CODEWITHSUNDEEP
network-programmingethernet
ashley
ashley

Reputation: 25

Ethernet frames smaller than 64 bytes

By IEEE 802.3, an Ethernet frame has to carry a payload of at least 46 bytes. This is for collision detection-- collisions of smaller frames (may) go undetected.

The Q is: what if the payload to be carried is shorter? what kind of padding is used to scale the frame up to the slot size-- 64 bytes?

TIA.

Upvotes: 1

Views: 2095

Answers (1)

Joachim Isaksson
Joachim Isaksson

Reputation: 180867

To quote from Data and Computer Network Communication (emphasis mine);

If the network layer wishes to send less than 46 bytes of data the MAC protocol adds sufficient number of zero bytes (0x00, is also known as null padding characters) to satisfy the requirement.

Some buggy drivers fail to do this though as noted by Adaptec.

Upvotes: 2

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