If a packet's IPv4 Total Length field is 60 and the IHL is 5, what is the length of the payload?

Study for the Internet Protocol Version 4 Test. Use flashcards and multiple-choice questions, each with hints and explanations. Master the exam with confidence!

Multiple Choice

If a packet's IPv4 Total Length field is 60 and the IHL is 5, what is the length of the payload?

Explanation:
In IPv4, the Total Length field represents the entire size of the packet, including both the header and the payload. The IHL (Internet Header Length) tells you how long the header is in 32-bit words. An IHL of 5 means the header is 5 × 4 = 20 bytes. So the payload length is the total length minus the header length: 60 − 20 = 40 bytes. The payload is 40 bytes. If you thought the total length was just the payload or miscalculated the header size, you'd get other numbers, but the correct approach is to subtract the header size from the total length to get the payload length.

In IPv4, the Total Length field represents the entire size of the packet, including both the header and the payload. The IHL (Internet Header Length) tells you how long the header is in 32-bit words. An IHL of 5 means the header is 5 × 4 = 20 bytes.

So the payload length is the total length minus the header length: 60 − 20 = 40 bytes. The payload is 40 bytes.

If you thought the total length was just the payload or miscalculated the header size, you'd get other numbers, but the correct approach is to subtract the header size from the total length to get the payload length.

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