[Addison West]

TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) is a suite of protocols that forms the basis for virtually all means of communicating across network devices worldwide on the internet. Simply put, it was designed to facilitate the transmission of information packets reliably on a diverse, decentralized network of interconnected networks. The Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) manages the connection between the endpoints of data sending and receiving to coordinate the negotiations over the reliable delivery of packets between the client and network server. TCP is a reliable protocol that manages error-checking and retrains ensuring the message arrives successfully. Meanwhile, the Internet Protocol (IP) is responsible for addressing the packets and guiding them to the network it occupies and on to the next. It manages how data is packaged, assigning IP addresses to the devices to route it the right way. Together, this TCP/IP protocol suite governs the division, transmission and reassembly of data packets, ensuring that the pieces go where they are meant to go and are received without corruption and in the appropriate order. Ultimately, every activity necessary for using the internet relies on this suite of protocols – whether it is visiting a webpage, sending or receiving emails, securely accessing files, or streaming videos. It is a resilient, world standard process for sharing information in smaller pieces to facilitate the mass exchange of information over great distances and through widely varying network types.