What is TCP/IP Reference Model

TCP/IP Reference Model

TCP/IP Model

The TCP/IP reference model is a network model used for Internet communication. the Advanced Research projects Agency Network (ARPANET) uses this model. The research on the TCP/IP reference model was sponsored by the Department of Defense (DoD) in United states. The TCP/IP reference model is concerned with the ability to connect multiple networks together in a seamless way.

Before understanding the The TCP/IP reference model, you need to understand the process of data transfer in the The TCP/IP reference model.  Suppose you want to transfer some data from computer-1 to Computer-2. According to the The TCP/IP reference model, the data is sent to the application layer in the form of packet. The packet is then sent to the lower layers of the The TCP/IP model, which are the transport layer, the Internet layer, and the network access layer. Each layer adds a bit of information along with the data in the form of a header or footer and attaches the header or footer to the packet. Finally, the packet reaches the physical layer, and using cables, the packet is transferred to computer-2. The Packet now moves upwards through different layers. Each layer reads the packet and removes the header or footer that was attached by its counterpart on computer-1. This continues until the packet reaches the application layer of computer-2.

Network Protocol

TCP/IP Reference Model details:


Application Layer

The application layer is the topmost layer in the  TCP/IP reference model. This layer provides services that help the user application to communicate with the network. All the high-level protocols, which help to deliver data over the network, reside within this layer. The protocols that are available with the application layer are as follows:
 

•      FTP: Used to transfer files from one computer to another on a network.

•     HTTP: Used to exchange text, audio, video and image files over the world wide web.
•     SMTP:  Used to transfer e-mails between mail servers on a network.
•     Telnet:  Used to access and operate a remote computer on a network.

Transport Layer

The transport layer is responsible for reliable transfer of data from the source computer to the destination computer. The transport layer interacts with the layers above and below the transport layer using two core protocols, TCP and UDP. TCP is a connection-oriented protocol that confirms the delivery of packets over the network. TCP transmits the data from the source computer to the destination computer as a stream of  characters. The destination computer rearranges the data when it receives the data. UDP is a connection-less protocol and does not confirm the delivery of packets over the network.

Internet Layer

The Internet Layer is below the transport layer. This layer manages the connections across networks to ensure that the transfer of data between the source and destination computers is successful. The Internet layer accepts that data from the transport layer and passes it to the network layer. The layer is also responsible for locating the shortest route for sending the data if multiple routes are available. A route is a path taken by the packet to reach the destination computer. The protocols available with the Internet Layer are Internet Protocol (IP) and Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP). This layer is not concerned with the reliability of the data transfer. 

Network Access Layer

The network layer is the lowest layer in the TCP/IP reference model. In this layer, the source computer connects with the destination computer using protocols such as Ethernet and Token ring. This layer also contains the network devices that are attached to the network. Every data packet moves through this layer before it goes out through the transmission medium to the destination computer. The network layer of the TCP/IP reference model maps to the physical and the data link layer of the OSI.

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