IPv6 Hop-by-Hop Option - IP Protocol
This page provides IP protocol information on the IPv6 Hop-by-Hop Option IP protocol (HOPOPT) detected by the Netify DPI engine. Please see the IP protocol catalog for information on other IP protocols.
HOPOPT is the first extension header in an IPv6 packet, carried by every hop along the path to convey options examined by every router, such as the Jumbo Payload option. Linux has a native handler for this IP protocol.
IP Protocol Details
- Name
- IPv6 Hop-by-Hop Option
- Abbreviation
- HOPOPT
- Status
- Active
- IANA Number
- 0
- IANA Keyword
- HOPOPT
- Reference
- IPv6 Hop-by-Hop Option
IP Protocol Status - Active
HOPOPT was defined alongside the core IPv6 specification in the 1990s (now RFC 8200) and remains an active, required part of the IPv6 header chain.
IP Protocol Network Policy
Allow only where IPv6 Hop-by-Hop options (e.g. multicast listener discovery) are required; HOPOPT is often filtered at network edges due to extension-header abuse risks.