Choosing Between TCP and UDP for TURN Relaying

When configuring a TURN server, you often have the choice to use

When configuring a TURN server, you often have the choice to use UDP, TCP, or even TLS (TURNS). Which one should you prioritize?

UDP: The Gold Standard For real-time audio and video, UDP is king. It doesn't wait for lost packets to be retransmitted, which prevents "head-of-line blocking." This results in the lowest possible latency.

TCP: The Reliable FallbackSome highly restrictive networks block all UDP. In these cases, TURN over TCP is the only way to get a connection through. While it is slower and prone to lag if the network is unstable, a laggy connection is always better than no connection at all.

TURNS (Port 443): The Ultimate StealthMany firewalls allow all traffic on port 443 (HTTPS). By running your TURN server over TLS on port 443, you make your WebRTC traffic look like standard encrypted web browsing, making it nearly impossible to block.

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