The Internet is a collection of many independent networks. Interconnection of these networks is achieved through the implementation, on each network, of a common service provided by the Internet Protocol (IP). This service allows systems attached to the Internet (called “hosts”) to direct packets of data (called “IP datagrams”) at each other—the service provides confirmation neither of success nor failure. Applications that require guarantees about delivery must employ a suitable “transport protocol” between the hosts on which they run. This chapter describes the IP service and gives a detailed account of its implementation, including the use of IP addresses and the operation of “routers” that relay IP datagrams between networks. It covers multicast transmission, mobility, security, and a new version of IP, IPv6. It describes the “end‐to‐end” protocols used on the Internet, the transport and application protocols. Finally, the chapter describes recent additions to the Internet architecture intended to support real‐time interactive applications.