Reference Guide

442 | IPv6 Routing
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Extension headers are processed in the order in which they appear in the packet header.
Hop-by-Hop Options header
The Hop-by-Hop options header contains information that is examined by every router along the packet’s
path. It follows the IPv6 header and is designated by the Next Header value 0 (zero) (Table 21-1).
When a Hop-by-Hop Options header is not included, the router knows that it does not have to process any
router specific information and immediately processes the packet to its final destination.
When a Hop-by-Hop Options header is present, the router only needs this extension header and does not
need to take the time to view further into the packet.
The Hop-by-Hop Options header contains:
• Next Header (1 byte)
This field identifies the type of header following the Hop-by-Hop Options header and uses the same values
shown in Table 21-1.
• Header Extension Length (1 byte)
This field identifies the length of the Hop-by-Hop Options header in 8-byte units, but does not include the
first 8 bytes. Consequently, if the header is less than 8 bytes, the value is 0 (zero).
• Options (size varies)
This field can contain 1 or more options. The first byte if the field identifies the Option type, and directs
the router how to handle the option.
The second byte contains the Option Data Length.
The third byte specifies whether the information can change en route to the destination. The value is 1 if it
can change; the value is 0 if it cannot change.
00 Skip and continue processing
01 Discard the packet.
10 Discard the packet and send an ICMP Parameter Problem Code 2 message to the packet’s Source
IP Address identifying the unknown option type
11 Discard the packet and send an ICMP Parameter Problem, Code 2 message to the packet’s Source
IP Address only if the Destination IP Address is not a multicast address.