private ethernet protocol number

I would like to connect to linux hosts using ethernet but without using IP. I want to communicate only with raw ethernet packets and I plan to use packet sockets.

The question I have is this: what ethernet protocol number should I use?

I need a range that is assigned as private/experimental or something similar. To help you understand what I am talking about, the IP protocol number is 0x800 and the ARP protocol number is 0x806.

Please don't tell me to use UDP or IP or anything else instead. There are specific reasons for wanting to use raw ethernet packets.

Reply to
siganosd
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Check out IEEE 802a-2003 (the Overview and Architecture Standard for the IEEE 802 family). It defines methods for private and experimental Ethernet protocol type usage. It is available for free download at:

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-- Rich Seifert Networks and Communications Consulting 21885 Bear Creek Way (408) 395-5700 Los Gatos, CA 95033 (408) 228-0803 FAX

Send replies to: usenet at richseifert dot com

Reply to
Rich Seifert

We had a similar need, and ended up buying an "official" protocol number. The process was surprisingly painless.

I suggest that you stick to a single protocol number instead of a range of protocol numbers (and use a subsequent field in the frame to carry the extra information). If your idea becomes successful, you will want to make the protocol number official, and it's somewhat harder to buy a range than just a single number. The entire space is less than 2^16, so they don't want to waste it.

[slightly apocryphal tale] Our software guy had to choose a number to use for prototyping our protocols. We told him to f*ck off. And that's the number we still have, only now it's official: 0xFC0F.

Regards, Allan

Reply to
Allan Herriman

(snip)

I suppose you don't have any trouble remembering it.

The identifier at the beginning of Java class files is

X'CAFEBABE' also easy to remember.

-- glen

Reply to
glen herrmannsfeldt

Bonjour Allan,

This strong Ethertype is not in the list from IANA updated 2008-03-19

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Perhaps it's an "OUI Extended Ethertype", but I'm not sure of that.

Best regards, Michelot

Reply to
Michelot

But it's listed here:

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Christof

Reply to
Christof Meerwald

Bonjour Christof,

Glurps! interresting.

and I don't know why there are 2 lists. Have you an idea?

best reagrds, Michelot

Reply to
Michelot

There are a lot more than 2 lists. People like to make lists.

There is only one official list: the IEEE one, which has the complete set of official numbers.

The IANA one contains numbers that are relevant to the IANA. It would be a mistake to consider the IANA list as definitive. However, the IANA are a pragmatic bunch, and it is quite possible for (unofficial) numbers that are used in practice to exist in the IANA list that aren't in the IEEE list. FC0F identifies a proprietory protocol which is not described in any IETF RFC, and isn't really visible to the IANA.

Regards, Allan

Reply to
Allan Herriman

Bonsoir Allan,

Thanks for these words, best regards, Michelot

Reply to
Michelot

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