Network Protocols
Explore 39 network protocols organized by OSI model layer — from physical to application layer.
Application Layer (27)
Foundation of data communication on the web. Defines request/response methods (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE) for …
HTTP encrypted with TLS. Provides authentication, data integrity, and confidentiality for web traffic. Standard for …
Major revision of HTTP with binary framing, multiplexed streams, header compression (HPACK), and server push …
Latest HTTP version running over QUIC (UDP) instead of TCP. Eliminates head-of-line blocking and reduces …
Full-duplex communication protocol over a single TCP connection. Enables real-time bidirectional data exchange between client …
Standard protocol for sending email between mail servers. Handles message routing, delivery, and relay across …
Protocol for retrieving email that keeps messages on the server. Supports folders, search, and multi-device …
Protocol for downloading email from a server to a local client. Typically deletes messages from …
Standard protocol for transferring files between hosts. Uses separate control (port 21) and data (port …
Secure file transfer over SSH. Provides encrypted file access, transfer, and management. Not related to …
Simplified file transfer protocol using UDP. Used for network booting (PXE), firmware updates, and configuration …
Encrypted protocol for secure remote login, command execution, and tunneling. Replaced insecure Telnet for server …
Legacy unencrypted remote terminal protocol. Transmits data including passwords in plaintext. Replaced by SSH for …
Microsoft protocol for remote graphical desktop access. Supports display, input, audio redirection, and multi-monitor setups.
Platform-independent remote desktop protocol using the RFB (Remote Framebuffer) protocol. Works across Windows, macOS, and …
Hierarchical distributed naming system translating human-readable domain names to IP addresses. The internet's phone book.
DNS resolution encrypted within HTTPS connections. Prevents DNS eavesdropping and manipulation by ISPs and network …
DNS resolution encrypted with TLS on a dedicated port. Provides DNS privacy while remaining distinguishable …
Protocol for monitoring and managing network devices (routers, switches, servers). Collects metrics via OIDs from …
Protocol for clock synchronization across networks. Achieves millisecond-level accuracy using a hierarchy of time sources …
Standard for message logging. Separates message generation from storage, enabling centralized log collection from diverse …
Protocol for accessing and maintaining distributed directory information services. Used for authentication and user/group management.
AAA protocol (Authentication, Authorization, Accounting) for network access. Widely used for Wi-Fi, VPN, and ISP …
Open-source VPN protocol using SSL/TLS for encryption. Highly configurable and widely supported by commercial VPN …
Automatically assigns IP addresses, subnet masks, gateways, and DNS servers to devices joining a network. …
Signaling protocol for initiating, maintaining, and terminating real-time voice, video, and messaging sessions over IP.
Protocol for delivering audio and video over IP networks. Provides timestamping, sequence numbering, and payload …
Transport Layer (4)
Connection-oriented, reliable transport protocol. Guarantees ordered delivery through three-way handshake, sequence numbers, and retransmission.
Connectionless, lightweight transport protocol. No delivery guarantees but minimal overhead — ideal for real-time applications.
UDP-based transport protocol with built-in TLS 1.3 encryption. Eliminates head-of-line blocking and reduces connection setup …
Cryptographic protocol providing privacy and data integrity between two communicating applications. TLS 1.3 is the …
Network Layer (7)
Modern VPN protocol with minimal codebase (~4,000 lines) using state-of-the-art cryptography. Faster and simpler than …
Suite of protocols securing IP communications through authentication (AH) and encryption (ESP). Used in site-to-site …
Fourth version of IP using 32-bit addresses (~4.3 billion unique addresses). Still carries the majority …
Latest version of IP using 128-bit addresses (3.4×10³⁸ unique addresses). Designed to replace IPv4 with …
Protocol for error reporting and network diagnostics. Powers ping and traceroute. Reports unreachable destinations and …
The routing protocol of the internet. Exchanges routing information between autonomous systems (ASes) to determine …
Interior gateway routing protocol using Dijkstra's shortest-path algorithm. Widely used within enterprise and ISP networks.