TCP/IP Protocol and Networking - CDACC Study Notes
Table of Contents
1. Introduction to Networking
2. OSI Model vs TCP/IP Model
3. TCP/IP Protocol Suite
4. Internet Protocol (IP)
5. Transmission Control Protocol (TCP)
6. User Datagram Protocol (UDP)
7. Application Layer Protocols
8. IP Addressing and Subnetting
9. Routing Protocols
10. Network Security
Introduction to Networking
What is Computer Networking?
Computer networking is the practice of connecting multiple computing devices to share resources, data,
and services. Networks enable communication between devices across various distances, from local area
networks (LANs) to wide area networks (WANs) and the global Internet.
Key Networking Concepts
Node: Any device connected to a network (computer, printer, router, etc.)
Host: A computer that provides services to other computers
Server: A computer that provides services to client computers
Client: A computer that requests services from servers
Protocol: A set of rules governing communication between devices
Bandwidth: The maximum rate of data transfer across a network path
Latency: The delay in data transmission from source to destination
Types of Networks
1. Personal Area Network (PAN): Very short range (1-10 meters)
2. Local Area Network (LAN): Limited geographical area (building, campus)
3. Metropolitan Area Network (MAN): City-wide coverage
4. Wide Area Network (WAN): Large geographical areas, countries
5. Internet: Global network of interconnected networks
OSI Model vs TCP/IP Model
OSI Model (7 Layers)
The Open Systems Interconnection model provides a conceptual framework for network communication:
1. Physical Layer
Transmission of raw bits over physical medium
Defines electrical, mechanical, and procedural specifications
Examples: Ethernet cables, fiber optics, wireless signals
2. Data Link Layer
Node-to-node delivery within the same network
Error detection and correction
MAC (Media Access Control) addressing
Examples: Ethernet, Wi-Fi (802.11)
3. Network Layer
Routing and logical addressing
Path determination across multiple networks
Examples: IP, ICMP, ARP
4. Transport Layer
End-to-end communication and reliability
Flow control and error recovery
Examples: TCP, UDP
5. Session Layer
Managing sessions between applications
Establishing, maintaining, and terminating connections
Examples: NetBIOS, RPC
6. Presentation Layer
Data translation, encryption, compression
Format conversion
Examples: SSL/TLS, JPEG, MPEG
7. Application Layer
Network services to applications
User interface
Examples: HTTP, FTP, SMTP, DNS
TCP/IP Model (4 Layers)
The TCP/IP model is the practical implementation used on the Internet:
1. Network Access Layer
Combines OSI Physical and Data Link layers
Hardware addressing and physical transmission
2. Internet Layer
Corresponds to OSI Network layer
Logical addressing and routing
Primary protocol: IP
3. Transport Layer
Same as OSI Transport layer
End-to-end communication
Primary protocols: TCP, UDP
4. Application Layer
Combines OSI Session, Presentation, and Application layers
All application services and protocols
TCP/IP Protocol Suite
Protocol Stack Overview
The TCP/IP protocol suite is a collection of protocols organized in layers. Each layer provides services to the
layer above and uses services from the layer below.
Key Characteristics
Open Standard: Not proprietary to any vendor
Scalable: Works from small LANs to the global Internet
Robust: Can route around failures
Platform Independent: Works on different operating systems
Protocol Examples by Layer
Application: HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, SMTP, DNS, DHCP, SNMP
Transport: TCP, UDP
Internet: IP, ICMP, ARP, RARP
Network Access: Ethernet, Wi-Fi, PPP
Internet Protocol (IP)
IPv4 (Internet Protocol Version 4)
IPv4 Header Structure
0 1 2 3
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
|Version| IHL |Type of Service| Total Length |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
| Identification |Flags| Fragment Offset |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
| Time to Live | Protocol | Header Checksum |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
| Source Address |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
| Destination Address |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
Key IPv4 Header Fields
Version: IP version (4 for IPv4)
IHL: Internet Header Length
Type of Service: Quality of Service marking
Total Length: Total packet size
Identification: Unique packet identifier
Flags: Control fragmentation
Fragment Offset: Position of fragment
Time to Live (TTL): Hop limit
Protocol: Next layer protocol (TCP=6, UDP=17)
Header Checksum: Error detection
Source/Destination Address: 32-bit IP addresses
IPv4 Addressing
Address Size: 32 bits (4 bytes)
Format: Dotted decimal notation (e.g., 192.168.1.1)
Address Space: Approximately 4.3 billion addresses
Classes: A, B, C, D (multicast), E (experimental)
IPv6 (Internet Protocol Version 6)
Key IPv6 Features
Address Size: 128 bits (16 bytes)
Address Space: 3.4 × 10^38 addresses
Format: Hexadecimal notation with colons
Built-in Security: IPSec integration
Simplified Header: More efficient processing
No Fragmentation: At intermediate routers
IPv6 Address Types
Unicast: One-to-one communication
Multicast: One-to-many communication
Anycast: One-to-nearest communication
Transmission Control Protocol (TCP)
TCP Characteristics
Connection-Oriented: Establishes connection before data transfer
Reliable: Guarantees delivery and order
Full-Duplex: Bidirectional communication
Flow Control: Manages data transmission rate
Error Detection and Correction: Ensures data integrity
TCP Header Structure
0 1 2 3
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
| Source Port | Destination Port |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
| Sequence Number |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
| Acknowledgment Number |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
| Data | |U|A|P|R|S|F| |
| Offset| Reserved |R|C|S|S|Y|I| Window |
| | |G|K|H|T|N|N| |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
| Checksum | Urgent Pointer |
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
TCP Control Flags
URG: Urgent pointer field significant
ACK: Acknowledgment field significant
PSH: Push function
RST: Reset connection
SYN: Synchronize sequence numbers
FIN: No more data from sender
TCP Three-Way Handshake
1. SYN: Client sends SYN packet to server
2. SYN-ACK: Server responds with SYN-ACK
3. ACK: Client sends ACK to complete connection
TCP Connection Termination
1. FIN: One side initiates closure
2. ACK: Other side acknowledges
3. FIN: Other side sends its FIN
4. ACK: First side acknowledges
TCP Flow Control
Sliding Window: Controls amount of unacknowledged data
Window Size: Advertised by receiver
Congestion Control: Prevents network overload
User Datagram Protocol (UDP)
UDP Characteristics
Connectionless: No connection establishment
Unreliable: No delivery guarantee
Fast: Lower overhead than TCP
Simple: Minimal header structure
No Flow Control: No rate limiting
UDP Header Structure
0 7 8 15 16 23 24 31
+--------+--------+--------+--------+
| Source | Destination |
| Port | Port |
+--------+--------+--------+--------+
| | |
| Length | Checksum |
+--------+--------+--------+--------+
UDP vs TCP Comparison
Feature TCP UDP
Connection Connection-oriented Connectionless
Reliability Reliable Unreliable
Ordering Guaranteed Not guaranteed
Speed Slower Faster
Overhead Higher Lower
Use Cases Web, email, file transfer DNS, streaming, gaming
Application Layer Protocols
Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP)
Purpose: Web page transfer
Port: 80 (HTTP), 443 (HTTPS)
Methods: GET, POST, PUT, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Status Codes: 200 (OK), 404 (Not Found), 500 (Server Error)
File Transfer Protocol (FTP)
Purpose: File transfer between hosts
Ports: 21 (control), 20 (data)
Modes: Active and Passive
Commands: USER, PASS, LIST, RETR, STOR
Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP)
Purpose: Email transmission
Port: 25, 587, 465
Commands: HELO, MAIL FROM, RCPT TO, DATA
Works with: POP3, IMAP for email retrieval
Domain Name System (DNS)
Purpose: Domain name to IP address resolution
Port: 53
Record Types: A, AAAA, MX, CNAME, NS, PTR
Hierarchy: Root, TLD, Second-level domains
Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP)
Purpose: Automatic IP address assignment
Ports: 67 (server), 68 (client)
Process: DISCOVER, OFFER, REQUEST, ACK
Lease Time: Duration of IP address assignment
Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP)
Purpose: Network device management
Port: 161 (agent), 162 (manager)
Versions: SNMPv1, SNMPv2c, SNMPv3
Operations: GET, SET, TRAP
IP Addressing and Subnetting
IPv4 Address Classes
Class A: 1.0.0.0 to 126.255.255.255 (/8)
Class B: 128.0.0.0 to 191.255.255.255 (/16)
Class C: 192.0.0.0 to 223.255.255.255 (/24)
Class D: 224.0.0.0 to 239.255.255.255 (Multicast)
Class E: 240.0.0.0 to 255.255.255.255 (Experimental)
Private IP Address Ranges
Class A: 10.0.0.0/8
Class B: 172.16.0.0/12
Class C: 192.168.0.0/16
Subnetting
Subnetting divides a network into smaller subnetworks.
Subnet Mask
Purpose: Identifies network and host portions
Format: Dotted decimal (255.255.255.0) or CIDR (/24)
Calculation: Network bits = 1, Host bits = 0
CIDR (Classless Inter-Domain Routing)
Notation: IP address followed by slash and prefix length
Example: 192.168.1.0/24
Benefits: Efficient address allocation, route aggregation
Subnetting Example
Network: 192.168.1.0/24
Hosts per subnet: 2^(32-24) - 2 = 254
Subnet 1: 192.168.1.0/25 (192.168.1.1-126)
Subnet 2: 192.168.1.128/25 (192.168.1.129-254)
Variable Length Subnet Masking (VLSM)
Allows different subnet sizes within the same network to optimize address usage.
Routing Protocols
Routing Fundamentals
Static Routing: Manually configured routes
Dynamic Routing: Automatic route discovery and updates
Routing Table: Database of network destinations
Metric: Cost of reaching a destination
Interior Gateway Protocols (IGP)
Routing Information Protocol (RIP)
Type: Distance Vector
Metric: Hop count (max 15)
Updates: Every 30 seconds
Versions: RIPv1, RIPv2, RIPng (IPv6)
Open Shortest Path First (OSPF)
Type: Link State
Metric: Cost based on bandwidth
Algorithm: Dijkstra's shortest path
Features: Fast convergence, hierarchical design
Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol (EIGRP)
Type: Hybrid (Distance Vector + Link State)
Metric: Composite (bandwidth, delay, reliability, load)
Features: Fast convergence, loop-free
Exterior Gateway Protocols (EGP)
Border Gateway Protocol (BGP)
Purpose: Inter-AS (Autonomous System) routing
Type: Path Vector
Versions: BGP-4 (current)
Features: Policy-based routing, loop prevention
Network Security
Security Threats
Eavesdropping: Unauthorized interception of data
Man-in-the-Middle: Intercepting and modifying communications
Denial of Service (DoS): Overwhelming system resources
IP Spoofing: Forging source IP addresses
Port Scanning: Probing for open network services
Security Measures
Firewalls
Purpose: Control network traffic based on rules
Types: Packet filtering, stateful, application-level
Placement: Network perimeter, host-based
Virtual Private Networks (VPN)
Purpose: Secure communication over public networks
Protocols: IPSec, SSL/TLS, PPTP, L2TP
Benefits: Confidentiality, integrity, authentication
Encryption
Symmetric: Same key for encryption/decryption (AES, DES)
Asymmetric: Different keys (RSA, ECC)
Hash Functions: One-way functions (SHA, MD5)
Authentication
Something you know: Passwords, PINs
Something you have: Tokens, certificates
Something you are: Biometrics
Network Access Control
802.1X: Port-based network access control
RADIUS: Remote authentication service
NAC: Network Access Control systems
Key Exam Topics Summary
Critical Concepts for CDACC
1. TCP/IP Model layers and their functions
2. TCP vs UDP comparison and use cases
3. IP addressing, subnetting, and CIDR
4. Common application protocols (HTTP, FTP, DNS, DHCP)
5. Routing protocols classification and characteristics
6. Network security fundamentals
7. IPv4 vs IPv6 differences
8. TCP connection establishment and termination
9. OSI model correlation with TCP/IP
10. Private vs public IP addresses
Practice Questions Focus Areas
Calculate subnet masks and network ranges
Identify protocol functions and port numbers
Analyze packet headers and fields
Compare routing protocol characteristics
Understand security protocol implementations
TCP/UDP header field purposes
Network troubleshooting scenarios
Additional Resources
Important Port Numbers to Remember
HTTP: 80
HTTPS: 443
FTP: 20, 21
SSH: 22
Telnet: 23
SMTP: 25
DNS: 53
DHCP: 67, 68
POP3: 110
IMAP: 143
SNMP: 161, 162
Common Network Commands
ping: Test connectivity
traceroute/tracert: Trace packet path
nslookup/dig: DNS queries
netstat: Network statistics
arp: Address Resolution Protocol table
ipconfig/ifconfig: Interface configuration
This comprehensive guide covers all essential TCP/IP and networking concepts required for the CDACC
syllabus. Focus on understanding the relationships between protocols and their practical applications in real
networks.
