Could anyone tell me what these protocols mean– TCP/IP, FTP, HTTP, T.120 and H.320 and what the differences are between them.

TCP/IP

http://www.google.com/search?q=TCP%2...e=utf8&oe=utf8

FTP

http://www.google.com/search?q=+FTP&...e=utf8&oe=utf8

HTTP

http://www.google.com/search?q=HTTP&...e=utf8&oe=utf8

T.120

http://www.google.com/search?q=T.120...e=utf8&oe=utf8

H.320

http://www.google.com/search?q=H.320...e=utf8&oe=utf8

In summary, a protocol is a method or set of standards. Just like the word "protocol" in the standard English language, a computer or network protocol is a set of rules about how to behave / communicate. If you do something "by the book", you can be said to be "following protocol". In a similar way, for data to communicate over the Internet, it has to follow a set of rules and strict standards and communicate in a specific way that other parties are expecting.

HTTP stands for HyperText Transport Protocol - it is the standard for web page communications, which is why all web site addresses start with http://.......

FTP is File Transfer Protocol. This is similar to web page communication but it is a variation that is used just for sending files between different computers / servers over the Internet, without using a fancy illustrated web page.

TCP/IP is Transport Control Protocol / Internet Protocol (I think!). This is the modern standard for all communications between PCs, servers, printers, routers, etc in an internal network (such as the cabled network in a business office). The 'Internet Protocol' part is a reference to the fact that almost all modern internal networks end up passing information to/from the Internet at some point, e.g. to send emails to other companies.

I haven't heard of the other two before but they sound like digital modem protocols.

Hope that helps