Which protocol is used for communication between routers in RIP?

RIP, or Routing Information Protocol, utilizes UDP (User Datagram Protocol) for communication between routers. The reason for this is tied to the characteristics of UDP, which is a connectionless protocol. This definition aligns well with the needs of RIP because it doesn't require the overhead of establishing and maintaining a connection, making it more efficient for the periodic exchange of routing information among routers.

RIP sends its routing updates as datagrams, which are typically sent to the multicast address 224.0.0.9. This approach allows multiple routers to receive the same routing update without creating multiple connections, simplifying the communication process. The nature of UDP also provides a lightweight and fast method, which is important in the dynamic environment of routing where timely updates are crucial for maintaining accurate routing tables.

Other protocols, such as TCP (Transmission Control Protocol), would introduce additional overhead due to their connection-oriented nature, managing packet delivery and ensuring data integrity through acknowledgments. ICMP (Internet Control Message Protocol) is mainly used for diagnostic functions and doesn't serve the purpose of routing information exchange. Lastly, while IP (Internet Protocol) is essential for addressing and routing data packets across networks, it does not manage communication protocols directly like RIP does with UDP.