diff --git a/crates/viewer/re_viewer/data/quick_start_guides/quick_start_connect.cpp b/crates/viewer/re_viewer/data/quick_start_guides/quick_start_connect.cpp
index b2144eed9831f..1bdd80ab984ee 100644
--- a/crates/viewer/re_viewer/data/quick_start_guides/quick_start_connect.cpp
+++ b/crates/viewer/re_viewer/data/quick_start_guides/quick_start_connect.cpp
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ using namespace rerun::demo;
 int main() {
     // Create a new `RecordingStream` which sends data over TCP to the viewer process.
     const auto rec = rerun::RecordingStream("rerun_example_quick_start_connect");
-    rec.connect().exit_on_failure();
+    rec.connect_tcp().exit_on_failure();
 
     // Create some data using the `grid` utility function.
     std::vector<rerun::Position3D> points = grid3d<rerun::Position3D, float>(-10.f, 10.f, 10);
diff --git a/docs/snippets/all/concepts/app-model/native-sync.cpp b/docs/snippets/all/concepts/app-model/native-sync.cpp
index c36bcc0faa77f..1e28f93a0f696 100644
--- a/docs/snippets/all/concepts/app-model/native-sync.cpp
+++ b/docs/snippets/all/concepts/app-model/native-sync.cpp
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ int main() {
     // Connect to the Rerun TCP server using the default address and
     // port: localhost:9876
     const auto rec = rerun::RecordingStream("rerun_example_native_sync");
-    rec.connect().exit_on_failure();
+    rec.connect_tcp().exit_on_failure();
 
     // Log data as usual, thereby pushing it into the TCP socket.
     while (true) {
diff --git a/docs/snippets/all/quick_start/quick_start_connect.cpp b/docs/snippets/all/quick_start/quick_start_connect.cpp
index b2144eed9831f..1bdd80ab984ee 100644
--- a/docs/snippets/all/quick_start/quick_start_connect.cpp
+++ b/docs/snippets/all/quick_start/quick_start_connect.cpp
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ using namespace rerun::demo;
 int main() {
     // Create a new `RecordingStream` which sends data over TCP to the viewer process.
     const auto rec = rerun::RecordingStream("rerun_example_quick_start_connect");
-    rec.connect().exit_on_failure();
+    rec.connect_tcp().exit_on_failure();
 
     // Create some data using the `grid` utility function.
     std::vector<rerun::Position3D> points = grid3d<rerun::Position3D, float>(-10.f, 10.f, 10);
diff --git a/examples/cpp/log_file/main.cpp b/examples/cpp/log_file/main.cpp
index a1a6871bd78f4..cedba41b387d2 100644
--- a/examples/cpp/log_file/main.cpp
+++ b/examples/cpp/log_file/main.cpp
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv) {
     if (args["spawn"].as<bool>()) {
         rec.spawn().exit_on_failure();
     } else if (args["connect"].as<bool>()) {
-        rec.connect().exit_on_failure();
+        rec.connect_tcp().exit_on_failure();
     } else if (args["stdout"].as<bool>()) {
         rec.to_stdout().exit_on_failure();
     } else if (args.count("save")) {
diff --git a/rerun_cpp/src/rerun/recording_stream.cpp b/rerun_cpp/src/rerun/recording_stream.cpp
index 88de76f098729..6e4beb2735727 100644
--- a/rerun_cpp/src/rerun/recording_stream.cpp
+++ b/rerun_cpp/src/rerun/recording_stream.cpp
@@ -101,6 +101,10 @@ namespace rerun {
     }
 
     Error RecordingStream::connect(std::string_view tcp_addr, float flush_timeout_sec) const {
+        return RecordingStream::connect_tcp(tcp_addr, flush_timeout_sec);
+    }
+
+    Error RecordingStream::connect_tcp(std::string_view tcp_addr, float flush_timeout_sec) const {
         rr_error status = {};
         rr_recording_stream_connect(
             _id,
diff --git a/rerun_cpp/src/rerun/recording_stream.hpp b/rerun_cpp/src/rerun/recording_stream.hpp
index 854b561d7487b..f07549fde1e7c 100644
--- a/rerun_cpp/src/rerun/recording_stream.hpp
+++ b/rerun_cpp/src/rerun/recording_stream.hpp
@@ -143,8 +143,23 @@ namespace rerun {
         /// timeout, and can cause a call to `flush` to block indefinitely.
         ///
         /// This function returns immediately.
-        Error connect(std::string_view tcp_addr = "127.0.0.1:9876", float flush_timeout_sec = 2.0)
-            const;
+        [[deprecated("Use `connect_tcp` instead")]] Error connect(
+            std::string_view tcp_addr = "127.0.0.1:9876", float flush_timeout_sec = 2.0
+        ) const;
+
+        /// Connect to a remote Rerun Viewer on the given ip:port.
+        ///
+        /// Requires that you first start a Rerun Viewer by typing 'rerun' in a terminal.
+        ///
+        /// flush_timeout_sec:
+        /// The minimum time the SDK will wait during a flush before potentially
+        /// dropping data if progress is not being made. Passing a negative value indicates no
+        /// timeout, and can cause a call to `flush` to block indefinitely.
+        ///
+        /// This function returns immediately.
+        Error connect_tcp(
+            std::string_view tcp_addr = "127.0.0.1:9876", float flush_timeout_sec = 2.0
+        ) const;
 
         /// Spawns a new Rerun Viewer process from an executable available in PATH, then connects to it
         /// over TCP.
diff --git a/tests/cpp/plot_dashboard_stress/main.cpp b/tests/cpp/plot_dashboard_stress/main.cpp
index fab96506f774f..e3181c01b895f 100644
--- a/tests/cpp/plot_dashboard_stress/main.cpp
+++ b/tests/cpp/plot_dashboard_stress/main.cpp
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv) {
     if (args["spawn"].as<bool>()) {
         rec.spawn().exit_on_failure();
     } else if (args["connect"].as<bool>()) {
-        rec.connect().exit_on_failure();
+        rec.connect_tcp().exit_on_failure();
     } else if (args["stdout"].as<bool>()) {
         rec.to_stdout().exit_on_failure();
     } else if (args.count("save")) {