What is a TCP port and how is it used during connections?

The transmission control protocol (TCP) provides an additional level of naming that helps organize data transfer between computers connected to the internet. In addition to the internet protocol (IP) address that identifies a computer, TCP adds two port numbers that identify a connection between two computers. Packets that are part of a connection flow between the computers the same way at the IP layer, but the port numbers allow TCP to separate connections when packets arrive at the endpoints.

Credits: Talking: Geoffrey Challen (Assistant Professor, Computer Science and Engineering, University at Buffalo). Producing: Greg Bunyea (Undergraduate, Computer Science and Engineering, University at Buffalo).

Part of the www.internet-class.org/ online internet course. A blue Systems Research Group (blue.cse.buffalo.edu/) production.