Question:easy

What mechanism does TCP use to ensure reliable data delivery?

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How does a TCP sender learn a segment was lost, and what does it do next?
Updated On: Jul 2, 2026
  • Acknowledgments and retransmissions
  • Packet flooding
  • Checksums only
  • Best-effort delivery
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The Correct Option is A

Solution and Explanation

Ask what has to happen when a segment goes missing. Detecting loss is not enough; the data must be resent. TCP achieves this with a feedback system.

Every byte carries a sequence number, and the receiver replies with an acknowledgment number confirming what arrived. The sender starts a retransmission timer; if no ACK returns in time, it resends:

\[ \text{No ACK before timeout} \Rightarrow \text{retransmit segment} \]

Checksums only flag corruption and best-effort delivery gives no recovery at all, so neither guarantees reliability by itself. Packet flooding is unrelated.

\[\boxed{\text{Acknowledgments and retransmissions}}\]
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