NWW
TCP/IP Overview 206
Transmission Control Protocol (TCP)
TCP handles breaking the data into packets and recombining the
packets on the receiving end by providing a connection-oriented,
reliable, and guaranteed delivery service to another node on the
network. When data packets are received at their destination,
TCP calculates a checksum for each packet to verify the data is
not corrupt. If the data in the packet has been corrupted during
transmission, TCP discards the packet and requests that the packet
be resent.
User Datagram Protocol (UDP)
UDP provides similar services to TCP. However, UDP does not
acknowledge data receipt and supports request/reply transactions
with no added reliability or guarantee of delivery. UDP is used when
acknowledgment and reliability are not required, such as during a
“discovery broadcast.”
IP Address
Every host (workstation or node) on an IP network requires a
unique IP address for each network interface. This address is a
software address that is used to identify both the network and
specific hosts located on that network. Each IP address can be
divided into two separate parts: the network portion and the host
portion. It is possible for a host to query a server for a dynamic IP
address each time the device boots-up (for example, using DHCP
and BootP).
Note
When assigning IP addresses, always consult the IP
address administrator. Setting the wrong address
can disable other equipment operating on the
network or interfere with communications.
