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How does TCP/IP work? I understand that they send messages to other computers.
Question Date: 2021-11-05
Answer 1:

TCP/IP (which stands for Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) is basically a set of rules that establish a standard method of transferring data from one computer to another so that the data goes where intended, and does not get corrupted along the way. These are actually 2 primary protocols: TCP which governs how data is sent and received, and IP covering where the data is sent, i.e., the address of the destination.

Both protocols have many details, but at a high level TCP takes a message, breaks it up into smaller chunks called packets, gives them each a specific ID number, and then sends them to the IP layer. The IP layer defines how to route and send each packet to another to the destination. At the destination, the packets are received by another TCP layer which reassembles them into the original message.

By breaking up the message into smaller packets, data is less likely to be corrupted in transit and can more quickly be fixed if it is found to be damaged. In addition, packets can be sent along different routes which means they can be directed to avoid high-traffic connections. This can help reduce the time to transfer the entire message.

Here are some sites to read for more information: AVG; , TechTarget; , Fortinet; , Tech Evaluate.



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