1.2 Internet Protocols


A number of protocols are used to utilize the Internet and its services which include:
1. The Internet Protocol (IP) which provides a unique address for each computer accessing the internet.

a) The Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) is the top-level authority for allocating IP addresses. IANA delegates authority over blocks of addresses to regional ISPs who, in turn, allocate blocks to local ISPs.
b) Finally, IP addresses are assigned to end user hosts accessing the Internet.
c) The IP protocol is responsible for routing data from source to destination over the Internet.

2. Transmission Control Protocol (TCP), a transport layer protocol which enables different hosts on the Internet to be connected over a reliable connection that provides guarantee of delivering data from source to destination.
3. User Datagram Protocol (UDP), another transport layer protocol providing less flow control features compared to TCP. It is usually used for streaming media, teleconferencing and Internet telephony.
4. Simple Mail Transport Protocol (SMTP) and Post Office Protocol 3(POP3) for email.
5. Telnet for remote login and access.
6. File Transfer Protocol (FTP) for remote file access.