Fragmentation flags in IP Header

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But let´s assume the following:

• Packets gets started without DNF Bit set
• Packet gets fragmented (Most likely by the sender itsself)
• Some device is setting the DNF Bit - which is most likely not an L4 device, otherwise we won´t be able to see the fragments here.
  • This is first of all not necessary, as a already fragmented packet is not allowed to be fragmented again.
  • If the DNF bit would be set in the middle of the way (for a non fragmented packet), the packet will be dropped, if it is to big. And a ICMP Message will be generated for the originally sender.
  • But the sender is not able to interpret this message correctly. As if it is a Windows host we are allowed to assume, that PMTUD is disabled, otherwise the DNF would have been set.

So I stay on my opinion, setting the DNF bit ...(more)

Indeed the combination (Do not Fragment and More Fragments) is an unallowed combination.

You may be right, but where is it stated that this is disallowed? Which RFC, for example? I ask because recently I've had a discussion about fragmentation and was wondering about possible improvements to PMTUD. Currently it seems that fragmented packets originating from a host do not have the DNF bit set, but why not? If a smaller PMTU is later encountered, the fragment will be fragmented again and forwarded along, but this is not ideal. I would rather see fragments rejected with an ICMP T3C4 and next-hop MTU returned so that the originating host could learn the true PMTU and perform fragmentation only once, right at the source. Note that per RFC 792, only the first fragment with offset=0 would cause the ICMP T3C4 to be sent; all other fragments would simply be dropped ...(more)

@cmaynard: As I have written before agree now, too, that further fragmentation is allowed,

So I agree that setting the DNF Bit on an already fragmented packet is not explicit forbidden. But it still makes no sense under normal conditions.

Because the ICMP T3C4 is routed to the original sender and I am not sure if he can handle this message, if PMTUD is not enabled on his site. So there 3 behaviours how he can react from my point of view:

1. In the best case the original sender (he) will understand it, and sends the right segment size
2. He will send a 576 Byte large packet (Min Transmission Unit Size)
3. He will ignore it and packets gets still dropped.

So maybe it is some kind of intelligent NAT device in that path, which sends those packets? Or it is just an educational example of the year 2004. ???

Hope I ...(more)