TCP/IP

TCP/IP [Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol] is the suite of communications protocols (the main ones being TCP and IP) used to connect hosts on the Internet.

TCP/IP is used by the Internet, making it the de facto most widely spread standard for transmitting data over networks. TCP and IP were developed by a DOD (Department of Defense) research project to connect a number different networks designed by different vendors into a network of networks (the Internet).