TCP/IP - the foundation of the internet

TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) allows computers to communicate with one another over a network. Some of the advantages of TCP/IP include:

Computers on the same network can communicate
Computers on different networks can communicate
Different types of computers can send messages to one another.
Platform independent
The protocol of the internet

TCP/IP is really a standard which computer manufacturers have agreed will be used to allow computers to exchange data. TCP/IP is not just one protocol, but is actually a collection of several. TCP and IP are the two major components, although there are several other pieces to the puzzle.