A technology is provided for invoking a random linear network coding (RLNC) communications protocol between a client and server in a network. In one example, a synchronize message requesting a network connection to a server can contain an indication that a client supports the RLNC communications protocol to encode and decode data packets using random linear network coding. The server can analyze the synchronize message for the indication that the client supports the RLNC communications protocol and send an acknowledge message to the client indicating that the server supports the RLNC communications protocol. Thereafter, the server can listen on a communications channel for a connection request sent by the client to communicate with the server using the RLNC communications protocol.