ARP Flag Types and Timers
ARP is quite an essential protocol in LAN Networking. Computer systems will be unable to communicate with each other in LAN if ARP is not present. Just to refresh our understanding of ARP, when an end host or computer in LAN environment wants to transfer data to another host (like computer etc.) it must first know the MAC Address of the destination.
If the destination host MAC address entry is not there, in this case, ARP protocol sends a broadcast out to the LAN network asking for the MAC address of the destination host IP address. The machine with the IP address will respond with its MAC address. Their other scenarios also where ARP is used, however, we’ll now move our attention further to ARP timeouts and related flags.
Related – TYPES OF ARP
ARP Timeout values
ARP timeout means how much time the system will keep the dynamic leaned MAC address on its memory before flushing it if it’s not reused. Many of the networking systems have a timeout of 20 minutes for a completed entry and 3 minutes for an incomplete entry. However, there are an array of vendors in networking markets who have created their own standard timeout values for Address Resolution protocol. Below are the default ARP cache timeout of few vendors:
ARP Flag Types (Linux):
Next let’s look at the ARP flags types especially in Linux system. ARP flags in Linux are the ones that will help us understand what type of entry is being placed in the memory as seen in the ARP table flags. Below is the output from “ARP –n” command statement where Flags are highlighted in RED circle –
Based on the above output, 3 of the entries are showing Flag Type as “C”. Further, lets understand other flag types. There are 3 type of Flags in Linux
- C = This type of entry is seen when entries are dynamically learned by arp protocol.
- M = This flag tells that entries have been manually entered/added in the memory instead of dynamically learned from arp protocol.
- P = P here means Publish. It tells the host to respond to packets which are ARP request and ARP response.
Hope this article helped our viewers with concepts of –
- ARP Timeouts with different vendor devices
- ARP Flag types in Linus Operating System
Related – ARP VS RARP
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
I am here to share my knowledge and experience in the field of networking with the goal being – “The more you share, the more you learn.”
I am a biotechnologist by qualification and a Network Enthusiast by interest. I developed interest in networking being in the company of a passionate Network Professional, my husband.
I am a strong believer of the fact that “learning is a constant process of discovering yourself.”
– Rashmi Bhardwaj (Author/Editor)
