Protocol Name

Protocol Abbr.

Description

Internet Protocol, Internet Protocol Version 6

IP, IPv6

Provides encapsulation and connectionless delivery of transport layer messages over a TCP/IP network. Also responsible for addressing and routing functions.

IP Network Address Translation

IP NAT

Allows addresses on a private network to be automatically translated to different addresses on a public network, providing address sharing and security benefits. (Note that some people don’t consider IP NAT to be a protocol in the strict sense of that word.)

IP Security

IPSec

A set of IP-related protocols that improve the security of IP transmissions.

Internet Protocol Mobility Support

Mobile IP

Resolves certain problems with IP associated with mobile devices.

Internet Control Message Protocol

ICMP/ICMPv4, ICMPv6

A “support protocol” for IP and IPv6 that provides error-reporting and information request-and-reply capabilities to hosts.

Neighbor Discovery Protocol

ND

A new “support protocol” for IPv6 that includes several functions performed by ARP and ICMP in conventional IP.

Routing Information Protocol, Open Shortest Path First, Gateway-to-Gateway Protocol, HELLO Protocol, Interior Gateway Routing Protocol, Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol, Border Gateway Protocol, Exterior Gateway Protocol

RIP, OSPF, GGP, HELLO, IGRP, EIGRP, BGP, EGP

Protocols used to support the routing of IP datagrams and the exchange of routing information.

Protocol Name

Protocol Abbr.

Description

Transmission Control Protocol

TCP

The main transport layer protocol for TCP/IP. Establishes and manages connections between devices and ensures reliable and flow-controlled delivery of data using IP.

User Datagram Protocol

UDP

A transport protocol that can be considered a “severely stripped-down” version of TCP. It is used to send data in a simple way between application processes, without the many reliability and flow management features of TCP, but often with greater efficiency.