UDP Question.....

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Hi Guys, Just done a sample test and came across a question that has confused me a bit with regards to UDP...

Basically two computers, one sends data to another via an application that uses the UDP protocol. A collision occurs and several packets are lost. What will most likely occur as a result?

I put that the protocol will drop the packets and the application will drop the packets (had to choose 2)

My thinking behind this is that the User Datagram Protocol is connectionless so the data is sent regardless of whether the recipient receives the data or not.

The correct answers were that, yes, the protocol will drop the packets; however, the application will automatically retransmit the dropped packets.

Is that right because if it is connectionless, how does the sender know the packets were dropped?? Cheers

@Andrew-Gaskell you have a good question here, you are right on UDP dropping packets. Here is what they also wanted you to identify, UDP is a connectionless, unreliable protocol (which you nailed)...here is the kicker, if reliability is needed it MUST be built into the application as UDP does not contain that element.