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MTU: Difference between revisions
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Packets don't have to be 1500 octets - they can be smaller
(On current (20141124) Debian and Ubuntu on TTW there's no error message if frag needed but disabled.) |
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=How big is a packet?=
The simple answer is a maximum of 1,500 bytes. But it is more complex. The internet is actually a combination of routers and links. Each router has links to other routers. Your packets go from one place to another by being passed along from one router to another over these links.
One of the main types of link is [[Ethernet]] which is used for Local Area Networks (LAN). You have probably encountered a LAN as they are used in offices and homes, and connect things together. You probably use [[Ethernet]] to connect your broadband router to your computers in your house. [[Ethernet]] allows 1,500 byte packets to be carried. Internet providers use much faster links such as gigabit and 10 gigabit and these often allow bigger packets up to around 9,000 bytes. Some links on the internet are set up specially for certain traffic and have links that support packet sizes like 1,548 bytes.
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