Introduction To The Internet
Protocol
Introduction
Perhaps one of the most important and well known protocols
is the Internet Protocol or, if you like,
IP. IP gives us the ability to uniquely identify each computer in a
network or on the Internet.
When a computer is connected to a network or the Internet,
it is assigned a unique IP address. If you're connecting to the Internet,
chances are you're given an IP automatically by your ISP, if you're
connecting to your LAN then you're either given the IP automatically
or you manually configure the workstation with an assigned IP.
I can't over emphasise the importance of fully understanding
IP if you really want to understand how network communications work,
especially when it comes to an IP network, like the Internet. DNS,
FTP, SNMP,
SMTP, HTTP
and a lot of other protocols and services rely heavily on the IP protocol
in order to function correctly, so you can immediately see that IP is
more than just an IP Address on your workstation.
Now, because IP is a HUGE subject and it's impossible
to cover in one or two pages, I decided to split it into a few different
sections in order to make it easy to read and learn about.
Here is a summary of what's covered:
- Section 1: Binary
and the Internet Protocol. Here we cover a few basic Binary
concepts and get to see how Binary and IP fit together.
- Section 2: Internet
Protocol Header. Find out how the Internet
Protocol fits in the OSI Model. Also includes a detailed 3d
diagram of the IP Header which shows the fields that exist in the
IP Header
- Section 3: Internet
Protocol Classes. We get to see the 5 different IP Classes
and analyse them in Binary. Also you get to learn about the Network
ID and Host ID in an IP Address.
- Section 4: Subnetting.
One of the most important things you should know. Detailed
explanation on how subnetting works. Includes simple to complicated
examples. You should be comfortable with the first 3 sections in order
to understand this section. For more information, please see the Subnetting
Introduction page.
So, what are you waiting for ? Let's discover and learn
all about one of the most important protocols in the networking world
!
Next - Binary and IP
|
