“My internet is not working properly, what should I do?”— “Try resetting the TCP/IP stack”
But you are more confused! What the heck is a TCP/IP stack?
Well don’t you worry. This article is here to clear all your confusions about those common jargons in networking.
HTTP
HTTP stands for “HyperText Transfer Protocol”. Fancy right? No issues. We’ll decode each and every word at the very basic to understand it. Let’s dive into it.
Protocol: A protocol is a set of rules and regulations defined to transfer your data between devices seamlessly, particularly HyperText in this case. You might have heard this word often, like “Army protocols”, “safety protocols” and many more. That’s it, it simply means the rules in which things work.
Transfer: you all know it, right? But we’ll see it again. it simply means sending the data between user and receiver.
HyperText": Let’s break it down in two parts:
Hyper: Hyper in this context means links or hyperlinks. These links are simply address of other websites. Consider this only as links of other websites.
Text: it is simply a text piece of information conveyed in the document.
Stateless Protocol
Fancy term, right? Let’s dig into it!
Now you are familiar with protocol I guess. We have another term here that is “Stateless”.
- State: state in the context of a protocol refers to the ability of a system to remember information about a previous interaction or session and use it in future interactions.
Kind of confusing I guess? Here is a simple example to understand it.
Imagine you visit a coffee shop:
With State (Stateful): The barista remembers you and your previous order. You don’t have to tell them your preference each time.
Without State (Stateless): The barista treats you like a new customer every time. You need to tell them your order from scratch every visit.
Here is an image for a more clear understanding:
Session
In networking, a session is like a conversation between two devices or applications over a network. It begins when the devices start communicating and ends when they stop.
Let’s see this with a real life example:
Online Shopping: When you log into an online store and add items to your cart, a session keeps track of what you've selected. This session ensures that the website remembers your cart items until you check out or leave the site.
Cookie
A cookie in networking is a small piece of data that a website saves on your computer or device. It helps the website remember information about you, like your preferences or login details, for future visits.
Let’s see a real life example that we encounter almost everyday:
Remember Me: On a website where you log in, a cookie can store your login information if you select "Remember Me." This way, you won't have to enter your username and password every time you visit.
IP Address
An IP (Internet Protocol) address is like the address of your house, but for devices on a network. It helps computers, phones, and other devices identify each other and communicate over the internet or a local network.
Here is an analogy in real life:
Imagine sending a letter:
Sender's Address: Your home address (your device’s IP address).
Receiver's Address: Your friend’s address (the IP address of the website or device you’re contacting).
Postman: The internet delivers the data to the right address.
Key points
Unique Identifier: Every device has its own unique IP address, so data knows where to go.
Two Types of IP:
IPv4: Older format with numbers like
192.168.1.1(4 sets of numbers, each between 0-255).IPv6: Newer format with a longer address like
2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334(used because there aren’t enough IPv4 addresses).
TCP/IP
Its sounds like a fancy acronym. Many of you might have heard it a lot during your network troubleshooting times. Let’s break it down now.
TCP
It stands for Transmission Control Protocol. TCP is like a reliable delivery service for data on the internet. It ensures that data is sent, received, and put back together correctly, even if it's broken into smaller pieces during transmission.
Let’s see a fun example to understand it better:
Imagine you're sending a jigsaw puzzle to a friend:
You send the pieces in separate envelopes (packets).
Your friend confirms receiving each envelope.
If a piece is missing, you resend it.
Your friend assembles the puzzle into the full picture.
TCP works just like that!
In terms of technology, here is a simple example:
Sending an Email:
You write a long email and click "Send."
TCP breaks the email into packets and sends them.
The email server confirms each packet is received.
The email is reassembled on the recipient's side.
HTTPS
HTTPS: A secure version of HTTP using SSL/TLS for encryption. Basically, it uses a security system for securely transferring information.
Purpose: HTTPS ensures data integrity and confidentiality in communication between the client and server.
URL
A URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is like an address you type into a browser to visit a specific webpage or access a resource on the internet. It tells your browser where to find the resource and how to access it.
Example of How a URL Works:
Typing the URL: You type
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQin your browser.Decoding the URL:
https://: Uses secure communication.www.youtube.com: Points to YouTube’s server./watch: Asks for the "watch" feature.?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ: Specifies the video ID to play.
The Result: The browser shows you the requested video.
DNS
DNS stands for Domain Name System, and it's like the phone book of the internet. It translates user-friendly domain names (like www.example.com) into IP addresses (like 192.168.1.1) that computers use to find each other on the internet.
This might have given you a slight idea about it. It’s like your contact book in your phone.
How DNS Works:
You type a website name: When you type
www.example.cominto your browser, you’re entering a domain name.DNS looks it up: Your computer doesn't know what
www.example.commeans, so it asks the DNS to look it up. The DNS server’s job is to find the IP address for that domain.DNS returns the IP address: The DNS server finds the IP address associated with
www.example.com, for example192.168.1.1.Your browser connects: Once your computer has the IP address, it can then send a request to the website’s server (using the IP address) to load the website.
Pretty simple, right? Yup, that was all it.
Here is a simple example:
Think of DNS like a contact list on your phone:
You save someone's name (e.g., "John").
Your phone looks up their phone number in the contact list.
You dial the phone number to talk to John.
In the internet world, DNS is doing the same thing: translating domain names to IP addresses so computers can communicate.
TLS
TLS (Transport Layer Security) is a protocol that keeps the internet secure. It ensures that data sent over the internet is encrypted (protected from your ex maybe, or your so-called ”well-wisher”) and authentic (comes from a trusted source). It is used to make sure that your personal information, like passwords, credit card details, or messages, is kept safe when you interact with websites or online services.
Example of TLS in Action:
Imagine you’re buying something online:
You enter your credit card details on a website.
The website uses TLS to encrypt your card number, ensuring that no one can read it as it travels over the internet.
The website’s certificate confirms that it’s actually the website you want to buy from (not a fake one created by an attacker).
TLS ensures that the payment details sent to the website are received exactly as you entered them (without anyone tampering with it).
Look for "https://" and a Lock Icon:
https stands for HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure, meaning the site uses TLS encryption.
Most browsers also show a lock icon in the address bar to indicate a secure connection is being used.
SSL
SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) is a security technology used to establish an encrypted link between a web server (website) and a browser (your computer). This encryption ensures that all data passed between the server and browser remains private and secure. SSL is the beforehand to TLS (Transport Layer Security), which is now the standard, but the term SSL is still often used when talking about website security.
Example of SSL in Action:
Imagine you're logging into your online bank account:
You type your username and password into the website.
The website uses SSL to encrypt your login details, meaning if someone intercepts the data, they won't be able to see your password because it’s encrypted.
The website also presents a digital certificate to prove that it's really your bank and not a fake website.
Once the website proves its identity and encrypts your data, you are securely logged in, and your bank details remain protected.
Congratulations!!
You made it to the end. It really shows your dedication and zeal to learn new things and upskill yourself.
Now if anyone flaunts these terms in front of you, don’t be overwhelmed. Explain these terms to them in the way that you have learnt today and they’ll be like — “He really knows them man!”