Patent ID: 6212190
Filing Date: 2001-04-03
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A method executed by a computer for determining the size of a packet to be transmitted over different routes on a network wherein each route may carry different size packets and the size of a packet is determined by a total number of storage units contained within the packet, the method comprising the steps of:providing a maximum transmission unit (MTU) capable of being transmitted over each one of a set of routes of the network, wherein the MTU is set to the lesser of a predetermined minimum MTU or the MTU associated with a first-hop to any network that is not connected to the same network or subnetwork as a transmitting host;comparing a size of a packet to be transmitted over the network with a size of the MTU associated with a particular one of the routes on the network; andwhen the comparison indicates the size of the packet is larger than the size of the MTU associated with the particular one of the routes, further processing the packet by separating the number of storage units in the packet into substantially even groupings of units stored in one or more packets, wherein each of the one or more packets are capable of holding MTU storage units.