How TCP/IP works?

TCP/IP stands for Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol, is a set of rules that govern how data should be transmitted over the internet.

It’s a lot like a mail service for computers. Let’s break it down using the example of sending a letter through a postal service:

1. Splitting the Message: Imagine you have a really long letter that won’t fit in one envelope. You would need to split that letter into smaller pieces, put each piece in a separate envelope, and then send them one by one. TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) does the same thing. It breaks down the data (like a web page or an email) into smaller packets that can be easily transmitted over the internet.
2. Addressing the Envelopes: Before you send your envelopes, you need to write the address of the recipient on each one. Similarly, IP (Internet Protocol) assigns an address (called an IP address) to every device on the internet, like your computer, your smartphone, or a website’s server. This address ensures that the data packets reach the correct destination.
3. Sending the Envelopes: Once you drop your envelopes in the mailbox, the postal service takes care of delivering them to the recipient. On the internet, routers play the role of the postal service. They read the IP address on the packets and forward them to the right destination, taking the fastest available path.
4. Reassembling the Message: Once the envelopes reach the recipient, they need to be opened and the pieces of the letter reassembled to read the full message. TCP does the same thing when the data packets reach their destination. It puts the packets back together in the correct order to reconstruct the original data.
5. Acknowledging Receipt: When you receive an important letter, you might send a thank-you note or call the sender to let them know it arrived. In the same way, TCP sends acknowledgments back to the sender to confirm that the packets were received successfully.
6. Resending Lost Envelopes: Sometimes an envelope might get lost in the mail. If the sender doesn’t receive a thank-you note, they might resend the letter. Similarly, if TCP doesn’t receive an acknowledgment for a packet, it will resend that packet.

In summary, TCP/IP is like a postal service for the internet. It breaks down data into packets, addresses them with an IP address, sends them through routers to their destination, and reassembles them back.