As you've seen in this chapter, a number of protocols are used in modern networks, and TCP/IP is by far the most widely implemented of them. Each network protocol has unique characteristics some good and some not so good. Table 5.2 compares the characteristics of the major protocols.
Table 5.2. Protocol Comparison
Protocol
Network OperatingSystem
Routable?
Configuration
Primary Use
TCP/IP
Used by default with Unix, Linux, NetWare, and Windows systems; supported by Macintosh and just about every other computing platform available
Yes
Comparatively difficult to configure; has a number of different configuration requirements.
Used on many networks of all shapes and sizes; is the protocol of the Internet
IPX/SPX
Used to be the default protocol for NetWare, but now TCP/IP is preferred; can also be used with Linux; Windows supports NWLink, a version of the IPX/ SPX protocol suite that was created by Microsoft for cross-platform compatibility
Yes
Very easy to configure because most information is autoconfigured
Primarily used on legacy NetWare networks
AppleTalk
Used by Macintosh, with some support on other platforms
Yes
Minimal configuration difficulty; requires a node address (automatically assigned when systems boot) and a network address
Used on legacy Macintosh networks
NetBEUI
Used by Windows
No
Easy network configuration, requiring only the computer's NetBIOS name
Primarily used on smaller networks where routing is not required
