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TCP Explanation

TCP, or Transmission Control Protocol, is a core protocol of the Internet Protocol suite that provides reliable, ordered, and error-checked delivery of data between applications. It operates through a connection-oriented process known as the three-way handshake and includes features like flow control, error detection, and congestion control. TCP is essential for applications requiring reliable data delivery, such as web browsing, email, and file transfer.

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9 views2 pages

TCP Explanation

TCP, or Transmission Control Protocol, is a core protocol of the Internet Protocol suite that provides reliable, ordered, and error-checked delivery of data between applications. It operates through a connection-oriented process known as the three-way handshake and includes features like flow control, error detection, and congestion control. TCP is essential for applications requiring reliable data delivery, such as web browsing, email, and file transfer.

Uploaded by

jay
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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TCP, or Transmission Control Protocol, is one of the core protocols of the Internet Protocol (IP) suite.

It
operates at the transport layer and is designed to provide reliable, ordered, and error-checked delivery
of data between applications running on hosts communicating over an IP network.

### Key Features of TCP:

1. **Connection-Oriented**: TCP establishes a connection between the sender and receiver before data
transmission begins. This is done through a process called the **three-way handshake** (SYN, SYN-ACK,
ACK).

2. **Reliable Data Transfer**: TCP ensures that data is delivered accurately and in the correct order. If
packets are lost, corrupted, or arrive out of order, TCP handles retransmission and reordering.

3. **Flow Control**: TCP uses mechanisms like **windowing** to manage the rate of data transmission,
ensuring that the receiver is not overwhelmed by data.

4. **Error Detection**: TCP includes checksums to detect errors in transmitted data. If an error is found,
the packet is retransmitted.

5. **Congestion Control**: TCP monitors network conditions and adjusts the rate of data transmission to
avoid network congestion.

6. **Full-Duplex Communication**: TCP allows data to be sent and received simultaneously between
two endpoints.

### How TCP Works:

1. **Connection Establishment**: The three-way handshake ensures both devices are ready to
communicate.

- SYN: The sender sends a synchronization packet to the receiver.

- SYN-ACK: The receiver acknowledges the SYN packet and sends its own SYN.

- ACK: The sender acknowledges the receiver's SYN, and the connection is established.

2. **Data Transmission**: Data is divided into segments, each with a sequence number for ordering and
acknowledgment.
3. **Acknowledgment**: The receiver sends acknowledgments (ACKs) for received data. If an ACK is not
received, the sender retransmits the data.

4. **Connection Termination**: Once data transmission is complete, the connection is closed using a
four-step process (FIN, ACK, FIN, ACK).

### Use Cases:

TCP is used in applications where reliable data delivery is critical, such as:

- Web browsing (HTTP/HTTPS)

- Email (SMTP, IMAP, POP3)

- File transfer (FTP)

- Remote access (SSH)

### TCP vs. UDP:

While TCP is connection-oriented and reliable, UDP (User Datagram Protocol) is connectionless and does
not guarantee delivery, order, or error checking. UDP is faster and used for applications like video
streaming, online gaming, and DNS queries, where speed is more important than reliability.

In summary, TCP is a fundamental protocol for ensuring reliable communication over the internet,
making it essential for many everyday applications.

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