Question

Both TCP and RTP use sequence numbers.

Investigate whether or not the sequence numbers in the TCP and RTP protocols play the same role.

Answer 1

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Q) Both TCP and RTP use sequence numbers.Investigate whether or not the sequence numbers in the TCP and RTP protocols play the same role.

Ans) The Real Time Transport Protocol (RTP) is a Transport layer protocol which is used for real time data delivery management.The RTP header contains a field known as the sequence number.This sequence number is of 16 bits.In RTP, the sequence number increments by one for each RTP data packet sent and may be used by the receiver to detect packet loss and sometimes to find correct sequence of packets .This sequence number can be thought of as an identifier for the RTP packets.The first packet is given a random number which is the first sequence number and then 1 is added to every consecutive packet sequence number. As stated above it is used to detect if packet is lost or order of packets is maintained or not.

The Transmission control Protocol(TCP) is also a Transport layer protocol which is used for reliable and in order delivery of data in a given network.The TCP also has a sequence field in its header.The sequence number in TCP header is 32 bits in length.The sequence number is used to count the number of packets sent from the sender to receiver as in the RTP but the sequence number in TCP has also another functionality associated with it. In TCP when the connection is initiated that is when request is sent for 3 way handshake,The SYN packet is set to 1.This time the sequence number is initial sequence number and is used to establish the connection.Once the ACK is received now the connection is established and then SYN is set to 0.Now the sequence number is used for normal data transmission. Now the receiver acknowledges the receipt of all data packets before that particulat sequence number with ACK as the response message. Sequence number is used to keep track of how many segments(data packets of TCP) have been sent and the Receiver adds 1 to the sequence number and sends the ACK to the sender after each data transmission.

Difference in sequence number used in RTP and TCP :

1.The sequence number in RTP is does not get ACK after each data packet is sent but in the case of TCP both the sender and receiver keeps track of the sequence number for a particular session.

2.The sequence number in RTP is 16 bits whereas it is 32 bits in TCP.

3.The sequence number is also used for connection establishment in case of TCP but not in RTP.

The sequence number in TCP and RTP is used for the various roles as stated above and it closely resembles the roles in both the protocols but has some differences also.The sequence number is used in both of the protocol as a means to reduce packet loss and to maintain an inorder delivery of data.

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