The Internet Protocol<\/a> (IP) is the principal communications protocol in the Internet Protocol Suite<\/a> for relaying datagrams across network boundaries. Its routing function enables internetworking<\/a>, and essentially establishes the Internet<\/a>. IP is responsible for delivering packets from the source host to the destination host based on the IP Address<\/a>. Detailed specifications and standards are maintained by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF)<\/a>.<\/p> There are two primary versions of the protocol currently in use: IPv4<\/a>, which uses a 32-bit addressing scheme, and IPv6<\/a>, which utilizes 128-bit addresses to provide a significantly larger address space. According to Britannica<\/a>, the Internet Protocol<\/a> functions at the Network Layer<\/a> within the OSI Model<\/a>. It often works in conjunction with the Transmission Control Protocol<\/a> to ensure reliable data transmission across a Packet Switched Network<\/a>.<\/p>