Subject: Regarding the pointer field in LSSR options of IP packet.

From: Shankar Agarwal <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 04 Jun 2000 19:07:37 +0530

Hi,
Can anyone tell me why the minimum value of the pointer in the LSSR option
is 4. It says that it points to the next address with respect to the option
field. Then shouldn't it be 3 (option type + length + pointer) rather then 4.
Similarly for the pointer in the timestamp option it says that
"The Pointer is the number of octets from the beginning of this
option to the end of timestamps plus one (i.e., it points to the
octet beginning the space for next timestamp).  The smallest
legal value is 5.  The timestamp area is full when the pointer
is greater than the length."
Here i think that the value of the pointer should have been 4 and the
sentence should have been "The Pointer is the number of octets from the
beginning of this option to the end of timestamps"
rather then ""The Pointer is the number of octets from the beginning of
this option to the end of timestamps plus one". Otherwise if the plus one
is there then the following sentence in the bracket "(i.e., it points to
the octet beginning the space for next timestamp)." should have been
reframed to "(i.e., it points to the octet after the space for next
timestamp)."
Any help in clarifying my doubt would be appreciated.
Regards
Shankar