How does tcp keep a connection alive?

Question

In http ( over tcp) there is a header which called keep "alive"

I dont understand how a connection can be open in tcp if all packets come from different

source ( router decision - over the internet)

Answer 1

TCP keepalives are an optional implementation and as such, are not generally implemented. An HTTP keepalive is not the same thing as a TCP keepalive.

A TCP session can be maintained even when data between the source and destination takes different paths because TCP doesn't care what path the data takes (asymmetric routing). TCP maintains session state via a 4 tuple: sourceaddress:port<->destinationaddress:port.

It doesn't matter what path the data takes between the 2 hosts.