Quiz Entry - updated: 2026.07.14
What are the common protocols used in a small network, and what does each do?
Remote access: Telnet/SSH; web: HTTP/HTTPS; email: SMTP (send), POP3/IMAP (retrieve); file transfer: FTP/SFTP; addressing: DHCP; name resolution: DNS.
Common Protocols of a Small Network:
Network protocols support the applications and services employees use.
| Protocol | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Telnet / SSH | Remote access to network devices and servers (SSH is the secure option) |
| HTTP / HTTPS | Communication between web clients and web servers |
| SMTP | Sends email |
| POP3 / IMAP | Used by clients to retrieve email |
| FTP / SFTP | Downloads and uploads files between a client and an FTP server |
| DHCP | Lets clients acquire an IP configuration automatically from a DHCP server |
| DNS | Resolves domain names to IP addresses |
Key insight: A single server can provide several of these services at once (e.g. an email, FTP, and SSH server on one box), so a small network often needs only a handful of physical servers.
Go deeper:
Wikipedia — DHCP — how the DORA exchange auto-configures clients, the addressing service in this table.- Wikipedia — Domain Name System (DNS) — the name-resolution service that maps hostnames to IP addresses.