What Is The Internet Protocol?

Date First Published: 20th March 2022

Topic: Computer Networking

Subtopic: Internet Protocols

Article Type: Computer Terms & Definitions

Difficulty Level: 6/10

Learn more about what the Internet Protocol is in this article.

The Internet Protocol, often abbreviated to IP is a set of rules that determine how electronic devices communicate with each other and transfer data over the internet. It is a core part of the TCP/IP protocol. It works by sending data packets over networks to break down messages into parts of a specific size in bytes, ensuring reliability of data so that it does not have to be sent over a large file. The Internet Protocol was invented by two computer scientists, called Bob Kahn and Vint Cerf in 1974.

Difference Between IP and TCP

IP is not responsible for delivering any data and does not specify the order of any sent data packets. The TCP protocol is responsible for these tasks. TCP and IP both work together to send data over the internet, but TCP contains additional features to IP to establish a connection between the source and destination node, and ensure data integrity. TCP is a transport-layer protocol, whilst IP is an internet-layer protocol. The internet protocol suite is called TCP/IP as it combines the features of TCP and IP. Different devices on different operating systems use IP for communicating with each other over the internet.

Note:

The term 'IP' can sometimes be short for IP address, like 'What is my IP'. In that case, IP would be referring to IP address rather than the Internet Protocol.

IP Routing

Transferring data from source to destination through a path across two or more networks is known as IP routing. This process is usually done by the router and data packets are sent from a node on one network to a node on another network. The destination IP address of a packet can be examined and forwarded. Routing tables are used by routers to determine the next hop address that the data packet should be forwarded to.

IP Addresses

An IP address is a string of four unique numbers, separated by full stops that are assigned to a network or a server. IP addresses are also provided by ISPs, which uniquely identifies every network. For example, 127.0.0.1 is the localhost or loopback IP address, which refers to the personal computer. Every device on a network has a unique IP address, although it is possible for devices to share IP addresses.

For example, if three devices were connected to a router that is provided by an ISP, they would share the same IP address as they are connected to the same network. Without an IP address, it would be impossible for a device to receive data packets, making it impossible to receive any type of data. Every device on a network needs to have an IPv4 or IPv6 address in order for it to be uniquely recognised by other devices.

There are two types of IP addresses: IPv4 and IPv6. IPv4 is the most common type of IP address. It is the fourth version of an IP address that looks like '123.321.123' and it is a 32-bit IP address that is separated by full stops. IPv6 is the sixth version of an IP address. It is the more recent and advanced version and looks like '1234:0fb8:0000:0000:0000:ff00:0012:1234'. IPv6 is a 128-bit alphanumeric address that is separated with colons and contains hexadecimal. The purpose of the IPv6 was to resolve issues that are associated with IPv4.

IPv4 was the first notable version of the Internet Protocol that was called RFC 791 by the IETF and IPv6 was established by the IETF in 1998 that was designed to replace IPv4. However, IPv4 is still used much more than IPv6 and it is believed that only 20% of internet traffic uses IPv6.

IP Packets

IP packets are files that have been broken down into small chunks or bytes. Every HTML or URL request that is sent over the internet is broken down. The file is divided into bytes by the TCP/IP protocol for efficient routing and most packets contain 1000-1500 bytes of data. Packets can also be referred to as a segment, cell, frame, or block, depending on the type of network. IP packets contain the following data:

• Header - This contains instructions that are related to the data in the packet, which could include a checksum, a destination address, a 16-bit identification number, an IP, the length of the packet, the size of the header and the payload, the packet number, and the protocol or the type of packet that is being transmitted.
• Payload - This refers to the data within the packet and it is the basic information that the packet delivers to its final destination. The payload is usually filled with blank information in order for it to fit in with the requirements of a fixed-length packet.
• Trailer - Also known as the footer, the trailer marks the end of the packet. It may contain the signature of the packet, 32 bits, and an error checking protocol.

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