Chapter 4

Core TCP/IP Protocols

An important part of understanding networking is understanding networking protocols. TCP/IP is the primary protocol suite used in networks today, including the Internet. TCP and UDP are two important protocols that are integral to most networking communications, but there are many more.

This chapter presents many of the more popular protocols with a high-level overview of these protocols and their purpose. It’s important to understand the basics of TCP and UDP, such as which one is connection-oriented and which is connection-less. However, you don’t need in-depth knowledge of the common protocols other than understanding their primary purpose. Many common protocols also use specific ports identified as well-known ports. You should also have a good understanding of how ports work and the well-known ports used with specific protocols.