Internet 2 1_1 IP.pptVIP

Chapter 2 IP: Software To Create A Virtual Network Contents 2.1 Protocol 2.2 The Internet Protocol 2.3 Datagrams 2.4 A Virtual Network 2.5 The Internet’s Internal Structure 2.6 Datagrams Travel In Packets 2.7 IP Addresses 2.8 A Routing Example 2.9 How Fast Is Your Connection? Objectives Describe the basic software that makes the hardware behave like a single, large network 2.1 Protocol A communication protocol is an agreement that specifies a common language two computers use to exchange messages. The term comes from diplomacy, in which a protocol specifies the rules under which a diplomatic exchange occurs. 2.1 Protocol (continued) A computer communication protocol defines: The exact format and meaning of each message that a computer can send The conditions under which a computer should send a given message How a computer should respond when a message arrives 2.2 The Internet Protocol A key communication protocol used in the Internet is called the Internet Protocol (IP). IP specifies: How a packet must be formed How a router must forward each packet on toward its destination Every router in the Internet expects packets to adhere to the IP format as they pass from one network to another. 2.2 The Internet Protocol (continued) Computer hardware does not understand IP. To communicate on the Internet, a computer needs IP software. Since all Internet services use IP to send or receive packets, each computer usually has a single copy of IP software that is shared by all applications. On some computers, a copy of the IP software is kept in memory at all times, ready to send or receive packets. 2.3 Datagrams A packet that follows the IP specification will be called an IP datagram to distinguish them from packets for other networks. The Internet handles datagrams in much the same way that a telegraph office handled telegrams. Once a datagram is created and starts on its trip through the Internet, it is independent of the sender. T