Protocols are a set of rules that govern the transmission of data between computers. These protocols used on the internet include TCP/IP, HTTP, FTP and SMTP.
Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) is a common language for data transmission and error detection across the Internet. It breaks down information into smaller packets of data that contains the information and address of the receiving computer.
Hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) is a standard for transferring the contents of a web page into a browser for viewing.
File transfer protocol (FTP) is a standard to upload and download files.
Simple mail transfer protocol (SMTP) is a standard for outgoing email. Most email
messages are sent using SMTP. POP3 (Post Office Protocol) is a standard for incoming email.