View source for 7.1.2 TCP/IP Model (4/5 Layers)

=== 7.1.2 TCP/IP Model (4/5 Layers) ===
The TCP/IP Model is another way to understand how networks work, and it's the one actually used by the Internet! It's a bit simpler than the OSI Model, usually having 4 or 5 layers, but it covers the same important jobs. It was developed to make sure different types of computers could talk to each other.

Think of it like this, compared to the letter example:

# Application Layer: You write the letter (your message, like an email, web page request, or video call). This layer combines the top three layers of the OSI model.
# Transport Layer: You decide how to send the letter – making sure it arrives completely (using TCP) or quickly (using UDP).
# Internet Layer: You put the address on the letter and figure out the best path through the mail system, across the entire Internet.
# Network Access Layer: You put the letter in the mailbox and it gets picked up and moved across the physical network (like your home Wi-Fi or an Ethernet cable). This layer combines the bottom two layers of the OSI model.

The TCP/IP model is more practical and shows how the Internet really works day-to-day.

'''Bibliography:'''

* '''What is TCP/IP. (n.d.). ''Cloudflare''.'''  https://www.cloudflare.com/learning/ddos/glossary/tcp-ip/
* '''Understanding TCP/IP (2025, February 7). ''IBM''.''' https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/zos/3.1.0?topic=tcpip-understanding