Chapter 2: TCPIP Networking

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OVERVIEW

In general parlance, the term TCP/IP is used to refer to an entire suite of data communications protocols^[1] that derives its name from two of its core protocols, namely the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and the Internet Protocol (IP). In short, IP provides a connectionless and unreliable datagram or packet delivery service, whereas TCP provides a connection-oriented and reliable data transport service on top of IP.

In this chapter, we overview and briefly discuss the fundamentals of TCP/IP networking. More specifically, we elaborate on the history and development of the TCP/IP communications protocol suite in Section 2.1,^[2] overview the current and future status of the Internet in Section 2.2, explain how Internet standardization works in Section 2.3, and introduce the Internet model with its four layers in Section 2.4. Some relevant attacks against TCP/IP-based networks are discussed later in Chapter 3.

^[1]Some people dispute whether the TCP/IP protocols should be referred to as protocols or services. It could be argued, for example, that Telnet is a protocol, a service, or even a command. Where it makes obvious sense, this book follows the protocol view.

^[2]More information about the history of the Internet can be found in a paper entitled "A Brief History of the Internet." The paper is authored by a group of Internet pioneers and is electronically available at http://www.isoc.org/internet/history/brief.html (at the time of this writing, a Spanish translation also is available).

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