Winsock - What Is Winsock And What Does It Do?

Winsock is a shortened term for Windows Sockets API

, and it is a technical specification that tells the Windows operating system how its network software should gain access to various network services. One specific network service that it gives specifications for is TCP/IP. TCP/IP is the commonly referred to name of the Internet Protocol Suite which is a group of communication protocols used in networks like the Internet, and others that are similar. Winsock gives detailed specifications on the interface between a TCP/IP client, like an FTP client, or a web browser, that operates in a Windows environment, and the TCP/IP protocol stack.

The nomenclature of Winsock is based upon a model called the Berkeley sockets API. At first, all of the software developers who were working on Winsock did not want the name shortened, as there was already a lot of confusion with computer users distinguishing the API and DLL library file, winsock.dll, which only was used to expose common WSA interfaces to applications. Many users simply thought that if the DLL file was located on a system then it would allow for full TCP/IP protocol support.

While Microsoft was developing it, they never supplied an implementation of the first version of Winsock 1.0. Version 1.1 came in an additional package, Wolverine, for Windows for Workgroups. It was an extremely vital software component of Windows 95 as well as Windows NT 3.x. The second version of the software became available in an additional package for Windows 95. This version was a vital part of Windows 98, Windows NT 4.0, and all future releases of the Windows operating system. More recent versions of Winsock have been made available by either getting a new edition of Windows, or by downloading one of many subsequent service pack updates.

The second version of Winsock can be extended by something called a Layered Service Provider. An LSP is a DLL files that can be inserted into the TCP/IP stack, and once there can not only intercept, but also alter incoming and outgoing Internet traffic. The ones included with Windows Socket allow for many things to be carried out, like parental controls on the Internet, filtering web content, and quality of service checks. In older versions of Windows, if a user removes an LSP, it could result in Winsock corruption and all network connection capabilities could be lost. Luckily, newer versions of Windows, from XP onwards, it has the ability to heal itself, should an LSP be removed.

by: Troy Truman

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