SMTP: Explanation of TCP/IP

Last reviewed: October 20, 1997
Article ID: Q87029

3.00 MS-DOS kb3rdparty

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Mail Gateway to SMTP, version 3.0

TCP/IP is a protocol suite containing two protocols: Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and Internet Protocol (IP).

TCP is a connection oriented protocol that compensates for the underlying network's lack of reliability. It ensures the correct sequence of packets and provides end-to-end acknowledgment.

IP is a connectionless protocol. Each packet contains routing information that allows the network nodes to route the packet toward its destination. The nodes themselves do not try to understand the packet data.

TCP functionality is comparable with that of the Open Systems Interconnection's (OSI's) transport service class 4; that is, TP4.

REFERENCES

TCP is specified in RFC-793.

IP is specified in RFC-791.

Additional reference words: 3.00 pcmail
KBCategory: kb3rdparty
KBSubcategory: MailGWSMTP

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.

Last reviewed: October 20, 1997
© 1998 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Terms of Use.