Activity (Process)

TCP Three-Way Handshake

The TCP three-way handshake is an ordered connection-establishment procedure performed before any application data is transmitted. It consists of three sequential steps:

  1. The initiating client transmits a SYN (synchronize) packet to request opening a connection.
  2. The recipient server responds with a SYN-ACK packet to acknowledge the request and signal consent.
  3. The client sends a final ACK packet back to the server, establishing the bidirectional connection.

While this preliminary handshake ensures synchronized and reliable communications, it introduces a slight startup delay compared to connectionless protocols.

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Updated 2026-09-09

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Prep Sessions

The Architecture of Connected Systems: Tracing End-to-End Data Flow @ University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ch.3 Core Internet Protocols - The Architecture of Connected Systems: Tracing End-to-End Data Flow @ University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and the Three-Way Handshake - The Architecture of Connected Systems: Tracing End-to-End Data Flow @ University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ch.4 Network Performance and Metrics - The Architecture of Connected Systems: Tracing End-to-End Data Flow @ University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Bandwidth, Latency, and Networking Misconceptions - The Architecture of Connected Systems: Tracing End-to-End Data Flow @ University of Michigan - Ann Arbor