A connectionless protocol sends data without first creating a dedicated connection between two devices. Each packet can travel independently toward its destination.

This approach can make communication faster because devices do not need to establish and maintain a connection first. However, the protocol itself may not guarantee that packets arrive or arrive in the correct order.

Common Uses

• Sending DNS queries and responses.
• Supporting voice and video traffic.
• Sending data where speed matters more than guaranteed delivery.
• Network communication using UDP.
• Broadcasting data to multiple devices.

Related Terms: UDP, TCP, Network Protocol, Packet, Datagram, Transport Layer, IP, Connection-Oriented Protocol, Data Transmission, Network Communication

Related Entries

• Protocol Stack
• OSI
• Out-of-Band Signaling
• Identification Header
• SNMP