TCP/IP: Definition, Function, Advantages & Disadvantages

TCP is a TCP/IP protocol that ensures reliable, orderly, and efficient data transmission through the process of splitting or merging data on a computer network. TCP is the basis of reliable communication on the Internet.

What is TCP

TCP stands for Transmission Control Protocol. TCP is one of the main protocols in the TCP/IP Protocol suite used to transfer data over computer networks. The TCP protocol is part of the Transport Layer of the 7-Layer OSI Layer that supports the efficiency and assurance of data communication on the network.

TCP is a reliable and connected protocol, which means that it ensures reliable data delivery and manages the connection between sender and receiver.

TCP operates at the transport layer of the OSI Layer (Open Systems Interconnection) reference model and is widely used in data communication on the Internet. This protocol works on top of the IP (Internet Protocol) layer and provides reliable and ordered connections over networks that may not be reliable.

TCP is one of the main protocol in TCP/IP Protocol Suite

7 Feature in TCP

The TCP protocol has seven main features that carry out their respective functions and roles, including:

1. Connection Oriented

Connection Oriented is a feature in TCP to make a connection request and use it in data transfer

2. Point-to-Point Communication

Point-to-Point Communication is a feature in TCP to make a connection at two points

3. Reliability

Reliability is a feature in TCP to ensure that data delivery can be sent perfectly without any loss or double data

4. Full-Duplex Connection

Full-duplex connection is a feature in TCP to allow both sender and receiver to send and receive data simultaneously over the same connection.

5. Stream Interface

Stream Interface is a feature in TCP to allow applications to send continuous connections without having to think too much about the technical details of the process of sending and receiving data at the protocol level.

6. Reliable Startup

Reliable Startup is a feature in TCP to make an agreement regarding both applications to make a new connection

7. Graceful Shutdown

Graceful Shutdown is a feature in TCP to be able to open applications, send data and close connections and guarantee data delivery before the connection is disconnected

Function of TCP

TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) has several main functions in data communication through computer networks. Here are some of the main functions of TCP:

Data Splitting and Merging

TCP breaks the data to be sent into smaller segments before sending it over the network. This allows for more efficient and flexible data delivery. At the receiving end, TCP reassembles the segments into complete data before handing it over to the application layer.

Connection Connected

TCP establishes a connected connection between the sender and receiver before data transfer begins. This process involves a “three-way handshake,” in which the sender and receiver exchange messages to establish a stable connection. A connected connection ensures reliable and ordered data delivery.

Reliable Data Delivery

TCP uses a send-with-acknowledgment mechanism to ensure reliable data delivery. After a certain amount of data has been sent, the sender will receive a receipt from the receiver as confirmation that the data has been received successfully. If the receipt is not received within a certain time limit, TCP will resend the lost data.

Flow Settings

TCP manages the flow of data between the sender and receiver to avoid data accumulation that could result in data loss or destruction. TCP uses a sliding window mechanism to control the amount of data sent by the sender before receiving a receipt from the receiver. This allows senders and receivers to operate at different speeds according to their network capabilities and processing capabilities.

Error Detection and Recovery

TCP is equipped with error detection and recovery mechanisms. If an error occurs in data transmission, TCP will detect the error and request the sender to resend the corrupted or lost data. TCP can also manage automatic retransmissions if needed.

Multiplexing and Demultiplexing

TCP can combine (multiplex) data from several different applications into a single connection and ensure that the data is forwarded (demultiplexed) to the right application at the receiver. Thus, TCP enables efficient and coordinated data delivery between different applications running on the same host.

Through these functions, TCP ensures reliable, orderly, and efficient data delivery on computer networks. This protocol forms the basis for reliable and dependable communication on the Internet.

Advantages and Disadvantages of TCP

The following are some of the advantages and disadvantages of the TCP protocol:

Advantages of TCP

TCP Protocol has many advantages, among them are:

Reliability

TCP provides reliable and guaranteed data delivery. This protocol uses an acknowledgment mechanism and retransmission of lost or corrupted data. If there is an error in data transmission, TCP will detect it and ask the sender to retransmit the lost data, thus ensuring that the data sent arrives with integrity.

Sorted

TCP ensures ordered data delivery. Each data segment is assigned a sequence number to ensure that the segments are received and correctly sequenced at the receiving end. This is important in maintaining data integrity and ensuring that the data is processed in the correct order by the receiving application.

Flow Management

TCP uses a flow control mechanism to control the rate at which data is sent between the sender and receiver. This ensures that the receiver is not overloaded with data beyond its capacity to process, thus preventing backlogs and data loss. TCP flow control allows for balanced and efficient data delivery.

Disadvantages of TCP

The TCP protocol has several shortcomings, including:

Overhead

TCP requires relatively high overhead compared to other transport protocols. This is due to the reliable delivery mechanism, flow management, sequencing, and retransmission of lost data. This overhead can reduce network efficiency and performance, especially in a network environment with limited capacity or bandwidth constraints.

Complexity

TCP has a relatively high complexity compared to other transport protocols. This is due to complex features such as reliable delivery, data sequencing, and flow management. TCP implementation and configuration can be more complicated compared to simpler transport protocols, such as UDP (User Datagram Protocol).

Speed

Although TCP is a reliable protocol, reliable delivery mechanisms and flow settings can affect the speed of data transfer. Complex retransmission algorithms and flow settings can introduce additional delays and latency in data delivery. This can be a problem in applications that require very fast data transfer, such as media streaming or real-time online gaming.

Types of TCP

There are several variations and developments related to TCP that can be referred to as “types” or “variations” in certain contexts. Here are some examples of variations related to TCP:

TCP/IP

TCP is used as part of the TCP/IP Protocol suite which includes other protocols such as IP (Internet Protocol), UDP (User Datagram Protocol), and others. TCP/IP is the de facto standard for data communications on the Internet.

TCP Congestion Control

TCP Congestion Control is a mechanism that regulates the TCP data delivery rate based on network conditions that can affect network performance and fairness. Several variations of congestion control algorithms have been developed, such as TCP Reno, TCP Vegas, and TCP New Reno, which have slightly different approaches to managing data delivery when network conditions vary.

TCP Fast Open (TFO)

TCP Fast Open is a mechanism that allows data to be sent in one round trip (one RTT) at the start of a TCP connection, without having to wait for the usual three-way handshake. TFO can improve performance and reduce latency on TCP connections that occur frequently, such as web browsing.

TCP Keep-Alive

TCP Keep-Alive is a feature that allows maintaining an active TCP connection even when no data is being transferred. This feature is used to detect if a connection has been lost and take appropriate action.

Although there are variations and developments related to TCP, they are not considered “types” of TCP, but rather changes and developments on the existing TCP protocol. The basic TCP protocol remains the same across its implementations to ensure compatibility and interoperability between different systems.

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References

Mardiana, Y., & Sahputra, J. (2017). Analisa Performansi Protokol TCP, UDP dan SCTP Pada Lalu Lintas Multimedia. Jurnal Media Infotama, 13(2).

Author : Hassan Rizky Putra Sailellah, Meilina Eka Ayuningtyas