Internet protocol

n. IP, standard which regulates computer connections on networks that make up the Internet (Computers)

A DOD standard protocol designed for use in interconnected systems of packet-switched computer communication networks. Note: The internet protocol provides for transmitting blocks of data called datagrams from sources to destinations, where sources and destinations are hosts identified by fixed-length addresses. The internet protocol also provides for fragmentation and reassembly of long datagrams, if necessary, for transmission through small-packet networks.

<networking> (IP) The network layer for the TCP/IP protocol suite widely used on Ethernet networks, defined in STD 5, RFC 791. IP is a connectionless, best-effort packet switching protocol. It provides packet routing, fragmentation and re-assembly through the data link layer.
IPv4 is the version in widespread use and IPv6 is just beginning to come into use in 2000.
[Other versions? Dates?]
(2000-12-19)