[mod.protocols.tcp-ip] TCP Question

jdb@JPL-VLSI.ARPA (11/05/86)

     
     Does TCP have a  one-to-one responsibility to the ULP so the local-ULP 
     knows what packets the remote-TCP has accepted?
                      
     On a stream socket I can:
                         1) Establish a connection to a remote host
                         2) Physically DISCONECT the NAU from the ethernet
                         3) Issue n TCP writes and receive n GOOD return status
                         4) On the n+1 write or close I (may) get an error

    This may mean the n-10,n-11,n-12 reached their destination but n-1,n-2 
    didn't...or any other combination.I have no way of knowing.Can someone
    please explain where the "reliable communication"  is?

                            Thanks ,
                                      Jeff Busma
                                      JDB@JPL-VLSI.ARPA