Re: Window Scale option

[[e-mail]]

  *> 
  *> The SYN only restriction is far more problematic for the timestamp
  *> option than it is for than the window scale option.
  *> 
  *> For example, if you have a laptop with a radio modem and a 100bT
  *> interface, you are likely to find that you are either wasting the
  *> skinny link with uncompressible timestamps, or underfilling the LAN
  *> because you didn't negotiate timestamps.  Although you could implement
  *> per-route or per-interface flags to control TCPLW features, the real
  *> problem is the pervasive 1323 mindset that new options must never
  *> appear after the SYN-ACK.

Matt,

I would not call it a "mindset", I would call it concern about
(possible lack of) interoperability.  However, the issue of breaking
some TCPs with options on non-SYN segments may well be less of a
concern than it was 8 years ago.

In any case, I see no reason why TCPs cannot exchange timestamp options
n the SYN exchange to enable the feature, then suspend sending
time stamps whenever they want (e.g., when the connection throughput
falls below some threshold?)  Am I missing something?

Bob