TCP Essentials: A Beginner's Guide to Transmission Control Protocol

TCP Essentials: A Beginner's Guide to Transmission Control Protocol

TCP, or Transmission Control Protocol, is reliable, ordered, and uses a 3-way handshake.

How Does TCP Work?

To establish a connection between a client and a server, TCP uses a three-step process:

Step 1: The client sends a SYN (synchronize) packet to the server to start a connection. (Example: like a phone call, saying "Hello")

Step 2: The server responds with a SYN-ACK packet, acknowledging the SYN packet and sending its own SYN packet. (Example: "Hi, can you hear me?")

Step 3: The client sends an ACK packet back to the server, completing the handshake and establishing the connection. (Example: "Yes, I can hear you.")