ok, please forgive me if i get any of this wrong, as networking (well, theoretically) is very complex the full TCP/IP guide is here (a full online manual) or an easier to understand guide is here (a 27MB download), however i recommend you read and understand the second guide before attempting the to understand the first guide, however you know yourself best, so, choose whichever guide your prefer the writing style of[ot]personally i prefer the unconventional second guide[/ot] well as you may or may not know there are 7 layers in the OSI Reference model so, to the brief guide to the above guide, each layer is important (you have to be a plank if you think otherwise) personally i still find the theoretical OSI Model kinda intimidating in the way that it compares with an actual network Layer 1: - called: Physical Layer - called: PHY, Layer 1 doesn't actually apply specifically to TCP/IP, even when studying TCP. it is however very important to understand it's significance & role in relation to the other 6 layers where TCP/IP protocols live, kinda the realm for hardware specifications, data encoding, signalling & reception functions Layer 2: Data Link Layer DLL, Layer 2 contains most LAN & WAN stuff & it is responsible for Logical Link Control (LLC), Media Access Control (MAC), error detection and handling and defining Layer 1's standards, handles retrieval of data on a local device Layer 3: Network Layer NL, Layer 3 is probably the most important layers as it deals with all interconnected networks, it also does internetwork level addressing, routing and dealing with errors & stuff & it handles getting data off a remote network layer 3 & 4 are closely related Layer 4: Transport Layer BUS Lane (j/k) Layer 4 does a lot, regarding the upper Layers that deal with application software and lower layers that take care of delivery issues & it also manages connection & termination of a connection Layer 5: Session Layer Drunk (after a good Session) Layer 5 typically as it's name suggests it provides functions for making & managing sessions between software processes, this layer effectively rips address labels off (from: & to to make the data passed to higher layers a smaller amount etc. etc. Layer 6 Presentation Layer PL, Layer 6 does stuff like encryption (and decryption), compression (and decompression) and translation (PC/MAC/UNIX/AS400 Servers & mainframes) however some encryption occurs at lower layers with IPSEC, also "as expected" it also takes care of how the data is presented, in many circumstances this Layer does nothing so there may be times when this layer contains no active protocols Layer 7 Application (apps) Layer AL, Layer 7, finally we arrive at the top layer, this layer deals with apps (but not apps in the way you & me normally refer to) instead it deals with the protocols which are at the app layer like HTTP (Hyper Text Transmited Protocol), app protocols do not provide services for higher layers (because it's the top) but it does use services provided by other layers this is by no means a complete guide to the guide, it is more of a very basic overview of the guide NOTE: this is very advanced, and noobs should NOT try to understand it, however at some point in the future you may want or need it so bookmark it for the future Edit: obviously the lines between the layers become fuzzy when you look into it, but this is quite a good guide to help you understand the guide NeloForster: does this help explain things ?
I'll try and absorb this tomorrow at work. You wouldn't believe I work for a hosting company, would you? I've still got so much more to learn. Luckily for the customers, my job is to help them with the more administrative side of things, and not technical...
