Internet Protocols

Computers connected to the Internet are able to communicate with each other because they all have software that understands the same protocol, or language, for transferring data. The protocols that make the Internet possible are called TCP/IP. This acronym stands for Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol. TCP/IP is a universal language of sorts that makes it possible to send information between computers regardless of their location or computer platform (e.g. Macintosh or Windows-based).

The TCP/IP protocol suite is made up of additional protocols that let us use the Internet for a variety of applications. There are special protocols for electronic mail, newsgroups, file transfer protocol, and the World Wide Web. Each protocol contains specific instructions for formatting and sending information. Some of the protocols used on the Internet include:

• MIME, SMTP, or POP: Email protocols
• FTP: File Transfer Protocol (FTP)
• HTTP: Hypertext Transfer Protocol (Web)