Ok, i know some of you may get pissed of with me for posting this message as it has nothing to do with XP, but is there someone out there who can explain in IDIOT terms what TCP does and what IP does and (if i aint asking for too much) what they stand for?, im reading about them but just cant understand the terminology and so dont understand a thing...Oh and also what is a NODE? Again thankyou in advance and sorry to post this message, but i didnt know where else to turn too! Please please please help this lost soul understand! Dubster!

Here's a brief explanation of TCP/IP. IP is a connectionless protocol and its purpose is to identify, route and deliver data over a network. TCP is a connection oriented protocol that ensures that data packets are being sent and received in a sequential order and tracks whether packets have been lost or corrupted. Think of it this way, I send you a couple of pieces of mail via UPS. I have to put your address on the packages and bring it to UPS for delivery.(IP) UPS sends the packages, tracking its steps to get to the required destination. Making sure they all get to the destination and none of them are lost on the way. (TCP) Each step to get to that required destination could be considered a NODE. I hope my example was clear enough. It's basic and kind of overlaps but, you should get the idea.

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To put it even simpler, IP is basically those 0.0.0.0 addresses. TCP is a style of transferring data where the receiving node has to send back an "okay, got it" message after every packet and an "okay, got it all" message when done. If this message is not received by the sender, the sender will resend. Basically a "node" is any device which can send or receive data -- a PC, a router, or even a printer with a network card.

TCP and IP were developed by a Department of Defense (DOD) research project to connect a number different networks designed by different vendors into a network of networks (the "Internet"). It was initially successful because it delivered a few basic services that everyone needs (file transfer, electronic mail, remote logon) across a very large number of client and server systems. Several computers in a small department can use TCP/IP (along with other protocols) on a single LAN. The IP component provides routing from the department to the enterprise network, then to regional networks, and finally to the global Internet. On the battlefield a communications network will sustain damage, so the DOD designed TCP/IP to be robust and automatically recover from any node or phone line failure. This design allows the construction of very large networks with less central management. However, because of the automatic recovery, network problems can go undiagnosed and uncorrected for long periods of time. As with all other communications protocol, TCP/IP is composed of layers: IP - is responsible for moving packet of data from node to node. IP forwards each packet based on a four byte destination address (the IP number). The Internet authorities assign ranges of numbers to different organizations. The organizations assign groups of their numbers to departments. IP operates on gateway machines that move data from department to organization to region and then around the world. TCP - is responsible for verifying the correct delivery of data from client to server. Data can be lost in the intermediate network. TCP adds support to detect errors or lost data and to trigger retransmission until the data is correctly and completely received. Sockets - is a name given to the package of subroutines that provide access to TCP/IP on most systems.

Thanks guys and gals!!!! Lots and lots and lots of help, thanks again much appreciated!