Successfully set up GL.iNet Slate with NordVPN, selected the config file TCP. Is there any advantage or disadvantage of using the UDP file instead? Can I use both?
Speed.
Each TCP is minimum of 3 steps, basically, “I’m sending packet”, “Receiver acknowledges request”, “send packet”. If packet is larger than 1500 (bits or bytes, I can’t remember) then there’s also a sequence number because the file/stream is split - so if anything is missing, the receiver says so and the packet is re-sent.
UDP on the other hand, the sender requests a session, receiver acknowledges, and that’s it, a stream of packets goes. Receiver does not care about any missing packets.
You ever stream a movie and sometimes it glitches/pixelizes but still streams…that’s UDP. If it stops like an Adobe flash movie or some web graphics kinda slow and laggy, then that start-stop is like TCP because it waits until the whole package is downloaded before moving on to the next package.
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For openvpn, TCP protocol has less problems