Updated on Oct 15, 2024
Have you ever wondered what happens when you look something up online? What happens in the background when you send a message or download a file? Behind every single online interaction like that lies a structured set of protocols that facilitate them. Those protocols enable data to flow smoothly across the networks upon networks that compose the Internet. Each of them has its own layers that handle the different processes that go on in the background during a connection.
These protocols are separated into two distinct models: the Internet Protocol Suite and the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI). They are the fundamental frameworks that describe how computers communicate over networks, which is what the Internet is basically: computers talking to each other. The Internet Protocol Suite is the model that is in active use today, while OSI is a more detailed guideline, or reference, for understanding network interactions. Read on as we examine their levels to understand the logic behind how things work online.
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The Internet Protocol Suite is more colloquially known as TCP/IP. We will go into more detail about those abbreviations in a bit, but they are the two key protocols that the suite relies upon, that the Internet depends upon. That is why TCP/IP refers to the Internet Protocol Suite.
You can think of TCP/IP as a set of rules that define how computers communicate over the Internet. It is split into four layers, each of which performs a different function that ultimately enables computers to transfer data between each other. Without these four layers, we would not have the Internet as we know it today. So, let us take a look at each of these layers and explain them in detail, starting from the bottom.
Now that we have elaborated on these layers, their responsibilities, and the protocols they use, the Internet makes much more sense, does it not? Each layer has its own job; we cannot send or receive data over the Internet without any of them. So, no YouTube or cat pictures!
The Internet Protocol Suite (TCP/IP) is the practical way that computers ‘speak’ to each other. This model has been used for decades now. There is a second model, however, that is more conceptual and not used nearly as much as TCP/IP but offers a detailed reference to each stage of data transfer.
The OSI model consists of almost twice as many layers as TCP/IP because it is a mostly conceptual framework for how communication between devices works. It is a comprehensive guide to network theory and how each step of the transmission process works.
As we go through the layers, from bottom to top, you will see why this more detailed breakdown of networking processes is a good idea to have on hand if you are trying to understand or troubleshoot a network connection within an application.
You can see for yourself how much more detailed this model is compared to TCP/IP. While TCP/IP is the model widely used in modern-day data transmission, OSI is a solid reference for how networking actually works.
Both models show how devices and applications communicate with each other, and understanding them is essential to grasp the underlying mechanics of the Internet. By familiarizing yourself with them, we hope you will have a better understanding and appreciation of the seamless connectivity that permeates our modern world.
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