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Why is the IP called a connectionless protocol? If so, what is the connection-oriented protocol then? Thanks. Update - 1 - 20:21 2010/12/26 I think, to better answer my question, it would be better to explain what "connection" actually means, both physically and logically. Update - 2 - 9:59 AM 2/1/2013 Based on all the answers below, I come to the feeling that the 'connection' mentioned here should be considered as a set of actions/arrangements/disciplines. Thus it's more an abstract concept rather than a concrete object. Update - 3 - 11:35 AM 6/18/2015 Here's a more physical explanation: IP protocol is connectionless in that all packets in IP network are routed independently, they may not necessarily go through the same route, while in a virtual circuit network which is connection oriented, all packets go through the same route. This single route is what 'virtual circuit' means. With connection, because there's only 1 route, all data packets will arrive in the same order as they are sent out. Without connection, it is not guaranteed all data packets will arrive in the same order as they are sent out. Update - 4 - 9:55 AM 2016/1/20/Wed One of the characteristics of connection-oriented is that the packet order is preserved. TCP use a sequence number to achieve that but IP has no such facility. Thus TCP is connection-oriented while IP is connection-less.

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