Internet RFCs

What is an RFC?

Internet standards are generally proposed and honed by various commitees in public documents across the World Wide Web. These documents are called RFC’s (Request for Comments). For any standard protocol you will find a number of these documents on the Web. Some relevant ones are in the M directory.

Where are the latest versions?

The web site http://www.rfc-editor.org is currently the best source for finding RFCs.

Another starting place for a search engine; you can find them simply by entering the phrase:-

  <protocol> +RFC

into the search engine. When looking up a protocol be aware of two things:-

  1. Sometimes an RFC describing a protocol is made obsolescent by a later document.
  2. Most protocols have extension documents posted after their initial release.

Recommended reading

TCP/IP Illustrated volume 1
W Richard Stevens
ADDISON WESLEY

TCP/IP Illustrated volume 2
Gary R Wight & W Richard Stevens
ADDISON WESLEY

InterNetworking with TCP/IP vol 2
Douglas E Comer & David L Stevens
PRENTICE HALL

Net BSD Sources
Net BSD Man Pages
The Linux sources will do fine

  http://www.linux.org