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ICMP (Internet Control Message Protocol) in Computer Network
In this tutorial, we will learn about the ICMP (internet control message protocol) in computer network.
By Mahima Rao Last updated : May 04, 2023
What is Internet Control Message Protocol?
IP (Internet Protocol) is a network layer protocol. The responsibility of delivering data (Logical Addressing) to any network is done by the IP (Internet Protocol). For this purpose, the IP uses transport layer protocols such as TCP and UDP. TCP and IP form the TCP / IP protocol suite.
Efforts are being made by Internet Protocol to deliver any data from source to destination. But there are some limitations to the internet protocol, which lowers its performance. These are being given below.
Limitations of IP (Internet Protocol)
Two significant deficiencies in Internet protocol are being given below. To understand the need for ICMP, it is important to understand these limitations properly.
1. No Error Reporting
If any packet is discarded by the router due to an error, then there is no mechanism in the internet protocol so that the sender can be reported about this error.
Examples of some common errors are given below.
Suppose if the router is not getting a router to deliver data to the destination, then in such situation, the router will disconnect the packet.
Suppose that the lifetime of a packet is done while traveling on the internet and in time the value of the time to live field in the packet is zero, then in this situation, the packet will be discarded.
Suppose all the packets have not reached the destination till the destination, then in such a situation, the entire data will be discarded.
2. No Communication
There may be times when one device needs to communicate with another device, there is no such mechanism in Internet protocol for such a situation, so that devices can communicate among themselves in which some devices are required to communicate, such a few common situations are being given below.
Many times, a host needs to determine whether the destination host is alive before sending data.
Many times you may also need to get information about a host.
The Internet Control Message Protocol has been designed to overcome these shortcomings of Internet Protocol. ICMP and IP both work together. ICMP is the support protocol of the IP. There is a message mechanism in the ICMP so that the hosts are notified about error and status.