCP/IP is the perhaps the best well-known of these, but UDP, FTP, HTTP, and many other network protocols also have Internet Protocol as their foundation. Understanding how these protocols fit together is essential.

TCP/IP and Related Protocols

What is TCP/IP? TCP is technically a separate protocol from IP, but the two are used together almost universally, so TCP is more generally known as TCP/IP. TCP is the most common higher-level protocol used in conjunction with IP.

Introduction to UDP UDP is the main alternative to TCP/IP. UDP is a simpler network protocol than TCP with its own pros and cons. UDP is only sometimes called "UDP/IP."

FTP FTP is a very popular client/server system that is built using TCP/IP. FTP is also the name of the network protocol that FTP clients and servers use to communicate with each other.

Vocabulary

protocol A technical definition of Internet network protocols.

HTTP HTTP is the IP-based protocol that Web browsers and Web servers use to communicate.

Additional Reading

More about FTP clients, servers and tools Find the best FTP client, server and utility software for your computer.

"TCP/IP Clearly Explained" This review summarizes a good book that explains TCP/IP technology in great detail.