Winsock

Winsock

Windows sockets

Winsock

(WINdows SOCKets) The Windows interface to TCP/IP, which is the communications protocol of Unix networks and the Internet. Windows network applications that communicate via TCP/IP are Winsock compliant as are the implementations of the TCP/IP protocol from Microsoft and third parties.

WINSOCK.DLL
The WINSOCK.DLL file is included with all Windows versions subsequent to Windows 3.1. Early Internet applications often installed the DLL to ensure its existence.