We have already seen that TCP connection starts up in slow start mode, geometrically increasing the congestion window (cwnd) until it crosses the slow start threshold (ssthresh). Once cwnd is greater that ssthresh, TCP enters the congestion avoidance mode of operation. In this mode, the primary objective is to maintain high throughput without causing congestion. If TCP detects segment loss, it assumes that congestion has been detected over the internet. As a corrective action, TCP reduces its data flow rate by reducing cwnd. After reducing cwnd, TCP goes back to slow start.

We examine congestion avoidance in detail. We examine in detail how TCP reacts to the loss of a segment. The changes to the congestion window and the transition into slow start are covered in detail.