What is TCP/IP, and why is it the backbone of the internet?
Two protocols invented in the 1970s make every internet connection possible.
The answer
TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) is the fundamental communication protocol suite that enables the internet. IP handles addressing and routing - giving every device a unique address and directing data packets toward their destination. TCP ensures reliable delivery by breaking data into packets, numbering them sequentially, and requesting retransmission of any lost packets. Developed by Vint Cerf and Bob Kahn in 1974 and adopted as the ARPANET standard in 1983, TCP/IP's elegantly simple design allows billions of diverse devices to communicate seamlessly.
Source: Internet Society
- TCP/IP
- networking
- internet
- protocols
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