Asynchronous vs. Synchronous Communication Protocols

This document outlines the key differences between asynchronous and synchronous communication protocols.

Asynchronous protocols rely on start and stop bits for each character transmitted. Synchronous protocols, on the other hand, utilize two or more SYN (synchronization) characters at the beginning of a transmission.

A prime example of an asynchronous protocol is the Xmodem protocol. Conversely, IBM’s Bisync protocol serves as a classic example of a synchronous protocol.