Technical data

TCP/IP Network Basics 7
Agilent Connectivity Guide 165
TCP/IP Protocols
This section summarizes protocols for LAN networks that use TCP/IP
for communication between hosts (devices such as computers, printers,
and instruments), including:
• The TCP/IP Network Model
• The Network Interface Layer
• The Internet Layer
• The Transport Layer
• The Application Layer
The TCP/IP Network Model
The TCP/IP network model is based on protocols and an associated set
of layers that control the actions of the network. A
protocol is a rule or
set of rules and standards for communication and data transfer between
hosts on a network. A host is any device on the network (such as a
computer, server, printer, etc.) that has a TCP/IP address. To exchange
data on the network, the source and destination hosts must agree on the
protocol and each host must have a unique (TCP/IP) address. When
protocols are grouped together, they form a
protocol suite and work
together as a
protocol stack.