Understanding the 3-Way Handshake Protocol: How It Works and Its Benefits

What is 3 Way Handshaking Method?

3 Way Handshaking method is a process used in TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) that provides a reliable connection between two hosts. The goal of the three-way handshake is to establish and negotiate settings for data transmission, including sequence numbers, window size and packet size that will be used in the communications.

The Steps of 3 Way Handshaking

The 3 way handshake process consists of three steps:

• Step 1: The initiating host (A) sends a SYN, or synchronization packet to the receiving host (B). This packet contains the initial settings for the data transmission.
• Step 2: The receiving host (B) receives the SYN packet from the initiating host (A) and sends back an acknowledgement (ACK) packet, which includes its own copy of the initial settings.
• Step 3: The initiating host (A) receives the ACK packet from the receiving host (B) and sends back another acknowledgement packet containing its own copy of the settings. At this point, the connection is established and the data transmission can begin.

Benefits of 3 Way Handshaking Method

The main benefit of the 3-way handshake is that it allows for a reliable connection between two hosts. Since each side has acknowledged the settings of the other, there’s no need for one side to keep sending data until it knows the settings on the other side. This makes for a much faster, more efficient connection.

Another benefit of the 3-way handshake is that it ensures that the settings are agreed upon before any data is transferred. This reduces the chance of data corruption or lost packets because the settings are set before any data is sent.

Conclusion

The 3-way handshake is an important process used by TCP to establish and negotiate settings for data transmission. By acknowledging settings from both sides before data is transferred, it ensures that the data is delivered without error and in the most efficient manner possible.