Compression Format for IPv6 Datagrams over IEEE 802.15.4-Based Networks
RFC 6282

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Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF)                       J. Hui, Ed.
Request for Comments: 6282                         Arch Rock Corporation
Updates: 4944                                                 P. Thubert
Category: Standards Track                                          Cisco
ISSN: 2070-1721                                           September 2011

                 Compression Format for IPv6 Datagrams
                   over IEEE 802.15.4-Based Networks

Abstract

   This document updates RFC 4944, "Transmission of IPv6 Packets over
   IEEE 802.15.4 Networks".  This document specifies an IPv6 header
   compression format for IPv6 packet delivery in Low Power Wireless
   Personal Area Networks (6LoWPANs).  The compression format relies on
   shared context to allow compression of arbitrary prefixes.  How the
   information is maintained in that shared context is out of scope.
   This document specifies compression of multicast addresses and a
   framework for compressing next headers.  UDP header compression is
   specified within this framework.

Status of This Memo

   This is an Internet Standards Track document.

   This document is a product of the Internet Engineering Task Force
   (IETF).  It represents the consensus of the IETF community.  It has
   received public review and has been approved for publication by the
   Internet Engineering Steering Group (IESG).  Further information on
   Internet Standards is available in Section 2 of RFC 5741.

   Information about the current status of this document, any errata,
   and how to provide feedback on it may be obtained at
   http://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc6282.

Hui & Thubert                Standards Track                    [Page 1]
RFC 6282             IPv6 Datagrams on IEEE 802.15.4      September 2011

Copyright Notice

   Copyright (c) 2011 IETF Trust and the persons identified as the
   document authors.  All rights reserved.

   This document is subject to BCP 78 and the IETF Trust's Legal
   Provisions Relating to IETF Documents
   (http://trustee.ietf.org/license-info) in effect on the date of
   publication of this document.  Please review these documents
   carefully, as they describe your rights and restrictions with respect
   to this document.  Code Components extracted from this document must
   include Simplified BSD License text as described in Section 4.e of
   the Trust Legal Provisions and are provided without warranty as
   described in the Simplified BSD License.

Table of Contents

   1. Introduction ....................................................3
      1.1. Requirements Language ......................................4
   2. Specific Updates to RFC 4944 ....................................4
   3. IPv6 Header Compression .........................................5
      3.1. LOWPAN_IPHC Encoding Format ................................6
           3.1.1. Base Format .........................................6
           3.1.2. Context Identifier Extension .......................10
      3.2. IPv6 Header Encoding ......................................11
           3.2.1. Traffic Class and Flow Label Compression ...........11
           3.2.2. Deriving IIDs from the Encapsulating Header ........12
           3.2.3. Stateless Multicast Address Compression ............13
           3.2.4. Stateful Multicast Address Compression .............14
   4. IPv6 Next Header Compression ...................................15
      4.1. LOWPAN_NHC Format .........................................15
      4.2. IPv6 Extension Header Compression .........................15
      4.3. UDP Header Compression ....................................17
           4.3.1. Compressing UDP Ports ..............................17
           4.3.2. Compressing UDP Checksum ...........................18
           4.3.3. UDP LOWPAN_NHC Format ..............................20
   5. IANA Considerations ............................................20
   6. Security Considerations ........................................21
   7. Acknowledgements ...............................................22
   8. References .....................................................22
      8.1. Normative References ......................................22
      8.2. Informative References ....................................23

Hui & Thubert                Standards Track                    [Page 2]
RFC 6282             IPv6 Datagrams on IEEE 802.15.4      September 2011

1.  Introduction

   The [IEEE802.15.4] standard specifies an MTU of 127 bytes, yielding
   about 80 octets of actual Media Access Control (MAC) payload with
   security enabled, on a wireless link with a link throughput of 250
   kbps or less.  The 6LoWPAN adaptation format [RFC4944] was specified
   to carry IPv6 datagrams over such constrained links, taking into
   account limited bandwidth, memory, or energy resources that are
   expected in applications such as wireless sensor networks.  [RFC4944]