Microsoft Windows Collection 95 98 ME 3.1 DOS

This article describes the most commonly used network protocols that are included with Windows 95 and Windows 98, and explains their use. A protocol is the language that a computer uses to communicate over a network. Computers must use the same protocol to communicate with each other. The following protocols are discussed in this article:

TCP/IP
IPX/SPX and NWLink
NetBEUI
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TCP/IP

Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) is widely used for connectivity to the Internet and as a standard routable protocol for an organization-wide Internetwork (a collection of private networks that are all connected and span an organization).

TCP/IP has become the standard protocol used for interoperability among many different types of computers. This interoperability is one of the primary advantages to TCP/IP. Because of its popularity, TCP/IP has become the standard for Internetworking.

Historically, the size and speed of TCP/IP had been its two primary disadvantages. TCP/IP is a relatively large-sized protocol stack, which can cause problems in Microsoft MS-DOS-based client computers. However, on graphical user interface (GUI)-based operating systems, such as, Windows 95 or Windows 98, the size is not an issue and the speed is about the same as Internetwork Packet Exchange (IPX).

NOTE: Protocols may be routable or non-routable. Routers are intermediate devices that are used to connect different local area networks (LANs). The LANs may be in the same building or across the country. Routers use random access memory (RAM) to build a routing table based on network addresses, for example, an IP address. Routers also share the status and routing information with other routers to provide better traffic management and to bypass slow connections. Routable protocols can cross over a router to different network segments. Routable protocols shipped with Windows 95 and Windows 98 include TCP/IP and Internet Packet Exchange/Sequenced Packet Exchange (IPX/SPX).

Non-routable protocols are self-explanatory. They cannot be routed to another network segment. Non-routable protocols that ship with Windows 95 and Windows 98 include NetBIOS Enhanced User Interface (NetBEUI) and Data Link Control (DLC).