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Glossary Networking

TCP

TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) is the transport protocol that delivers data reliably and in order between two programs.

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In more detail

A TCP connection starts with a three-step handshake (SYN, SYN-ACK, ACK). TCP numbers the data it sends, re-sends anything that gets lost and slows down when the network is congested. Web pages, email and file transfers use it. The price is extra delay compared with UDP.

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Port Number Lookup

Look up the standard service name for a well-known TCP/UDP port, or search ports by service name.

See also

  • Glossary UDP
    UDP (User Datagram Protocol) is a fast, connectionless transport protocol that sends data without guaranteeing delivery or order.
  • Glossary Port
    A port is a number from 0 to 65535 that tells a computer which program or service an incoming network connection is for.
  • Glossary Packet
    A packet is a small unit of data sent across a network.
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