The TCP/IP communication layer stack
Skills: none
IT concepts: protocol layers, TCP/IP, OSI
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoncommercialShare Alike 3.0 License.
Where does this topic fit?
• Internet concepts
– Applications
– Technology (communication)
– Implications
• Internet skills
– Application development
– Content creation
TCP/IP protocol layers from 1,000 feet up
Application
Programs that do useful work like retrieve Web
pages, copy files, send and receive email, etc.
Transport
Make client-server connections and optionally
control transmission speed, check for errors, etc.
Internet
Route data between networks
Data link
Route data within the local area network
Physical
Specify what medium connects two nodes, how
binary ones and zeros are differentiated, etc,
TCP/IP from 2,000 feet up
Application
Program, for
example, a
Web client
A TCP/IP network
Application
Program, for
Example, a
Web server
TCP/IP protocol layers from 2,000 feet up
Layer
Function
Application
Do useful work like Web browsing, email,
and file transfer
Four Lower
layers
Handle communication between the client
and server
Terminology confusion pitfalls
• Some authors combine the data link and physical layers
as the “network access” or the “network interface” layer.
• Different authors use different layer names like “network
layer” instead of “internet layer.”
OSI versus TCP/IP
OSI (open systems
interconnection) was
historically significant
derived by a different
process
and lost in the
marketplace.
The TCP/IP communication layer stack
Skills: none
IT concepts: protocol layers, TCP/IP, OSI
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoncommercialShare Alike 3.0 License.
A few questions
Do you recall the names of the TCP/IP protocol layers?
Programs that do useful work like retrieve Web
pages, copy files, send and receive email, etc.
Make client-server connections and optionally
control transmission speed, check for errors, etc.
Route data between networks
Route data within the local area network
Specify what medium connects two nodes, how
binary ones and zeros are differentiated, etc,
Do you recall the functions of the software at each layer?
Application
Transport
Internet
Data link
Physical