Which protocol requests a webpage's contents from an IP address?

The protocol that requests a webpage's contents from an IP address is Hypertext Transfer Protocol, often abbreviated as HTTP. When a user wants to access a webpage, their web browser sends an HTTP request to the server at a specific IP address. This request typically includes the URL of the desired webpage, prompting the server to send back the required HTML content and other associated resources such as images, stylesheets, and scripts.

HTTP is designed specifically for transferring hypertext, which includes text, images, and other multimedia elements. Its foundational role in web browsing allows users to navigate the internet seamlessly by fetching and displaying content hosted on remote servers.

In comparison, other protocols serve different purposes: Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) is used for sending emails, File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is employed for transferring files between systems, and Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) is mainly used for error messages and diagnostics in the network layer rather than for content transfer. This delineation highlights HTTP's distinct function as the backbone of web communication.