Setting MSS for TCP Connections

MSS is used by TCP to define the maximum amount of data that a TCP interface can accept in any single packet (or segment size). The MSS value is typically negotiated during connection establishment and is not renegotiated.

By default, the router uses an MSS value of 1280 bytes and the advertised MSS is derived from the MTU of the transmitting interface. However, you can use the tcp mss command to set the MSS for TCP use.

You can use the vrfName variable to specify a VRF to which you want to assign the TCP MSS value.

All IPv6 routing protocol configurations are removed from the virtual router when you issue the no ipv6 command. The MSS value is equal to the MTU value minus the IPv6 and TCP headers, so the MSS value is generally 60 bytes less than the MTU.

To specify the MSS value for TCP to use:

• Issue the tcp mss command in Global Configuration mode.
  host1(config)#tcp mss 1000

  Use the no version to remove the MSS value so that the router uses the advertised MSS derived from the MTU of the output interface.

Related Documentation

• Monitoring TCP Statistics for IPv6
• tcp mss