RFC 2507 (rfc2507) - Page 1 of 47
IP Header Compression
Alternative Format: Original Text Document
Network Working Group M. Degermark
Request for Comments: 2507 Lulea University of Technology/SICS
Category: Standards Track B. Nordgren
Lulea University of Technology/Telia Research AB
S. Pink
Lulea University of Technology/SICS
February 1999
IP Header Compression
Status of this Memo
This document specifies an Internet standards track protocol for the
Internet community, and requests discussion and suggestions for
improvements. Please refer to the current edition of the "Internet
Official Protocol Standards" (STD 1) for the standardization state
and status of this protocol. Distribution of this memo is unlimited.
Copyright Notice
Copyright (C) The Internet Society (1999). All Rights Reserved.
Abstract
This document describes how to compress multiple IP headers and TCP
and UDP headers per hop over point to point links. The methods can be
applied to of IPv6 base and extension headers, IPv4 headers, TCP and
UDP headers, and encapsulated IPv6 and IPv4 headers.
Headers of typical UDP or TCP packets can be compressed down to 4-7
octets including the 2 octet UDP or TCP checksum. This largely
removes the negative impact of large IP headers and allows efficient
use of bandwidth on low and medium speed links.
The compression algorithms are specifically designed to work well
over links with nontrivial packet-loss rates. Several wireless and
modem technologies result in such links.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Introduction..............................................3
2. Terminology...............................................5
3. Compression method........................................7
3.1. Packet types.......................................8
3.2. Lost packets in TCP packet streams.................9
3.3. Lost packets in UDP and non-TCP packet streams....10
4. Grouping packets into packet streams.....................14
Degermark, et. al. Standards Track