Requests for Comments (RFCs) are documents that contain the specifications and information for all internet protocols.
RFC 1739, A Primer on Internet and TCP/IP Tools by G. Kessler & S. Shepard, is a useful, short introductory guide to Internet and TCP/IP resources that refers to itself as a “tutorial for individual self-learning.” It includes a beginner's guide and a list of resources and documentation.
You can obtain RFCs via FTP over the Internet from the following sites:
You can also obtain RFCs by E-mail by sending a message, which includes the RFC number, to mailserv@ds.internic.net.
RFCs are available on the World Wide Web. For example, you can get RFC 1739 by using the Uniform Resource Locator (URL) ftp://ds.internic.net/rfc/rfcl739.txt.
An additional RFC, number 1359, Connecting to the Internet: What Connecting Institutions Should Anticipate, outlines the major issues an institution should consider when deciding to implement a campus network connection to the Internet.
The following books also provide information about the TCP/IP protocol suite: