What is the difference between TCP and IP addressing?

Internet Protocols Questions Medium



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What is the difference between TCP and IP addressing?

TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) and IP (Internet Protocol) are two separate protocols that work together to enable communication over the internet.

IP addressing refers to the method of assigning unique numerical addresses to devices connected to a network. IP addresses are used to identify and locate devices on a network. IP addressing is responsible for routing packets of data from the source device to the destination device across different networks. IP addressing uses a hierarchical structure, with different classes of IP addresses (such as IPv4 or IPv6) and subnet masks to divide networks into smaller subnetworks.

On the other hand, TCP is a transport layer protocol that operates on top of IP. TCP provides reliable, connection-oriented communication between devices. It breaks down data into smaller packets and ensures that these packets are delivered in the correct order and without errors. TCP also handles flow control, congestion control, and error detection and correction. It establishes a connection between the source and destination devices, manages the transmission of data, and ensures that all packets are received successfully.

In summary, the main difference between TCP and IP addressing is that IP addressing is responsible for assigning unique numerical addresses to devices and routing packets across networks, while TCP is responsible for reliable, error-free transmission of data between devices.