NETWORK NOTES · 14 NOVEMBER 2026

A connection is more than a handshake.

Successful setup is the beginning of an observation, rather than the whole result.

Describe the path

Record where a request starts, the address it reaches, and whether any intermediaries are involved. Results from one network are observations of that path at that time.

Keep the clock meaningful

Separate connection setup from the first response and the full transfer. An idle connection and a request waiting for incomplete headers are different cases; their timers need different starting points.

Record how it ends

A response, an orderly end of the byte stream, a connection reset, and a local timeout are distinct observations. Preserve those differences when comparing runs.

Repeat before generalizing

One successful request establishes that a route worked once. Comparing networks, times, and repeated samples is necessary before drawing conclusions about reliability.