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Protocols
Communication across a network functions by use of protocols, which are conventions or standards that control or enable connection, communication, and data transfer between two computers. Many different protocols are used for communication via the Internet, the most important one being the TCP/IP protocol which is a combination of the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and the Internet Protocol (IP).
Data transmission
In order to understand the function of the TCP/IP protocol, it is important to know that data – e.g. a large file – is not transferred over the Internet in one batch but is first segmented into smaller data packets (packetisation). It is also important to know that, when sent from computer A to computer B, these data packets are not necessarily transferred in the 'right' order. Nor do they necessarily follow the same route through the network. Once computer B receives all the data packets, these are reassembled to recreate the original file.
Data integrity
The purpose of TCP is to guarantee reliable and in-order delivery of the data transmitted. This implies checking data integrity, and re-requesting data in case of network problems or data loss. The IP protocol, on the other hand, is responsible for the addressing and routing of the data to be sent, as well as packetization and re-assembly.