Segmentation Explained with TCP and UDP

Header
This tutorial explains what the segmentation is, how the segmentation works in data
communication process, what the TCP and UDP header contain and how the header is used to
build a segment.

Both TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) and UDP (User Datagram Protocol) protocols work in the
Transport layer. Both provide same functionality in different ways. This functionality is the
delivering data at the correct destination. While providing this functionality, TCP focuses on
accuracy while UDP pays attention on speed.

This tutorial is the first part of the article "Similarities and Differences between TCP and UDP
explained with functions" This tutorial explains following CCNA topic.

Compare and contrast TCP and UDP protocols

Other parts of this article are following.

Connection Multiplexing Explained with Examples

This tutorial is the second part of the article. It explains what the connection multiplexing is and how the TCP and UDP
protocols use it to connect with the multiple applications simultaneously.

TCP Features and Functions Explained with Examples

This tutorial is the last part of the article. It explains how TCP provides guaranteed data delivery through its protocol specific
features.

Following five functions are used in data delivery process: -

Segmentation
Connection multiplexing
Connection oriented or connection less delivery
Reliability through acknowledgement and sequencing
Flow control through windowing
From these functions, to ensure the accuracy in delivery process, TCP supports all functions while in
order to provide the highest possible speed, UDP supports only the second function.

Let’s understand each function in detail and compare the way in which both protocols provide it.
Segmentation
Segmentation is the process of dividing large data stream into smaller pieces. This functionality
allows a host to send or receive a file of any size over the any size of network. For example, if
network bandwidth is 1 Mbps and file size is 100 Mb, host can divide the file in 100 or more pieces.
Once a piece becomes less or equal to the network bandwidth in size, it can be transferred easily.
Destination host, upon receiving all pieces, joins them back to reproduce the original file.

TCP supports segmentation while UDP does not. It means if an application wants to use the TCP to
send its data, it can give the data to TCP in actual size. Based on several conditions such as data
size and available network bandwidth, if segmentation is required, TCP does it on its own before
packing data for transmission.

But if an application wants to use UDP to send its data, it can’t give the data to UDP in actual size.
It has to use its own mechanism to detect whether segmentation is required or not. And if
segmentation is required, it has to do it on its own before giving data to UDP.

Packing data for transmission

1. The information that is required to send the segment at the correct destination.
2. The information that is required to support the protocol specific features.

Both TCP and UDP add first type of information in same manner. Both use two fields for this
information; source port and destination port. Information about the application that is sending
the data and the information about the application that will receive the data are added in source
port field and in destination port field respectively.

Protocols add second type of information based on the services they offer. TCP offers several
protocol specific services such as segmentation, windowing, flow control, etc. To provide these
services, it adds the necessary information in the header.

Following figure shows a data piece with the TCP header.

Source port Used to identify the application that is sending data from the source host

Destination port Used to identify the application that will receive the data at destination
host

Sequence Used to identify the lost segments and maintain the sequencing in
Number transmission.

Acknowledgment Used to send a verification of received segments and to ask for the next
Number segments

Header Length A number that indicates where the data begin in segment

Reserved Reserve for future use. Always set to zero.

Code Bits Used to define the control functions such as setting up and terminating
the session

Window size Used to set the number of segments that can be sent before waiting for a
confirmation from the destination.
 Checksum CRC (cyclic redundancy check) of the header and data piece.

Urgent Used to point any urgent data in the segment.

Options Used to define any additional options such as maximum segment size

Data A data piece that is produced from the segmentation

On other hand, UDP neither provides any protocol specific service, nor adds any additional
information in the header.

Following figure shows data with UDP header.

Field Description

Source port Port number of the application that is transmitting data from the source
computer

Destination Port number of the application that will receive the data at destination.
port

Length Denotes the length of the UDP header and the UDP data

Checksum CRC of the complete segment

Data Data which it received from the application

Segment
Once a header is attached with the data piece (generated from the segmentation in TCP or
received from the application in UDP), it is referred as a segment.
Following figure shows how segmentation works in both protocols.

Key points
TCP uses segmentation while UDP does not.
Both protocols use different types of header to pack the data for transmission.
UDP header contains information only about the compulsory functions and it is 8 bytes in the
length.
TCP header contains information for both compulsory and optional functions. TCP header is 20
bytes and 24 bytes in length without options and with options respectively.
That’s all for this part. In next part I will explain connection multiplexing in detail with examples. If
you like this tutorial, please don’t forget to share it with friends.

By ComputerNetworkingNotes Updated on 2019-02-17 10:40:34 IST

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