What distinguishes TCP from UDP in computer networking?

1 What is TCP?

TCP stands for Transmission Control Protocol, and it is a connection-oriented protocol that ensures reliable and ordered delivery of data packets between devices. TCP establishes a connection between the sender and the receiver before transferring any data, and uses a mechanism called acknowledgment (ACK) to confirm that each packet has been received correctly. If a packet is lost, corrupted, or delayed, TCP will resend it until it is delivered successfully. TCP also adjusts the speed of data transmission according to the network conditions, avoiding congestion and overload.

2 What is UDP?

UDP stands for User Datagram Protocol, and it is a connectionless protocol that sends data packets without any guarantee of delivery or order. UDP does not establish a connection between the sender and the receiver, nor does it use any acknowledgment or retransmission mechanism. UDP simply sends the packets as fast as possible, regardless of whether they reach the destination or not. UDP also does not adjust the speed of data transmission according to the network conditions, allowing for faster and more efficient communication.

3 What are the advantages and disadvantages of TCP and UDP?

The main advantage of TCP is that it provides reliable and consistent data transmission, ensuring that no data is lost or corrupted during the communication. This is important for applications that require accuracy and completeness of information, such as web browsing, email, file transfer, and online banking. The main disadvantage of TCP is that it consumes more bandwidth and resources, and introduces more latency and overhead, due to the connection establishment, acknowledgment, and retransmission processes. This can affect the performance and responsiveness of the network, especially when there is high traffic or congestion.

The main advantage of UDP is that it provides fast and efficient data transmission, allowing for more data to be sent in less time and with less overhead. This is important for applications that require speed and real-time communication, such as video streaming, online gaming, voice over IP, and live broadcasting. The main disadvantage of UDP is that it does not provide any guarantee of delivery or order, and may result in data loss, corruption, or duplication during the communication. This can affect the quality and consistency of the information, especially when there is packet loss or delay.

4 How to choose between TCP and UDP?

The choice between TCP and UDP depends on the type and requirements of the application you are using or developing. If you need reliable and ordered data transmission, and can tolerate some delay and overhead, you should use TCP. If you need fast and efficient data transmission, and can tolerate some data loss and disorder, you should use UDP. There is no definitive answer to which protocol is better or worse, as they both have their strengths and weaknesses, and serve different purposes and scenarios.

5 How to check which protocol is used by an application?

One way to check which protocol is used by an application is to use a network analysis tool, such as Wireshark, that can capture and inspect the data packets that are sent and received over the network. By looking at the header of each packet, you can identify the protocol, the source and destination addresses, the port numbers, and other information that can help you understand the communication process. You can also filter the packets by protocol, and see how many TCP or UDP packets are exchanged by the application.

6 How to change the protocol settings of an application?

Another way to check which protocol is used by an application is to look at the settings or preferences of the application, and see if there is an option to change the protocol or the port number. Some applications may allow you to choose between TCP and UDP, or use both protocols for different functions. For example, some video streaming applications may use TCP for control and metadata, and UDP for media data. Some online games may use TCP for login and chat, and UDP for gameplay and movement. By changing the protocol settings, you may be able to improve the performance or reliability of the application, depending on the network conditions and your preferences.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?