AbstractWe investigate the behaviour of TCP(α, β) protocols in the presence of wireless networks. We seek an answer to strategic issues of maximizing energy and bandwidth exploitation, without damaging the dynamics of multiple‐flow equilibrium. We take a fresh perspective on protocol design: What is the return of the effort that a protocol expends? Can we achieve more gains with less effort? We study first the design assumptions of TCP(α, β) protocols and discuss the impact of equation‐based modulation of α and β on protocol efficiency. We introduce two new measures to capture protocol behaviour: the ‘Extra Energy Expenditure’ and the ‘Unexploited Available Resource Index’. We confirm experimentally that, in general, smoothness and responsiveness constitute a tradeoff; however, we show that this tradeoff does not graft its dynamics into a conservative/aggressive behaviour, as it is traditionally believed. We uncover patterns of unjustified tactics; our results suggest that an adaptive congestion control algorithm is needed to integrate the dynamics of heterogeneous networks into protocol behaviour. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.