IP-Protocol

The Internet Protocol (IP) forms the foundation of all communication on the Internet. It handles the addressing and forwarding of data packets between networks—the "navigation system" of the digital world, so to speak.

When a computer sends data, it has to get from A to B somehow. The IP protocol assigns each data packet a sender and a destination address—similar to an envelope. These addresses are called IP addresses, for example, in the form 192.168.1.1 (for IPv4).

However, IP itself doesn't care whether the packets arrive in the correct order or whether all packets are delivered at all—it's connectionless and stateless. This means it simply sends and leaves the rest to other protocols (e.g., TCP or UDP). It's comparable to sending a letter: The post office often delivers it to its destination, but it doesn't guarantee that it will arrive complete or quickly.

What is important is:
Without IP, data packets wouldn't know where to go – and routers wouldn't be able to forward them across the global network. That's why IP is at the heart of the TCP/IP reference model – the foundation of all communication over the Internet.