RFC 1180 (rfc1180) - Page 1 of 28


TCP/IP tutorial



Alternative Format: Original Text Document



Network Working Group                                      T. Socolofsky
Request for Comments:  1180                                      C. Kale
                                                  Spider Systems Limited
                                                            January 1991


                           A TCP/IP Tutorial

Status of this Memo

   This RFC is a tutorial on the TCP/IP protocol suite, focusing
   particularly on the steps in forwarding an IP datagram from source
   host to destination host through a router.  It does not specify an
   Internet standard.  Distribution of this memo is unlimited.

Table of Contents

    1.  Introduction................................................   1
    2.  TCP/IP Overview.............................................   2
    3.  Ethernet....................................................   8
    4.  ARP.........................................................   9
    5.  Internet Protocol...........................................  12
    6.  User Datagram Protocol......................................  22
    7.  Transmission Control Protocol...............................  24
    8.  Network Applications........................................  25
    9.  Other Information...........................................  27
   10.  References..................................................  27
   11.  Relation to other RFCs......................................  27
   12.  Security Considerations.....................................  27
   13.  Authors' Addresses..........................................  28

1.  Introduction

   This tutorial contains only one view of the salient points of TCP/IP,
   and therefore it is the "bare bones" of TCP/IP technology.  It omits
   the history of development and funding, the business case for its
   use, and its future as compared to ISO OSI.  Indeed, a great deal of
   technical information is also omitted.  What remains is a minimum of
   information that must be understood by the professional working in a
   TCP/IP environment.  These professionals include the systems
   administrator, the systems programmer, and the network manager.

   This tutorial uses examples from the UNIX TCP/IP environment, however
   the main points apply across all implementations of TCP/IP.

   Note that the purpose of this memo is explanation, not definition.
   If any question arises about the correct specification of a protocol,
   please refer to the actual standards defining RFC.



Socolofsky & Kale