a) What are protocol?
Protocols are simple rules created to standardize a particular network activity. They are simply some scripts that make up rules to determine a specific standard that should be used worldwide by everyone for a specific purpoes such as file transmission, authentication, verification etc.Protocols typically do their tasks that is, they do what they are programmed for. They simply trigger when their functions is called such as transmission, validation, verification etc.
It typically, runs the script it had been coded with and follows the standard rule specified in it.
We get the necessary output of it after all which will be a standard and security protocol.
Example of protocols are
IP (Internet Protocol)
IPSec (Internet Protocol Secured)
IPv6 (Internet Protocol Version 6)
HTTP (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol)
MPLS (Multi Protocol Label Switched)
SMTP (Simple Mail Transmission Protocol)
POP (Post Office Protocol)
DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol)
And a lot more. Maybe tons of thousands of protocols are available.
b) What is TCP/IP?
- TCP/IP is the communication protocol for communication between computers on the Internet.
- TCP/IP stands for Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol.
- TCP/IP defines how electronic devices (like computers) should be connected to the Internet, and how data should be transmitted between them.
c) How does information travel through the Internet?
The Internet is based on packet-switched protocols. Information is carried in packets, which can be imagined as small parcels being passed from computer to computer. Large chunks of data are usually broken up into several smaller packets before being sent through the network. The delivery mechanism, or protocol, that is used to encode the packet ensures safe transit, and provides a way of reconstructing the data when it reaches its destination. The protocols used on the Internet are referred to as TCP/IP, standing for Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol.
d) How does the connection work from home?
- Modems and routers
- Negotiating a connection
To connect from home you need several things. Apart from a computer (obviously!) you'll need a phone connection, a modem or ADSL router, and some Internet software. Things will be easier if you're using a relatively recent operation system, such as Windows Vista/XP or MacOSX, but it's possible to connect with older or more obscure systems. With a modem and the appropriate software, you can dial up another modem connected to another computer, and establish a network connection with it. Usually, this computer is linked into the Internet, and so you're online. With an ADSL modem or router, a similar procedure happens, but a filter splits the telephone line into voice and data (low and high frequencies) and your router negotiates a connection with the ADSL equipment in the telephone exchange.