112 - 238 CCNA 2: Routers and Routing Basics v3.1 Instructor Guide – Module 10
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2004, Cisco Systems, Inc.
10.1 TCP Operation
Essential Labs:
10.1.6
Optional Labs:
None
Core TIs:
10.1.6
Optional TIs:
10.1.1 – 10.1.5, and 10.1.7
Course-Level Claim:
Students can describe the operation of the major transport layer
protocols and the interaction and transportation of application layer data.
Certification-Level Claim:
Students can evaluate the TCP/IP communication process and its
associated protocols.
Hands-on skills:
none
10.1.1 TCP operation
IP addresses allow for the routing of packets within and between networks. However, it makes
no guarantee about delivery. The transport layer is responsible for the reliability of data flow.
This is accomplished through the use of sliding windows and sequencing numbers along with
a synchronization process that ensures communication. Have the students come up with an
analogy. One excellent example is a student who studies a foreign language for one year,
visits the country where the language is used, and asks everyone to repeat their words for
reliability and speak slowly for flow control.
10.1.2 Synchronization or three-way handshake
TCP is connection-oriented. Prior to data transmission two hosts go through a synchronization
process to establish a virtual connection. This process ensures that both sides are ready for
data and allows for the devices to determine the initial sequence numbers. This process is a
three-way handshake. Sequence numbers (SYN) and the role they play will be discussed in
detail in a later section. At this point it is important for students to understand that sequence
numbers are used to initiate communication between two devices. The sequence numbers
give each host a way to acknowledge the SYN bits so that the receiver knows the sender
responds to the proper connection request. This is done with bits in the TCP header. These
bits are called flags. The two flags involved are Sequence numbers (SYN) and Acknowledge
numbers (ACK). These flags are used to synchronize the SYN and ACK numbers between the
hosts. This will initialize the new session.
The three-way handshake is a three-step process that establishes the virtual connection
between two devices:
1. The source host initiates a connection. The host sends a packet with the SYN bit set
and indicates an initial sequence number of x with a bit in the header set to indicate a
connection request.
2. The destination host receives the packet, records the sequence number of x, replies
with an acknowledgment of x + 1, and includes its own initial sequence number of y. It
also sets the SYN bit to indicate the start of the return conversation.