Week 8 - Scroll, Send, Stream. It's All Thanks to TCP/IP.

Ever wonder how the “Send” button turns into someone else’s “You Got Mail” message? It’s all thanks to TCP/IP working behind-the-scenes magic that makes the internet function.

TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) is like your super-organized friend. It breaks your data (like a photo or message) into smaller packets, sends them, checks to make sure they arrive safely, and then reassembles them like Lego pieces on the other side. If anything’s missing, TCP says, “Let me resend that.”

IP (Internet Protocol) is the navigator. It figures out where each data packet needs to go and how to get there. Every device such as your laptop, phone, even your smart fridge has an IP address, like a mailing address for the post office. So, IP ensures the data lands exactly where it’s meant to.

Together, TCP/IP makes communication over networks possible, whether you're sharing a cat video across town or collaborating on documents with someone halfway around the world. Without it, data would be flying everywhere like confetti with no one to clean it up.