Which term refers to routing data packets across networks in a connectionless manner?

• A. IP
• B. TCP
• C. UDP
• D. HTTP

Answer: (A)

Routing data packets across different networks in a connectionless way is the role of the Internet Protocol. IP handles addressing and forwarding, sending each packet toward its destination without establishing a dedicated connection. Routers read the IP header to decide where to forward the packet next, delivering packets on a best-effort basis without guarantees of delivery or order.

Comparatively, TCP creates a connection between endpoints and ensures reliable, ordered delivery, which is not the behavior described by routing across networks. UDP also uses a connectionless approach but operates as a transport protocol on top of IP and does not handle routing itself. HTTP is an application-layer protocol that typically runs over TCP and relies on the underlying transport (and IP routing) rather than performing network routing.