This illustration shows a desktop computer side-by-side with a server. Beneath the desktop computer a dotted line points vertically downward, and is labeled "Time at client." Beneath the server a dotted line points vertically downward, and is labeled "Time at server." A blue arrow begins at the desktop computer, and is labeled "Initiate TCP connection." It points diagonally downward and to the right and intersects with "Time at server," then travels diagonally downward and back to "Time at client." This point is labeled "Request file." The section of the "Time at client" timeline between "Initiate TCP connection" and "Request file" is labeled "RTT."

From "Request file," the blue line travels diagonally down to the right and intersects again with "Time at server." Here the arrow becomes a thick blue band that travels diagonally down to the left and intersects with "Time at client." The width of the blue band at "Time at server" is labeled "Time to transmit file," while the width of the blue band at "Time at client" is labeled "Entire file received."