TCP/IP is short for Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol. It is a system of rules to allow computers to communicate. This communication can be either over the internet or via an internal network.
This set of protocols allows computers to communicate with each other. Examples of this communication would be webpages, streaming video and or audio, email, chat sessions, and more. This can happen either across a room or from places around the world.
The protocols are the agreed way that the computers will communicate. This standard was set up so computers from all over the world communicated the same way. This makes communicating over the internet possible.
TCP is the method of exchanging information between two computers, and IP is the method of determining where the information should be sent. You have probably heard of an IP address which is a series of numbers that a computer uses to find another computer on a network.
This method of communication between computers was designed to be sure that the information received matches what was sent. This is accomplished by breaking the information down into smaller pieces called packets. The packets contain not just the information about what information is being sent but also in what order they should be reassembled into the data. That way, if they travel different routes through the internet or network, it does not matter if some travel faster than others. If a packet of information is missing from the completed data, the receiver can as that the data be resent. It may sound like a slow process, but the communication happens so seamlessly that we rarely notice a delay.
Please note that information sent via this method is not private when sent over the internet or network. This is why sensitive data should be either encrypted for security or alternately sent through a VPN or Virtual Private network. A VPN is like a tunnel through the network that allows computers to communicate without the information accessible to others. Currently, with so many people working remotely, many companies are implementing a VPN solution to keep their data confidential. Consumers will also use a VPN to keep information like banking safe from being viewed. Confidentiality is especially important when using free Wi-Fi networks, like those located in restaurants, airports, and other locations
TCP/IP made it possible for the creation of the internet that so allows fast reliable communication for entertainment, work, communication, shopping, and education today.