UNIX networking refers to the networking capabilities built into UNIX-like operating systems, which include Linux, macOS, and various flavors of UNIX itself. These capabilities allow computers running these operating systems to communicate with each other over networks, whether they’re local area networks (LANs) or the internet.
UNIX networking is based on a set of protocols, with TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) being the most prominent. TCP/IP provides the foundation for communication between devices on a network, enabling tasks such as sending and receiving data packets, establishing connections, and routing information.
UNIX-like operating systems typically include a suite of networking utilities and services, such as:
- ifconfig: Used for configuring and displaying information about network interfaces.
- ping: Useful in test the reachability of a host on an IP network.
- netstat: Provides information about network connections, routing tables, interface statistics, and more.
- ssh (Secure Shell): Allows secure remote access to a computer or server over a network.
- ftp (File Transfer Protocol): Used for transferring files between computers over a network.
- telnet: Enables command-line access to remote computers.
- iptables (Linux): A firewall utility used to configure packet filtering and NAT (Network Address Translation).
- dhcpd (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol Daemon): Assigns IP addresses dynamically to devices on a network.
These utilities and services, along with many others, facilitate various aspects of networking on UNIX-like systems, making them powerful platforms for building and managing networked environments. Additionally, developers often leverage UNIX networking APIs and libraries, such as sockets, to create custom networking applications tailored to specific needs.