GATE CS 2026 Set 1 — Question 18

MCQ+1 / -0.33EasyTCP HandshakeTransport LayerComputer NetworksTCP Teardown

Computer Networks → Transport Layer → TCP Handshake

Last updated 5 September 2026

Question

With respect to a TCP connection between a client and a server, which one of the following statements is true?

Correct answer (D) The client and server can initiate closing of the connection at the same time Solution Option A: Incorrect. TCP uses a three-way handshake (SYN, SYN-ACK, ACK) to establish a connection. Option B: Incorrect. Either the client or the server can initiate the connection termination (sending the first FIN segment). Option C: Incorrect. TCP connections are full-duplex, meaning data can flow in both directions simultaneously. Option D: Correct. TCP supports a simultaneous close scenario where both sides send FIN segments at approximately the same time. The state transitions handle this gracefully (moving from FIN-WAIT-1 to CLOSING to TIME-WAIT). Turn this into a strength. Explore AI-powered practice and doubt support with Success Tracker.

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Correct answer (D) The client and server can initiate closing of the connection at the same time Solution Option A: Incorrect. TCP uses a three-way handshake (SYN, SYN-ACK, ACK) to establish a connection. Option B: Incorrect. Either the client or the server can initiate the connection termination (sending the first FIN segment). Option C: Incorrect. TCP connections are full-duplex, meaning data can flow in both directions simultaneously. Option D: Correct. TCP supports a simultaneous close scenario where both sides send FIN segments at approximately the same time. The state transitions handle this gracefully (moving from FIN-WAIT-1 to CLOSING to TIME-WAIT).

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